SINCE SQUADRON AIRFORCE
LOCATION AIRCRAFT
1962 31 Escadrille BAF
Kleine Brogel F-16AM/BM
1962 439 SQN CAF
Bagotville CH-146
1977 230 SQN RAF
Aldergrove Puma HC1
1978 Esquadra 301 PoAF Beja Alpha
Jet A
1979 Flotille 11 F F. Navy Landivisiau
Super Etendard
1979 814 N.A.S R. Navy
Culdrose Merlin MK 1
1980 192 Filo TAF
Balikesir F-16C/D
1986 Escuadra 142 SAF
Albacete Mirage F1M
1987 EC 5/330 FAF
Mont Marsan Mirage F1/2000/Alpha Jet E
1990 313 SQN RNAF
Twenthe F-16AM/BM
1994 AKG 51 GAF
Schleswig-Jagel Tornado IDS
1996 321 SQN GAF
Lechfeld Tornado ECR
1998 494 FS USAF
Lakenheath (UK) F-15E
2001 331 SQN CzAF
Prerov Mi-24D/DU/V
Honorary Members
SINCE SQUADRON AIRFORCE
LOCATION AIRCRAFT
1962 391 FS USAF
Mountain Home F-15E
1978 VP-8 US Navy
New Brunswick P-3C
1978 393 BS USAF
Whiteman B-2A
1981 11 SQN SAF
Dubendorf F-18C/D
1988 141 ARS US Air National
Guard McGuire KC-135
1991 41 SLIAC CzAF
Caslav MiG 23/L-39
1997 37 BS USAF
Ellsworth B-1B
Probationary Members
SINCE SQUADRON AIRFORCE
LOCATION AIRCRAFT
1998 155 Gruppo IAF Piacenza
Tornado ECR
The 51st Helicopter Regiment based at Prostejov operated a mixed fleet of
helicopters including the Mil Mi-24D. The 1st Helicopter Squadron of the
51st Regiment adopted the Tiger insignia on its aircraft in early 1992 and
formed a display team to demonstrate the formidable capabilities of the
Russian attack helicopter.
For the 20th anniversary of the 51st Regiment in 1994, one Mi-24D (4011)
was painted in a very light grey colour, with a Tiger cartoon on the port
side of the fuselage and a "20" in big digits on the starboard side.
Following a number of successes on the airshow circuit in Europe, the team
made their UK display debut at the International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford
in 1994.
After their success at IAT 94, the czechs were "persuaded" to stay on the
UK and attend a "Mini Tiger Meet" hosted by 74 (F) Squadron at RAF Valley.
The czechs enjoyed an informal exchange withe their fellow Tigers and
provided a memorable display during the Station Open Day.
Following the major reorganisation of the CzAF in 1994, all Mi-24
helicopters of both the 11st Helicopter Regiment based at Plzen-Líne and the
51st Helicopter Regiment based at Prostejov move to the newly established
33rd Helicopter Base in Prerov.
The Team now forms part of the 331st Attack Helicopter Squadron. This
Squadron took over the Tiger traditions of the 1st Squadron of the 51st
Helicopter Regiment.
The Team performed at air shows all over Europe for more than 10 years,
where contacts with NATO Tiger Association units were deepened.
Two Mi-24Vs helicopters from 331 Squadron took part in the Tiger Meet at
Fairford in 1997 and the 331 was invited by NTA as a Probationary Member.
In 2001, during the NATO Tiger Meet in Kleine Brogel, the 331 Squadron
became a Full Member.
The Squadron operates a fleet of Mi-24D, Mi-24V and Mi-24DU helicopters.
Mi-24D / Mi-25 "Hind D" (Izdelye 246)
The Mi-24V was the first variant with a radically redesigned forward
fuselage. The crew sat in separate cockpits in a stepped-tandem arrangement,
the pilot sitting above and behind the WSO.
However, the intended armament of Shturm-V ATGMs was not available yet. An
hybrid was developed, combining the "new" airframe with the "old" armament,
the K-4V weapons system based on the 9M17 P Falanga ATGMs. The missiles,
controlled by the Raduga-F SACLOS, had a kill ratio of 80 per cent.. The
targeting part of the system comprised a low-light-level television (LLLTV)
and a forward-looking infra-red sensor.
This stop-gap version was called Mi-24D. Production started in 1973 and
ended in 1977.
The degraded version exported outside the Warsaw Pact was called Mi-25.
Mi-24V / Mi-35 "Hind E" (Izdelye 242)
The 9K113 weapons system based on the 9M114 Shturm-V supersonic ATGM
finnally became available in 1972, marking the appearance of the Mi-24V.
The new missile also employed SACLOS guidance, was faster than the
"Swatter", had greater accuracy with a kill ratio of 92 percent and longer
range. The missile was more compact thanks to its folding fins, coming in a
neat disposable tubular launcher/container.
The command link antenna "egg" was slightly larger than the Mi-24D's and had
a more rounded front end with a large dielectric dome.
The Mi-24V has the TV3-117V engines uprated to 2,225 shp (1660 KW). New
communications equipment and new avionics were fitted.
Some late-production Mi-24Ds also had the new avionics.
Late Mi-24Vs received radar homing and warning system (RHAWS), infra-red
countermeasures (IRCM) and an active IRCM jammer.
These equipments were also fitted to some late Mi-24Ds, which have sometimes
been refered to as Hind Ds Mod.
The degraded version exported outside the Warsaw Pact was called Mi-35.
Mi-24DU / Mi-25 "Hind D" (Izdelye 249)
This is the trainer version of the Mi-24D.
The USPU-24 gun barbette was removed and the nose smothly faired.
Has dual controls with the instructor in the front seat and the trainee in
the back.
Appeared in 1980.
The degraded version exported outside the Warsaw Pact was called Mi-25.
Letka Bitevních Vrtulník (LBVr) - Attack Heli Squadron
Ceske Letectva A Protivzdusna Obrana - Czech Air Force (CzAF)
Základna Vrtulníkového Letectva (ZVrL) - Helicopter Air Base
NTA - NATO Tiger Association
WSO - Weapons System Operator
ATGM - Anti-Tank Guided Missile
9M17 Falanga - AT-2 "Swatter"
9M17 P -
Poluavtomateecheskoye / Semi-automatic guidance
SACLOS - Semi-Automatic Command Line Of Sight
9M114 Shturm-V - AT-6 "Spiral"
TV3-117V - Vysotnii / for
high altitudes (hot-and-high conditions)
RHAWS - Radar Homing and Warning System
IRCM - Infra-Red CounterMeasures