D-HACA Hughes 269C/300C c/n 72-0149 - Groningen Airport Eelde, Holland - 7 July 1977

The first of two prototypes of the two-seat Hughes Model 269 helicopter flew first in October 1956, only 13 months after commencement of design work. The basic design sparked US Army interest to order 5, designated YHO-2-HU, for evaluation. As a result Hughes won a US Army contract for a light helicopter primary trainer and 792 were built as the TH55A Osage. Deliveries of the commercial Model 269A, designated Hughes 200, started in 1961. The three-seat Model 269B, designated Hughes 300, flew first in 1964. In 1969 the 300 was followed by the improved Model 269C, designated Hughes 300C. Since 1983 Schweizer has built the 269C/300C, initially under licence for Hughes. Schweizer Aircraft Corp. acquired all rights to the helicopter in 1986. Already over 3400 helicopters of the 269/300/TH55 are built, of which 2800 by Hughes before production was transferred to Schweizer. In 2005 Schweizer Aircraft Corp. became a wholly owned Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. subsidiary.

Hughes 300C s/n 72-0149 D-HACA was photographed at Groningen Airport Eelde in the Netherlands on 7 July 1977. Owned by Clever it was operated by Heli-Noord B.V.