DCS: Mi-8MTV2 Magnificent Eight

El Mil Mi-8MTV2 (designación OTAN Hip E) es la versión armada del helicóptero militar utilitario y de transporte de tamaño medio-grande y bimotor de fabricación rusa. Los seis puntos de anclaje externos del Mi-8MTV2 le permiten llevar una amplia variedad de armas. Estos incluyen hasta 6 bombas de 100 kg o 250 kg, o 2 bombas de 500 kg; contenedores con cañones de 23 mm y 30 mm; y contenedores con cohetes de 80 mm (120 cohetes - HE, AP, Frag, Illum). El Hip E también puede montar ametralladoras de 12,7 mm (0,5 pulgadas) en un contenedor y en la bodega de carga.

El Mil Mi-8, uno de los helicópteros militares de mayor éxito jamás construidos, entró en servicio en las Fuerzas Aéreas soviéticas en 1967. Capaz de transportar hasta 24 soldados completamente armados, la serie Mi-8T también fue adaptada para disparar cohetes no guiados. Se han construido más de 17.000 variantes del Mil Mi-8, y se utiliza en 50 países.

El Hip E tiene una velocidad de crucero de unos 230 km/h, un radio de combate de 600 km y puede transportar cargas de hasta 6.000 kg. Ha combatido en todo el mundo, sobre todo en la guerra ruso-afgana de 1979-1989, donde demostró ser un caballo de batalla robusto, eficaz y versátil. El Mil Mi-8, que se exporta a todo el mundo, sigue en servicio en muchas fuerzas armadas.

Desarrollado por Belsimtek con la ayuda de un experimentado piloto de Mi-8, el DCS: Mi-8MTV2 "Magnificent Eight" ha sido creado por el mismo equipo de expertos que está detrás del DCS: UH-1H Huey. Toma los mandos y disfruta del espacio donde lo virtual se encuentra con la realidad.

Introduction

DCS: Mi-8MTV2 Magnificent Eight is a highly realistic PC simulation of the Mi-8MTV2, a combat transport and fire support helicopter and an upgraded variant of one of the most widely produced helicopters in the world - the Russian Mi-8 (NATO reporting name ‘Hip»). Having serving in over 50 countries in a wide variety of models over the past 40 years, the Mi-8 is a revered veteran of countless military operations and civilian services around the world. Developed by Belsimtek and Eagle Dynamics, the team behind the hit title DCS: UH-1H Huey, DCS Mi-8MTV2 continues to deliver exceptional realism and immersive gameplay within the DCS World virtual battlefield.

The simulation features accurate modeling of all primary aircraft systems, avionics, and proper functionality of nearly all cockpit switches and controls. Flight and other dynamics are modeled using real-time physics calculations and carefully tuned using actual Mi-8MTV2 documentation and pilots deeply involved in development and testing. The result is not only the most realistic Mi-8 reproduction on the PC, but a comprehensive helicopter model that correctly presents complex dynamic effects particular to helicopter flight, such as: autorotation, vortex ring state (VRS), translational lift, and many others.

As part of the DCS World battlefield, you are placed in the cockpit of the Mi-8MTV2 to fly combat transport and support missions as the left pilot, right pilot or gunner. Equipped for close fire support, the helicopter can be armed with unguided rockets, gun pods, and on-board machine guns. In the transport role, a cargo of up to four tons can be carried internally or three tons on an external sling system to deliver and retrieve supplies in a wide variety of terrain and weather conditions. A series of single missions and a handcrafted, immersive campaign plunge you into the heat of battle in the DCS World battlefield of countless AI and a variety of player-controlled fighter and attack aircraft, helicopters, and ground units. Get online to play with or against other DCS players in a synthetic online battlefield.

A quickstart guide and interactive training help you get started quickly while the comprehensive Flight Manual details the helicopter's systems and operational procedures. A wide variety of gameplay options allows each player to tailor their difficulty level as required.

