Classic Hughes

[Savoia]

Hughes 500C (369HS) TG-SER as seen at La Aurora Airport in Guatemala on 2nd June 2016 (Photo: Adrián Urréjola)

[Savoia]

Hughes 500C G-SWEL as seen at Kirkbride Airfield in Cumbria

[Savoia]

H500D G-HOOK (70-0708D) as seen at Farnborough in 1980 (Photo: Barry Friend)

[Savoia]

Great stuff 500! Nice to see this event commemorated and for another chance to see this rare bird.

[500 Fan]

It is confirmed. FAC4241 makes it to 50 years service with the Colombian Air Force!!!

No celebratory paint scheme, sadly!

Colombian Air Force Celebrates 50 Years of Operations with the Hughes 500



Members of Colombia's 4th Combat Air Command led by Commander Luis René Rojas, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Hughes 500 with FAC 4241

http://www.webinfomil.com/2018/04/fu...ra-los-50.html

500 Fan.

[500 Fan]

Yes, looks like she has received a new paint scheme. It is difficult to get the colours to match the original shade of Olive Drab now that it is long out of use but maybe they were going for 'Little Bird Black'. There are so many attractive Hughes factory paint schemes from the early days of the 500 that would have looked perfect on the OH-6A.

[Savoia]

For 500 Fan

Something a little different:

Guardia di Finanza NH500MD

Landing on water, on the sea specifically and a running landing at that, requires a certain amount of caution.

Of course the very 'best' 500's were those built by Breda-Nardi!

OH-6 Cayuse


OH-6A (perhaps in Ireland) in April 2018

500F, can you say something about this craft. Has she just been repainted? Is she still in Ireland?

Now that she is in these colours will she be attending airshows?

[Savoia]

Wow, what a great story.

Let us see whether in times ahead we are able to acquire a copy of a photo of Howard with a 500, if indeed such a photo exists.

[Savoia]

Ha ha .. ah Elipix! You have an absolute gift to be able to find 'unfindable' blitterblats!

Bravo!

[500 Fan]

Hi Sav. Although his first love was always the airplane, Howard took a keen interest in the fortunes of the OH-6/500. He desperately wanted one of his designs to make it into service with the U.S. Air Force or Army and the OH-6A finally delivered that covetted contract. Apparently he was often present on the ramp at Culver City during the early development of the OH-6, discussing the helicopter with the test pilots and engineers. One further story I heard, that I hope is true, is that during his residency at the Desert Inn penthouse in Las Vegas in the late 1960's, Howard requested that the 500 team at Culver City fly a prototype over to Las Vegas from tme to time. The pilot would then hover outside Howard's window so that he could look over his last great design! This little story sounds outlandish but it was Howard Hughes remember, so maybe it isn't beyond the realms of possibility!

[500 Fan]

That's her alright. Thanks for the pic.

500 Fan.

[Helipixman]

FAC 4241

Is this the 500 you are looking for a photo of ? Found on AviationPress website. http://www.aviationpress.co.uk/



Hope this helps... Helipixman

[Savoia]

I couldn't find an image of FAC4241, but I did find a shot of one of her sister ships 4255:


Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (Colombian Air Force) Hughes 500 FAC4255 (Photo: Javier Topper)

Here's a shot of some Argentinian 500's


(Photo: Mauricio Chiofalo)

The white craft could be a mediship similar to how BATUS in Canada recently converted one or more Gazelles to be able to carry a stretcher.

I think you wanted some more shots of 5Y-BDP:



Seen here in what 'may' have been her final colour scheme.

And something a little more recent:


Japanese Army OH-6D 31279 (6591) as seen at Nagoya Komaki Airport on 3rd March 2018

[Savoia]

Great stuff 500F! 50 years of service is a fine achievement for any aircraft, let alone a half-century in military service from a first-gen turbine ship!

I'm still searching for a photo of Howard with a 500.

[500 Fan]

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the entry into service of the very first production Hughes 500, a 500M (FAC4241) that was delivered to the Fuerza Aerea Colombiana on the 23rd of April 1968. I believe it is still airworthy and in service with the FAC but is slated for retirement shortly. It probably has about 10,000 hours accumulated so it isn't a high-time airframe but 50 years of continuous service is impressive nonetheless. Howard would be proud of his little egg!

[Savoia]

Great stuff Joe, much appreciated!

[Helipixman]

Some great shots from Joe Gazelle. Keep them coming

Helipixman

[joe gazelle]

Some C models from my collection.

[Savoia]

Alistair MacKinnon's Hughes 500D (369D) G-DIGZ (cn.1111D) as seen at Denham Aerodrome on 14th March 2018
(Photo: Brian Nichols)

[Savoia]

Aviafora is pleased to present

its Golden Camera Award to

Elipix

for his wonderful collection of Classic Hughes photos





Bravo Elipix !!!

