Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Utility helicopter

Power Plant:

(500D)

One 313 kw (420 shp) Allison 250-C20B turboshaft

Specifications:

History:

The Hughes 500 series was chosen for development for the United States Army in 1961 as the OH-6A, and five prototypes were ordered for evaluation in competition with the Bell OH-4A and the Hiller OH-5A.  The series prototype was flown for the first time on 27 February 1963.  Hughes won the competition and the type entered production. An initial order was placed for 714 examples, being increased in later years. In March and April 1966 Army and civilian pilots established 23 international records (for its class) in the OH-6A, as the Hughes 500 became known in military service.

In April 1961 Hughes announced its intention to market a commercial model of the OH-6A, with three basic versions to be produced: a basic Model 500, with up to seven seats; a five-seat executive aircraft; and the Utility Model 500U, which later became known as the 500C.  These models were similar to the military aircraft, except that the Allison T63-A-5A engine was de-rated to 207 kw (278 shp) in the Models 500 and 500M, whereas the Model 500C was fitted with the commercial Allison 250-C20 engine de-rated to the same level but with improved performance in hot climates and at high altitudes.  These models proved very popular.  The Model 500M was purchased by a number of overseas air forces, and licence production was undertaken by Breda Nardi in Italy, Kawasaki in Japan, and RACA in Argentina.

In 1974 development of a new model proceeded.  This introduced the Allison 250-C-20B engine of 313 kw (420 shp) de-rated to 280 kw (375 hp), giving the new model increased performance.  Known on the civil market as the Model 500D, this model introduced the small ‘T’-tail with a small-span horizontal stabiliser with end-plate fins.  The other major alteration was a five-blade main rotor and four-blade tail rotor in place of the four-blade and two-blade rotors respectively.  The prototype of this model was flown in August 1974.

Deliveries of the series continued, and in 1976 Hughes indicated it would produce a low-cost, multi-mission, combat helicopter version. This model, which became known as the Model 500MD Defender, had self-sealing fuel cells, armour, and provision for the carriage and deployment of a variety of weapons, including the Hughes Black Hole Ocarina IR suppressor to reduce the machine’s vulnerability to heat-seeking missiles.  It could also carry TOW missiles, a 30 mm Hughes chain gun, and Mk 44 or Mk 46 homing torpedoes.  In 1980 the Model 500MD Defender II was released with a Martin Marietta rotor mast-top sight for a General Dynamics twin-stinger air-to-air missile pod, which was under the fuselage, the 30 mm Hughes chain gun, and a pilot’s night vision sensor.

The Model 500E featured a longer and more streamlined nose than the Model 500D, providing increased leg room for the front seat occupants, but with the 388 kw (520 shp) Allison 250-C20B turboshaft.  Other variants offered included the Model 530F Lifter for hot climates and high altitudes; and the Model 500D, which had been licence-built in Argentina, Italy, Japan and South Korea.  The Model 530F was first flown in 1982 and was basically the Model 500E with a 485 kw (650 shp) Allison 250-C30 turboshaft, a military variant being the Model 530MG.

Hughes Helicopters was acquired by McDonnell Douglas in January 1984 and the type then became known as the McDonnell Douglas 500, the Models 500E and 530F being built as the MD-500E and MD-530F Lifter.  In 1997 the company merged with Boeing and the line of helicopters became known as Boeing products, but in the late 1990s this part of the company was put on the market.

Although known as the Hughes 500 series, the type was registered as the Hughes 369.  A total of 63 examples of the series has been registered in New Zealand, being Models 369D, 369E, 369FF and 369HS.  Thirty-odd examples have been registered in Australia, being Models 369D, 369E, and 369HS.  More than 4,700 examples of the series have been built for civil and military operators.

In 1997, during the New Guinea Government’s problems in Bougainville, the company Sandline attempted to import a number of aircraft into New Guinea to help solve the problem.  Known to have been imported were two Soviet-built MIL Mi-24 and three MIL Mi-17 helicopters, a CASA C-212, two Cessna O-2s and a Hughes 500.  The latter was an ex-confiscated drug-running aircraft which was gifted by the United States Government. The containers remained on the edge of the parade ground at the Police Barracks at Rove for some time, and the aircraft were vandalised.

The fate of the MIL Mi-24s, the MIL Mi-17s and the CASA C-212 has been dealt with elsewhere.  At some stage the containers for the Cessnas and the Hughes were moved to Henderson Field in the Solomon Islands but the machines are not known to have been assembled.  The CASA and one of the Cessna O-2s were stored in the PNGDF hangar at Jackson’s Field in 2002.  In about 2007 shipping containers arrived in Honiara in the Solomon Islands and when opened contained a Cessna O-2 and two Hughes 500s.  It is not known that any of these aircraft were returned to flying condition, although an attempt was made to assemble one of the Cessna O-2s.  Their ultimate fates are not known.