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In 1961, Hughes was one of the twelve companies that submitted proposals to meet U.S. Army TS-153
requirement for a four-seat turbine-powered light observation helicopter. Model 369 was developed
and flew first on February 27, 1963. Five machines of this type were ordered as OH-6A for the
evaluation programme. The OH-6A Cayuse powered by an Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft was the winner of
the U.S. Army's contest in May 1965. Deliveries commenced in September 1966 to meet an initial
three-year commitment for 1071 machines. Next to the military OH-6A Hughes developed a larger,
five-passenger civilian version. Initially designated as the 369H and 369A during the development stage,
it emerged on the market as the Hughes 500. In 1968 the 500C with the more powerful Allison 250-C20
engine was introduced. In 1977 the 500D entered the market with a new five-bladed rotor system and the
Allison 250-C20B engine. In 1982, Hughes introduced both the 500E with the Allison 250-C20B and the 530F
with the more powerful Allison 250-C30 engine. On 6 January 1984, Hughes Helicopters became a subsidiary
of McDonnell Douglas, and subsequently re-designated the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company.
The Hughes 500 thus became the MD500. |
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In March 1971, the Hughes 369HS c/n 70-0241S was registered D-HMRG in Germany. The 1970-built Hughes was
photographed at the Heli-Holland heliport near Emmen in the Netherlands. On 4 April 2009,
Hughes D-HMRG was damaged beyond reapair in an emergency landing at Hasenmoor/Wolfsberg in Germany.
Registration D-HMRG was cancelled on 8 February 2011. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
