Russia’s Mi-24 attack helicopter is 45 years old. It’s high time we busted some of the more widespread myths regarding the gunship that has gone by many names. Crocodile. Drinking Glass. Devil’s Chariot. Hind.

In a celebratory press release in September, Russian Helicopters—part of the state-owned Rostec corporation, which is now responsible for production of the latest Mi-35M version of the Hind—explained that the helicopter “was conceived and built in record time, with development starting in 1968.”

That’s not quite true, as we’ll see.

Nor is altogether accurate that the Hind has always boasted “high levels of efficiency and reliability and … sound construction,” to quote Russian Helicopters CEO Alexander Mikheev.

While it’s true that today the Hind is in service with a greater number of operators than ever before, the helo’s path to service was actually a pretty rocky one. The initial Hind prototype flew for the first time on Sept. 19, 1969, but it wasn’t until 1976 that the Soviet army formally adopted the helicopter.

The Mi-24 needed extensive design changes before it was ready for front-line use. The helicopter’s outward appearance changed radically along with its combat role. The menacing-looking Mi-24 was so radical that Soviet planners struggled to figure out exactly what to do with the aircraft.

It’s popular to describe the Hind as a “flying tank,” but “flying infantry fighting vehicle” is a more accurate description. Inventor Mikhail Mil’s initial mock-up of the V-24—which would become the Hind—was actually similar to the U.S. Army’s UH-1 Huey of Vietnam fame.

The V-24 did, however, establish the key features of the 2,300 or so production Hinds that followed—two main flight crew, armor protection, accommodation for seven or eight fully armed troops, a gun, plus rockets and guided missiles.

A flying infantry fighting vehicle was a pretty radical concept—and at first, the Soviet Defense Ministry was reluctant to back the project. But Mil won over the ministry. In the course of three different mock-ups and five iterations of the forward fuselage, Mil eventually settled on a 10.5-ton design powered by a pair of turboshafts.

At this early stage, the military demanded that the Hind carry a 12.7-millimeter heavy machine gun in a chin turret, plus high-tech Shturm guided missiles.

In a hurry to get the new rotorcraft ready for service, Mil elected to borrow components from existing designs. The main dynamic components—including engines and the main and tail rotors—came from the Mi-14 maritime helicopter.

Otherwise, the Mi-24 was a major departure. The two primary crew—a pilot and a gunner—sat in tandem under a “greenhouse” canopy with flat glass panels. There was also room for a third crewman, a technician. The troop compartment was in the center fuselage and featured back-to-back seating.

The Mi-24’s swift development meant the aircraft was ready long before its planned Shturm missile was. As a result, the Hind initially packed the older Falanga-M—a fairly primitive radio-controlled missile.

Early flight trials uncovered the first major design shortcoming. The Mi-24’s stub wings, meant to provide lift as well as carry weaponry, had an adverse affect on stability. As a result, Mil added new stub wings with a downward angle.

Another problem related to the original missile installation, which relied on pylons fixed to the lower fuselage. These interfered with the line-of-fire of rockets launched off the stub wings. They also prevented the cabin doors from opening. Rectifying this, Mil relocated the missiles to the tips of the stub wings.

In its original form, the cockpit was also too cramped for the weapons guidance system, forcing Mil to graft a longer and more pointed nose onto the prototypes helos.