From my visit to Heli Expo Anaheim, 2009::ok:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC05228.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC05231.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC05229.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC05234.jpg

and this year to Heli Expo 2010, Houston

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC07975.jpg

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http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC07981.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC07973.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/DSC07986.jpg

Testing...ok I think its going to work for me?

Sorry about the quality, some are scans out of my old albums, and some newer pics.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...rst%20trip.jpg
The good old days!

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...e%20Island.jpg
Volcanic ash anyone?

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...20at%20%3F.jpg
Dam dogs!


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http://lh4.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...can%20142.jpeg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...0/Scan%206.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...0/IMG_0695.JPG

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http://lh4.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...lsonHeli11.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...ikarimoana.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...2/IMG_1553.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...20/img0014.JPG
I miss the fishing!

Skidbiter - Those are some great old pics. The top pic of KM looks like a younger Joe Collins in there. Wasnt KM the one that Rosemary Innes-Jones ended up using in the Murupara area.

And QE I think was Jim Quirkes machine from Taupo.

Was the 4 Bladed E model Nelson Helicopters one.

Keep posting, great to see memories from the past :ok::ok:

Ned.

It was Rosemary I-J's machine in those days I think, but not Joe flying, Think S P!
QE has been around the traps, that pic was only about 8 or so years ago.

And you are correct on the 4 blade E model, well it was theirs then, not now. :ok:

Mick E and Skidbiter2, thanks for sharing your photos. Two questions;

1. Mick, is that tuna 500 an OH-6A or a 500C, can't tell if that's a small or regular-sized window in the rear door?

2. Skid, do you know the reg of the orange-and-white 500C, marked "Foxtrot", in your second photo?

Thanks.
500 Fan.

Skidbiter - Thanks and think KM used to also be Doug Maxwells for a while before going to Rosemary.

And the Eagle E model I saw down at Blenheim for the frosts, and think its now operated by company called Windhawk.

500Fan - I think that could be HTB or similar operated out of Rotorua in the old days, maybe by guy called Armstrong, but might be wrong there. Skidbiter would know of course :ok:

I think also the tuna boat 500 is a C model.

The orange & white C model was "HTB", Robert Fleming of Waimana was the owner then. He started doing the flights out to White Island way back when.

Heres a few more old C model scans from the album...... not exciting action at all but they hold great memories for me and they are 500's after all. :ok:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...C%20Moanui.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...Waiengakia.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...Hill%20Top.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...e%20Kohaka.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__huH_MIlWlU/S9...ys%20Place.jpg

Wasnt LL Simon Greens mount before they changed it to a green and orange scheme or something similar.

I'm not sure about HLL.

500 Fan- Yes it was a C model. Believe it or not there are still alot of OH-6 airframes flying off the tuna boats. At last count there were 51 C or OH-6 models flying off the Pacific purse seiners, depending on how many crashed in the last few days :}

Was ZK-HLY the machine involved with the "Operation Ragwort" affair???

I cant remember what machine was involved in that?

Mike, Ned and Skid, thanks for all the info.

Mike, please post any more photos you have of tuna 500s. Do you have a photo of the ex-Danish Air Force 500M being used on tuna work now, still in it's camouflage?

Skid, don't worry about any lack of action in your photos. It is great to see colour photos of many of the helicopters that feature in B&W in Rex Forrseter's book. If you have more photos from the peak of the venison days, please post them.

Thanks.

Classic Canadian 500C.
 

Here is a link to a small set of five photos of a Viking Helicopters 500C on floats. Each photo has a nice little narrative. The classic Hughes factory paint scheme still looks good.

Gas-hungry helicopter being refuelled at Cape Dorset airstrip on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

500 Fan.

Fan,

To be precise that is not a C model.

Fibreglass TR blades like a 300 means C-18 engine.

The "C" has metal cambered TR blades (Frank Robinson?) and normally a C-20 engine although early ones had C-18's. The "C" frame had a 3 cluster instrument panel as the engine oil pressure gauge was changed to a separate instrument. Older aircraft could be upgraded by fitting the cambered TR blades, and using the "C" flight manual with appropriate data for the engine installed.

those tr blades look metal to me

Early Model 500; three versions?
 

I was sure that CF-TUP was a 500C. That begs the question; how many different versions are there in the civilian four-blade, Y-Tail series? Leaving out the 500M military version, I reckon there are 3 versions of the pre-D Model 500.

1. The very first was converted from the OH-6A and had the larger window over the rear door, resulting in a smaller rear door than later models (the same size door fitted to the OH-6A but with a larger window). The instrument panel was modified from the T-shape into the vertical-column style panel. Was fitted with the C-18 engine with engine-starting from the left collective. I could be wrong, but I believe this was certified as the Hughes 369A and marketed as the Hughes 500. The first of these was registered N9000F. These were possibly the airframes built for civilian customers from 1968 until sometime in 1970 (at a guess).

2. The next version, which is the one featured in the Canadian photos above, was certified as the Hughes 369HE and was still marketed as the Hughes 500. This version still had the C-18 engine but received the taller rear door with the smaller over-head window. As RVDT states, with a few mid-life upgrades, could then become the Hughes 500C.

3. The last version that I reckon they came up with was certified as the Hughes 369HS and was marketed as the Hughes 500C. C-20 engine and metal tail rotor blades. The ultimate Y-Tail version.

I reckon the difference between the HE and the HS is down to different engines (C-18 versus C-20), but I don't know this for sure. Is this stated or confirmed in the Pilot's Operating Handbook for the type and what else, if anything, differentiated the two?

Just to muddy the waters further, there is (or was) a 500C for sale in Canada with a C-20B engine fitted!

500 Fan.

Fan,

A 369A is an OH6.

A 369HE is an "Executive" version of the 369HS, the only difference being the interior trim panels, and the 369HM is a military version with a different wiring harness etc. All these aircraft have a civilian FAA type certificate.

C20B engines can be installed in place of a C20 as long as C20 limitations are observed. Try finding C20 parts these days!

CGWRA

The spar of the blades is steel but the skin is fibreglass very similar to a 300. I doubt you can find them any more.

Fibreglass blades

Well my 369HS has a C18 in it. :}:)

"Well my 369HS has a C18 in it."

I am more confused than ever. :ugh: My guess on which version is which was way off!

Has anyone here flown the 500 with the original fibreglass tail-rotor? Did it have even less authority than the current metal blades?

I have been lucky enough to get a few hours on a 500 and the right pedal spot turns have to be watched carefully. At least when you compare them with the same manoeuvre in the R44. The tail rotor on the R44 has so much authority that we are spoiled. Moving on to the 206 or 500 requires careful attention when it comes to the tail-rotor.

500 Fan.