Once upon a time, the Hind was the boogeyman helicopter that was going to sweep all before it on the battlefields of Western Europe…

Major Caleb Nimmo of the 438 Air Expeditionary Wing, Combined Air Power Transition Force, poses next to a Russian made Mi-35 attack helicopter at the Afghan National Army Air Corps base in Kabul, Afghanistan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class (AW) Elizabeth Burke/RELEASED)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Caleb Nimmo is the first American Mi-35 HIND attack helicopter pilot to fly in combat. He is deployed to Afghanistan advising the Afghan National Army Air Corps’ rotary wing squadron as part of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Combined Air Power Transition Force.

The 377th Rotary Wing Squadron of the Kabul Air Wing is advised by CAPTF’s coalition partners from the Czech Republic, Hungary and the U.S. The squadron flies the Russian made Mi-35 attack helicopter and the Mi-17 transport helicopter.

Major Nimmo received his Mi-35 training from a civilian contractor in the United States. The training consisted of 40 hours of basic familiarization: maneuvers, emergency procedures-engine fires, failures and autorotation. He also received instrument training and mission specific escort and weapons training. He followed that up with ten hours of military training with the Czech Republic in close air support, escort, formation with reference to high density altitude and also mentor training.

Afghan National Army Air Corp Airmen pilot two Mi-35 helicopters during a training sortie, with support from Czech Republic and U.S. coalition partners, over southern Afghanistan Oct. 3, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Angelita Lawrence)

U.S. Air Force Capt. R. Tyler Rennell, a pilot mentor from the 450th Air Expeditionary Training Squadron, signs a receipt for fuel at Kandahar Air Field Oct. 2, 2009. Captain Rennell is part of the 438th AETS, the units mission is to mentor Afghans on flying operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Angelita Lawrence)

Army Sergeant First Class Joseph Lemons, ANNAC flight medic advisor from the 438th Air Expeditionary Training Group, and his Afghan counterpart provide surveillance and security aboard an Afghan-piloted Mi-35 Hind helicopter on a training sortie over southern Afghanistan Oct. 3, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Angelita Lawrence)

More info here and here, including HIRES images…

…and I’ll bet that the Hind doesn’t have half the issues of modern helicopters…