https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD_Helicopters_MD_500
The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian
and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a
civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach. The series currently
includes the MD 500E, MD 520N, and MD 530F.
The successful Hughes 500/MD 500 series began life in response to a U.S. Army
requirement for a light observation helicopter. Hughes' Model 369 won the
contest against competition from Bell and Hiller. The OH-6 Cayuse first flew in
February 1963.
The 500 series design features shock-absorbing landing skid struts, a turboshaft
engine mounted at a 45-degree angle toward the rear of the cabin pod, a fuel
tank cell under the floor and the battery in the nose. The engine exhaust port
is located at the end of the cabin pod underneath the tailboom. It has a
short-diameter main rotor system and a short tail, giving it agile control
response and is less susceptible to weather-cocking.
Hughes won the U.S. Army's LOH contest with its OH-6 helicopter by submitting a
very low and aggressive price per airframe (without an engine). Due to rising
prices, the U.S. Army later re-opened the contest, where Hughes offered the
machine at a more realistic price, but was undercut by the redesigned Bell OH-58
Kiowa (military JetRanger). OH-6 helicopters were still ordered by the U.S.
Army, though at a much reduced number.
Hughes/MD 500
Prior to the OH-6's first flight, Hughes announced it was developing a civil
version, to be marketed as the Hughes 500, available in basic five- and
seven-seat configurations. A utility version with a more powerful engine was
offered as the 500U (later called the 500C).
The improved Hughes 500D became the primary model in 1976, with a more powerful
engine, a T-tail, and a new five-blade main rotor; a four-blade tail rotor was
optional. The 500D was replaced by the 500E from 1982 with a pointed nose and
various interior improvements, such as greater head- and legroom. The 530F was a
more powerful version of the 500E optimized for hot and high work.
McDonnell Douglas acquired Hughes Helicopters in January 1984, and from August
1985 the 500E and 530F were built as the MD 500E and MD 530F Lifter. In 2014 an
MD530F performed airshow acrobatics, piloted by eighty-two-year-old Dennis
Kenyon. Following the 1997 Boeing-McDonnell Douglas merger, Boeing sold the
former MD civil helicopter lines to MD Helicopters in early 1999. Military
variants are marketed under the MD 500 Defender name.
Role
Light utility helicopter
National origin
United States
Manufacturer
Hughes Helicopters
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
MD Helicopters, Inc.
Introduction
1982
Status
In service
Primary user
Various police agencies
Produced
Number built
4,700
Developed from
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
Variants
McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender
Developed into
MD Helicopters MD 600
North Korea
In 1985, North Korea managed to circumvent US export-control barriers to
purchase 87 civilian-type Hughes MD 500s from a West German export firm (the
purchase was conducted covertly) before the US government learnt of the illegal
action by North Korea and moved to stop further deliveries to the country. There
are reports indicating that at least sixty of the helicopters delivered to North
Korea were modified to serve as helicopter-gunships. As South Korea produces the
MD 500 domestically (under license) for use by its own armed forces, the
modified helicopters operated by North Korea were deemed useful in conducting
covert or deceptive operations against South Korea (such as incursions past the
border).
The modified MD 500 helicopters were finally revealed by North Korea and seen by
the USA and European countries during North Korea's Victory Parade held on the
27th of July in 2013 in Pyongyang, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the
end of the Korean War in 1953. Images and analyses done regarding North Korea's
MD 500 helicopters show that they have been modified significantly to serve as
light attack helicopters, such as modification work on the helicopters for them
to be mounted with Soviet-designed AT-3 Sagger anti-tank wire-guided missiles.
Specifications Model 500C
General characteristics
Capacity: five total
Length: 30 ft 10 in (9.4 m)
Rotor diameter: 26 ft 4 in (8.03 m)
Height: 8 ft 2 in (2.48 m)
Empty weight: 1,088 lb (493 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,250 lb (1,157 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: 152 knots (175 mph, 282 km/h)
Cruise speed: 125 kn (144 mph, 232 km/h)
Range: 375 mi (605 km)
Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,875 m)
Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
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