Hughes 500md [Archive]

Robert May

Apr 23, 2004, 05:28 AM

My 500md

The Kit is Vario with Skyfox mechanics Rossi 65 and a 5 blade head.

Finished in Israeli colours

Modification to the kit included adding the TOW sight and missiles.

I cut off the front of the mechanics and added a 20oz V tank to lay in the bottom of the body. This feeds a 3 oz header tank. By making this modification it allowed me to add a scale (ish) cockpit, pilot and navigator

Weathering and fine detail painting by Chris Golds

Hoverup

Apr 23, 2004, 07:30 AM

Beautiful work!! Thanks for sharing:)

Cheers - Boyd;)
AMA 80393
Major USAF
Retired

Robert May

Apr 23, 2004, 08:34 AM

The truth is I have put too much time and effort into this model and as a result don't enjoy flying it.

The multi blade head was a real pain to get set up correctly until I heard about the "stationary rear blade" trick. I had horrible precession problems because of the lack of flybar.

I am totally self taught on helis and it took me 4 years to get to the stage of flying where I can confidently loop, roll and Auto etc but without anyone to share experiences and advice pushing the stick forward on the Hughes is a bit too daunting.

Wolfgang of Reflex Simulators has promised to add the Hughes to his simulator as a Download. This time last year I sent him detailed photos from all angles so that he could stretch the photos onto a wire frame computer model. I think the TOW pods will be causing him a problem. He has been busy getting his new version out so I will have to be patient. Onse I have flown circuits on the simulator I might be a bit braver!

Its a bit quiet in this forum, lets hope it "takes off"

What do you fly Boyd?

chopperscott

Apr 23, 2004, 09:57 AM

Just to let you guys know, I think that scales are the best! Not a whole lot of experience, but I'm learning a lot. Just wanted to help get this forum going.

Hoverup

Apr 23, 2004, 10:46 AM

I'm one of the E-heli nuts and have dabbled in Micro scale but nothing as grand as your work;) Here's a few on my mini-me's :)

Cheers - Boyd

Robert May

Apr 23, 2004, 11:10 AM

They are fantastic.

Are they based on Piccolos? 3 great scale helicopters. I really like the M*A*S*H 47

Have you already posted build threads on the work you have done on these? If not I am sure that although folk might not post replies they might be inspired to have a go at a Scale helicopter.

I have had two dabbles with electric helis so far a 20 Cell Kalt Enforcer (BARON) and ECO 8, I didn't enjoy either.

I am thinking about doing an Osprey at the moment and have started gathering parts. I don't tend to get time to churn out lots of models so end up having the luxury of saving up for something special.

Your Mini series has got my Piggy bank twitching now. When I did the 500 I was undecided on the colour scheme If I do a baby one I could do the alternative black version.

Hoverup

Apr 23, 2004, 11:23 AM

They are based on Piccolo and the Century Hummingbird chassis. Affordable brushless motors and Lithium Polymer batteries have made a lot of things possible that we couldn't contemplate just a couple years back. There are threads in the Micro heli forum here on most of these and also a mini RAH - 66 Comanche that I really had fun building. I do a lot of beta testing and test piloting for folks who offer these little fuselages.

I am working on a .30 size, scale E-Hawk with Little Bird livery that is taking forever.

Cheers - Boyd

Hoverup

Apr 23, 2004, 11:28 AM

Just to let you guys know, I think that scales are the best! Not a whole lot of experience, but I'm learning a lot. Just wanted to help get this forum going.

Welcome aboard! Nice looking AH-1S Cobra:)

Cheers - Boyd

Trigger_Fish

Apr 23, 2004, 05:38 PM

Hoverup

Apr 23, 2004, 09:59 PM

Those are all great looking choppers guys!

