It looks like a Hughes 500 variant. Based on the military
LOACH ( light observation helicopter ), they are pretty small. A classic egg shaped pod with a high tail boom
they hold 4-5 people, depending on the model.
First flight -1963. When I was Vice President of the rescue team, that includes being the’ training officer’.
I invited the head design engineer that developed this
Helicopter to give a chat on the history and features of the
500. It was rare if we flew in one, but it did happen on occasion. The UH 1-N twin Huey was the normal out of county ride, and a lot of Bell Jet Rangers.
The engineer told lots of stories, but this one might have been the best.
Originally unarmed, the army wanted some firepower (Viet Nam theater). They worked on it, and hung a mini-gun
(Gatling) under the nose. They got it up and running and wanted to show it off to the top brass.
So, they set up sets of bleachers out in the desert,
Fort Irwin I think, and set up a bunch of vehicles to strafe.
Armored stuff, soft sided stuff (Jeeps, trucks, etc).
The 500 came in, flying parallel to the bleachers,
And tore stuff up. They came in fast and low and let loose.
On the 3rd pass, all of a sudden, the helicopter, while
Blasting away, made a sudden nose dive into the desert floor and endo-ed it’s way through the vehicles, rolling like a ball.
The crew walked away - the egg stayed in tact, but it was a huge wreck, obviously.
What happened ? It was later determined that it was a ‘million to one’ fluke. One round from the mini-gun
Ricocheted off of one of the armored vehicles and did a perfect 180, entered the cab low, and cut the control cables where they exit the stick.
No pilot control, and it did a nose plant .
It is a beautiful helicopter.
So, they are pretty small, and perspective is only a small factor.
LOACH ( light observation helicopter ), they are pretty small. A classic egg shaped pod with a high tail boom
they hold 4-5 people, depending on the model.
First flight -1963. When I was Vice President of the rescue team, that includes being the’ training officer’.
I invited the head design engineer that developed this
Helicopter to give a chat on the history and features of the
500. It was rare if we flew in one, but it did happen on occasion. The UH 1-N twin Huey was the normal out of county ride, and a lot of Bell Jet Rangers.
The engineer told lots of stories, but this one might have been the best.
Originally unarmed, the army wanted some firepower (Viet Nam theater). They worked on it, and hung a mini-gun
(Gatling) under the nose. They got it up and running and wanted to show it off to the top brass.
So, they set up sets of bleachers out in the desert,
Fort Irwin I think, and set up a bunch of vehicles to strafe.
Armored stuff, soft sided stuff (Jeeps, trucks, etc).
The 500 came in, flying parallel to the bleachers,
And tore stuff up. They came in fast and low and let loose.
On the 3rd pass, all of a sudden, the helicopter, while
Blasting away, made a sudden nose dive into the desert floor and endo-ed it’s way through the vehicles, rolling like a ball.
The crew walked away - the egg stayed in tact, but it was a huge wreck, obviously.
What happened ? It was later determined that it was a ‘million to one’ fluke. One round from the mini-gun
Ricocheted off of one of the armored vehicles and did a perfect 180, entered the cab low, and cut the control cables where they exit the stick.
No pilot control, and it did a nose plant .
It is a beautiful helicopter.
So, they are pretty small, and perspective is only a small factor.
