This Hip-C was originally '394' with the NVA from August 1968. It was penciled in to be transferred to the East German Police as DDR-VHB but this never happened as Unification meant that it was transferred to the GAF as '94+18'. It is now on display at the Auto & Tecnik museum with a serial that is an amalgam of its previous identities.

This Mi-17 of Valan was first noted at Kandahar early '10, for several years it operated in Afgh. under a contract with Aircraft Charter Solutions (UAE) in support of the US Gvmt. ACS provided airlift support for Afgh. security forces, in the mid-tens out of Mazar-i-Sharif. The Mi-17 was written off on 24 Nov'15 when was hit by a Taliban rocket over Faryab. The helo caught fire and made a forced landing in Pashtun Kot district, 1 of 3 crew and 2 of 18 Afghan soldiers on board were killed, 18 survivors were taken hostage by the Taliban. The Mi-17 was canx from register between 11 Mar'16 and 30 Sep'16.

In the heatwaves of Kandahar, a Vertical-T Mi-8 is executing a landing at Kandahar.

A huge number of civil helicopters operated out of Kandahar airfield. Mainly Mi-8s, but also S-92, S-61, AW139, Bell 214s were seen.

One of two ex Bulgarian machines which were then delivered to Afghanistan.

A museum named OMAR Mine Museum (OMAR = Organization for Mine clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation), somewhere in Kabul city, showed me very unexpectedly a series of preserved aircraft. Several once Afghan Air Force aircraft and helicopters were kind of preserved, but the war in the country badly damaged the infrastructure of the museum as well as the aircraft. Luckily the whole was protected by a large wall, that prevented a possible even worse situation... current status of the museum is unknown.

A museum named OMAR Mine Museum (OMAR = Organization for Mine clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation), somewhere in Kabul city, showed me very unexpectedly a series of preserved aircraft. Several once Afghan Air Force aircraft and helicopters were kind of preserved, but the war in the country badly damaged the infrastructure of the museum as well as the aircraft. Luckily the whole was protected by a large wall, that prevented a possible even worse situation... current status of the museum is unknown. This Mi-8T was one of the aircraft in okay condition. Its serial can be hardly read, but its just next to the main gear strut.

Now all flying hours behind. In Finnish Aviation Museum (Helsinki-Vantaa Airport). [Nikon D50 + Nikkor 50mm/1,8]

Operated by 232 vrl unit of the Czech AF.

Fromer Czech Air Force 0816 was donated to Afghanistan after an overhaul at LOM Praha (Letecké opravny Malesice). It was delivered in December 2007 to 337 Regiment of the Afghan National Army - Air Corp and served since then from Kabul IAP and the Kandahar Air Wing (supporting 205th Corps).