No, it’s not a joke: the photos in this post feature a Russian Mi-24V (NATO reporting name: Hind-E) attack helicopter in US Coast Guard (USCG) colors.

No, it’s not a joke: the photos in this post feature a Russian Mi-24V (NATO reporting name: Hind-E) attack helicopter in US Coast Guard (USCG) colors.

The Hind in fact was painted in USCG colors to play the role of an American Search and Rescue (or maybe Search and Destroy) helicopter in the Russian movie “Charged with Death” (original title Zarjazhennye smertyu).

Loaded with Death is a 1991 (filmed 1990) action movie directed by Vladimir Plotnikov. A group of escaped criminals hijacks a Russian fishing vessel “Udachlivy” (“Lucky”) in the waters of North Pacific. A Soviet Border Guard patrol ship “Yuri Andropov” and US Coast Guard helicopter make a joint operation to release the vessel. What neither criminals, nor border guards know is that the fisherman is loaded with smuggled drugs, and the American drug lord goes on his fast boat to get the drugs from “Udachlivy”.

The Mi-24V appears as a USCG helicopter (most likely used due to play the role of the then newly introduced Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk). It is piloted by Jerry Ranklin (Vladimir Antonik) and Ray (Anatoly Vedyonkin).

Still, the Hind looks cool in its Coastie colors, don’t you think?