HoverUp have any of your body adaptations been Ikarus shells to HB 2 frames? The reson I ask is that the postal fairy left an Ikarus Huey shell under my pillow today :) yes, some are done on the V2 H'Bird chassis

I'm looking it over and it mentions a built in 3.5 degree tilt to the shell to compensate for the choppers lean in flight. I'm wondering if that's going to look so good when the model is stationary... Any other tips you have on the conversions would be great. I'd forget the tilt, although it's done in full size real heli's it's not worth the trouble in Micro scale IMHO. At best these are Fun Scale and not Top Gun or Museum grade and mostly for fun. I've done some just to prove it could be done:)

Also, what chassis/bodies are your Apache and Cobra's based on guys? the Apache is a card model from www.modeltek.com . They also have the AH-1S Attack Cobra. They are designed for the Piccolo FP chassis but can be easily adapted to H'Birds or any of the Piccolo clones.

Thx for posting those, fires me up.

Cheers - Boyd

Greg McNair

Apr 27, 2004, 09:24 AM

Robert, that's a fine 500. Now it's time for you to start enjoying it! Go to http://www.eastcoastvario.com/mixer.htm and take a look at the Helitronix Mixer unit that Joe Howard is selling. I don't have any personal experience using it, but from every report I have read, it makes any multiblade or flybarless head perform as if it had a flybar and paddles. There's plenty of discussion about it in scalerchelis.com.

Boyd, those are some neat scalers. I especially like the Dauphin and the 47.

Robert May

Apr 27, 2004, 09:32 AM

One of those means I can now fly the Hughes on my JR 9x which doesn't have the swashplate rotation.

regards

Robert

Greg McNair

Apr 27, 2004, 09:41 AM

I hope it gets you in the air with that beautiful bird Robert. There's no joy like seeing your own heli nose-in on final. It makes all the building effort worth it.

Robert May

Apr 27, 2004, 10:54 AM

Nose in, poping up from behind a sand dune. Thats my dream for this one. Real menacing. Our CAA have put a stop to us firing rockets, one of our members has experience with small rockets. Working TOW misiles? :D :D :D

Vario UK don't stock these so I guess there will be no problem with shipping on of these over.

The Heli flying is on hold at the moment while I concentrate on sorting out my A-10 I keep stuffing up the landing.

I keep flying the tail!

regards

Robert

patrickegan

Apr 30, 2004, 12:39 AM

nice birds!

Akura2

Apr 30, 2004, 12:42 AM

Thunder Tiger is coming out with its Hughes 500 D for the Raptor 60...they say if it sells they'll make it for the smaller rappys....the mechanics just slip right in

patrickegan

Apr 30, 2004, 01:52 AM

RCX- That body was cool!

oded mazor

Apr 30, 2004, 04:59 AM

wow Robert, excellent work.
I love the Hughes 500md (especially the Israely ;) ).

I'm attaching a photo of one of the Israeli's air force "deffenders", does not look as good as yours...

Oded.

Robert May

Apr 30, 2004, 05:52 AM

I have been looking for flying and close up shots of the 500, all we had to go on was the illustration on a 1/72 plastic kit. I have got a few details to add now.

If you have got anymore photos in your collection I would be really grateful.

(sorry about the ea, all corrected)

Regards

Robert

oded mazor

Apr 30, 2004, 09:51 AM

darthdrk

Apr 30, 2004, 12:38 PM

Boyd, has quite a stash of scale helis and bodies, that dosent scratch the surface.

lazy-b

Jul 26, 2004, 07:02 AM

Here is my Hughe 500, its Kyosho Concept 30 size helicopter.

lazy-b

Oct 12, 2004, 04:26 AM

Robert May: I have a suggestion, can you edit your 1st post and lets invite all owner of MD 500 gas/glow/electric to post all their Picture or Video to this thread.....Thanks

Ellion

kerlutinoec

Oct 18, 2004, 04:17 AM

Very good idea Lazy-b :)

Here's my Hugues 500 mounted on an Hirobo Shuttle. He's in front of a Bell 47 wich is just a little taller :)

It is a digital picture of a paper picture, so the quality isn't very good. But it is my only photo of this machine...