[Helipixman]

You are correct 500 Fan it did go to Ireland...

G-KSBF was re-registered as G-ITUP before going to Ireland as EI-BYV. It then went to Turkey as TC-HMC before ending its days in South Korea as HL9139

[500 Fan]

Thanks for all the info in relation to the early 500s in the UK and those great photos. I think G-KSBF also flew in Ireland with Irish Helicopters. There have only been four 500s registered in Ireland, oddly enough, given this helicopter's popularity elsewhere. Quite a few N-reg 500s arrived during the economic boom in the 2,000's but few remain.

I have been trying to collate all the "1st" 500's to be delivered in each country, globally. The very first 500 delivered to a customer, a Hughes 500M delivered to the "Fuerza Aerea Colombiana", still flies but is due for retirement very soon. If it stays in service until the 23rd of April this year, it'll be a "50 Year" airframe!

The Hughes serial system is a bit confusing. I think I might have instructions saved somewhere on how exactly you break down the information contained in each serial.

590102E, the serial for G-AYNK, is broken down thus (if I recall correctly);
The "5" refers to the month of construction or, probably, completion of manufacture - in this case May.
The next digit, 9, refers to the year of construction, 1969.
"0102E" indicates that this is the second "Executive" version, the Hughes 369HE, to be constructed. However, why it is "0102" instead of "0002" is beyond me.

Trying to identify the year for the early 70's ships in the serial can also be a little confusing but generally, the last three digits will indicate how far into the production run a given airframe is and an educated guess can then allow identification of the year.

500 Fan.

[Helipixman]

and the next five Hughes 500s











all from Helipixman collection

[Helipixman]

Here are photos of each of the first 5 out-of-sequence Hughes 500s












all from the Helipixman collection

[Savoia]

Bravo Elipix, you've got some nice UK heli-history!

[Helipixman]

Another one I flew in G-AXEJ Battersea Heliport to a farmers field in Bedfordshire for a demo ?

Helipixman

[Helipixman]

First 10 Out of sequence Hughes registrations were afaik....

G-GOGO (D) 19.12.78 Sloane Helicopters Ltd for AW Alloys Ltd
G-HOOK (D) 4.8.80 Auto Alloys (Helicopters) Ltd
G-PENI (D) 26.2.81 Yewlands Engineering Ltd
G-FROG (HS) 15.4.81 Keith Sutcliffe & Sons Ltd
G-HEWS (D) 13.5.81 John Carroll Construction Ltd
G-IDWR (HS) 26.5.81 Ryburn Air Ltd
G-WELD (HS) 26.11.81 Uniweld Ltd
G-OAIM (HS) 16.7.82 John E Clarke & Co (Bournemouth) Ltd
G-SOOD (D) 30.7.82 Southern Air Ltd
G-KSBF (D) 18.11.82 Ken Stokes (Business Forms) Ltd

Have photos of all of them and will dig some out a post later in week.
Helipixman

[Savoia]

Does anyone know the identity of the first Hughes 500 to be registered in the UK? I think it might be G-AXEJ but not 100% sure. Thanks.

500 Fan.

The first ten (in sequence) 500's I have as being delivered to the UK are as follows:

• G-AYNK: Denissimo took delivery of this craft and was also involved (at various stages) with G-BDKL and G-BDOY and probably all ten if I were to ask him!
• G-BBXF: This was owned by the late Gerry Hill, who's son participated on the original Nostalgia Thread.
• G-BDKL: I flew this craft a number of times when she was G-HSKY.

G-BDOY sees the last of the in-sequence 'C' models to be replaced the following year by the delightful 'D' model:

• G-BEJY (May 1977)
• G-BESS (May 1977)
• G-BFAY (October 1977)
• G-BFYJ (August 1978)
• G-GOGO (December 1978)

It is the out-of-sequence registrations which one has to watch out for when it comes to ordering the deliveries.

There were of course addition 'C' models registered from that time period, including G-FROG (April 1981), G-BKTK (June 1983) and others.

500 Fan: You've got to help me understand Hughes' construction number methodology, because it looks as if they asked their receptionist to think up numbers in between answering calls, I mean there's no parity between them except for mostly ending with an 'S'!



G-AXEJ


Air Gregory Hughes 500C 369HS G-AXEJ as seen at RAF Chivenor on 23rd August 1969 (Photo: RA Scholefield)

One of the earliest shots of 'EJ', seen here four months after her delivery to Air Gregory.

[500 Fan]

Does anyone know the identity of the first Hughes 500 to be registered in the UK? I think it might be G-AXEJ but not 100% sure. Thanks.

500 Fan.

[Savoia]

Hughes 500D I-SHRA (71-1017D) as seen at Corvara, Bolzano, Italia in February 1991

The Christmas Hughes


Hughes 500D N725M aka 'The Christmas Hughes'