Key Features of DCS: Mi-8MTV2 Magnificent Eight include:

• Unmatched flight physics providing the most realistic and dynamic conventional helicopter experience on the PC
• Multiple player positions, including pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, and door gunner
• Accurate and highly detailed 3D cockpit featuring six-degrees-of-freedom technology compatible with head-tracking devices
• Interactive cockpit controls that allow you to operate systems using the mouse
• Accurate modeling of the Mi-8MTV2 instruments, weapons, engines, radios, fuel, electrical, and hydraulic systems
• Highly detailed Mi-8MTV2 external 3D model, liveries, and weapons
• Accurate audio environment based on custom Mi-8MTV2 sound samples
• Immersive, handcrafted campaign with a variety of transport and fire support missions
• Training with interactive and video lessons
• Multiplayer coop mode for crew members of the same helicopter under development for a later update
• Developed in close cooperation with actual Mi-8MTV2 operators

Mi-8MTV2 - General Design and Mission Overview

The Mi-8MTV2 is designed to enhance the mobility of ground forces and provide fire support on the battlefield.

The primary missions performed by the helicopter include:

• Tactical air assault
• Air mobility of ground forces
• Transport of internal and external cargo
• Destruction of ground targets on the forward edge of the battle area (FEBA) and within tactical depth, such as: infantry, lightly armored vehicles, anti-tank positions, artillery, radar and reconnaissance positions, anti-aircraft defense positions, forward command posts, helicopters and other aircraft positioned on the ground
• Airborne reconnaissance
• Airborne mine placement
• Search and rescue
• Medical evacuation

The internal and external payload of the helicopter can be configured as required to perform the above missions, including fitting of armament, additional fuel tanks, internal and externally slung cargo, medical stretchers, etc.

The helicopter can be operated in daytime or nighttime and under visual or instrument meteorological conditions.

The crew consists of three members: the Pilot-Commander, Pilot-Navigator, and Flight Engineer.

Principal dimensions:

Performance characteristics:

Flight Model

Helicopter velocity is determined using complete equations that calculate the forces and moments not only at the fuselage center of gravity (CG), but also acting on the turning rotors, which include the flapping motions of the rotor blades. This makes it possible to model all of the dynamic effects specific to helicopter flight.

The aerodynamic forces acting on the helicopter model are derived as a summation of the parameters of its individual elements: main and tail rotors, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, pylons, and undercarriage. Each of these elements is positioned and orientated individually within the airframe's local coordinate system and has its own aerodynamic characteristics.

The aerodynamic characteristics of each model element are pre-calculated with special software using numerical methods. In determining the forces and moments acting on the main and tail rotors, the calculations include the axial and longitudinal components of airflow speed, blade pitch, rotor angular velocities, airflow parameters, and blade inertia characteristics.

The aerodynamic forces acting on each model element are determined according to its pre-calculated characteristics in its own coordinate system. This includes local airflow velocity changes in the vicinity of the element as induced by other model elements.

Each element has a damage/destruction capacity that affects the lifting and center of gravity calculations of the model. Damage can be affected either by aerodynamic force or by physical contact with the ground or other objects. Ground and object contact is modeled using a system of rigid body points.

The detailed, real-time modeling of the dynamics involved with the main and tail rotors, fuselage, empennage, and other elements of the airframe produces flight characteristics that closely match those of the real helicopter and make it possible to naturally induce and closely model important flight conditions and effects like torque-induced yaw, translational lift, translating tendency, rotor overspeed and droop, retreating blade stall, autorotation, settling with power (vortex ring state), etc.

The Mi-8MTV2 simulation was developed under the management of an experienced Mi-8 pilot and with reference to a wealth of aircraft documentation and further testing by pilots and other subject matter experts to ensure the accuracy of the model's performance.

3D Model and Liveries

DCS: Mi-8MTV2 features an accurate and highly detailed 3D model of the helicopter using a 100,000+ triangle construction and a variety of historically accurate high resolution liveries. Multiple-texture maps, normal maps and specular maps are used to achieve a variety of special effects while skeletal animation is used to animate rotor blade flexing.

The main rotor assembly is fully animated and correctly translates movement of the cyclic and collective controls to the rotor system, making it possible to visually see rotor disc tilting, conning, and blade pitching.

The model includes extensive damage visualization that includes sector-based bullet/shrapnel penetration, canopy/window fracturing and penetration, and variety of partial or complete tearing of aircraft sections.