The legs of the heli are the original Shuttle ones. Since this photo, I tried to make some wich look much like the real ones (hope you understand my english... :)) But they are to heavy. The heli flies, but the engine don't like it.

If you want, I can post a movie of this heli. It isn't a movie about this machine, but a student movie in wich this heli flies (it is the bad guy heli :))

lazy-b

Oct 18, 2004, 07:40 AM

Kerlutinoec: Yes, My Kysho MD500 is also a digital picture of paper picture, that's why its not so clear.....I have exchange my 2 Helicopter Kyosho MD500 and Kyosho Bell 222 with just 1 Hirobo Huey UH-1B, you can see my Hirobo Huey UH-1B on a separate Huey thread.......its very difficult to get parts for kyosho here in the Philippines, Hirobo Helicopter is very popular here, thats why all my helicopter is Hirobo brand.

Ellion

kerlutinoec

Oct 19, 2004, 07:47 AM

Lazy-b> I've just seen your Huey. Nice machine ! I'd like to have one, but it's a little expensive. Maybe I will transform my new Carbooon CP into a Huey one day :)

I my country, it is more difficult too to have parts for Kyosho. So I keep buying Hirobo. I never had problems with these machines.

My Hugues 500 fuselage is a copy of the original Graupner one. A friend tried to reproduce it and as the result wasn't satisfying, he gave it to me. I was a student at this time and a free fuselage was a good operation for me...

But it is really too heavy and the epoxy isn't well dosed. It didn't dryed everywhere.

I don't use this fuselage anymore. It is too difficult for the engine to fly with it. Maybe I will buy another Hugues 500 one day because I think it is a wonderfull machine.

I also have to buy a Squirel
And a UH1-D
And a Lama
And a EC-135
... :)

Bill K.

Nov 09, 2004, 12:51 PM

hi Robert.

here is the link to the Israely official air force web site. this photo was taken from there, and there are many others... - http://www.iaf.co.il/Templates/homepage/homepage.aspx?lobbyId=25&lang=EN

go to the "gallery" and choose the "Deffender". take a look at the rest of the site if you have the time. it's prettey nice.

good luck, Oded.

Here is a direct link (http://www.iaf.co.il/Templates/Gallery/Gallery.aspx?lang=EN&folderID=68&subfolderID=658&position=15) right to that spot in their gallery, talk about a really, really well done and nice site!!

Bill K.

Nov 09, 2004, 12:52 PM

Reminds me of my Army days at NTC... :)

http://www.iaf.co.il/sip_storage/files/9/16569.jpg

BK

Bill K.

Nov 09, 2004, 12:56 PM

Actually, this is more like what it was really like for me... :D I was a UH-60 Crew Chief...

http://www.iaf.co.il/sip_storage/files/5/16505.jpg

Sorry for the OT post, I'll be good now... just got carried away on that site... :)

eitanh53

Mar 11, 2005, 12:28 AM

HI ROBBERT - Amazing JOB I love the all kind of 500 I surprised to hear you got a problem with Vario multiblade, as far as I know Vario multibalde head flies great. Did you put mixer in the swashplate? I use helitronixs mixer + 2 gyro in the swashplate. I tried few kind of blades with not much satisfied. I am expecting to receive new set of 5 blades from VIC (V-Blade), to see if I can get better flying (see my gallery)
http://runryder.com/helicopter/gallery/2934/

talon277

Aug 07, 2007, 01:11 PM

fantastic model, would love to get my hands on a 500, but 1 that you dont see many of is the baby :D

http://www.deltaweb.co.uk/eagles/shows/silver01_14.jpg

or for a real chalenge id like to see this! in a scale model

http://news.cetin.net.cn/storage/cetin2/sp/sptest/bqjj/ka52-3fj-wzzsjgn.jpg

oh if any1 is intrested i have a great way of making convicing working gunfire for scale models.

take 1 smale 2stroke
rig it to a o low (600rpm) motor
and spring loaded fuel injector
use unsilenced exust as barrel

hay presto! a 30mm gunpod smoke muzle flash and and sound

by the way im new here lol