Hughes 500MD

[genovia]

"Century Helicopter has captured in full details a realistic replica of a Hughes 500MD. Bringing you closer to the battle field and feel the heat of its mission as you embark a flight to the glory days."

I really wanted to get a hands and work on a scale helicopter, it has been a long wish to work on a scale project that is one of a kind, a project like no other, a scale that will be talked about in years to come.

I have seen them all, and yet we cannot deny that Century Helicopter Products distributes the best scale fuselages in the industry. That is what I thought all a long, and have preached it in my position as a sales rep. But all has changed when I saw for the very first time a prototype of one superb bird in my whole entire life. Through out this simple build review, let us call her our "Defender" and boot Century from being the best, to the "finest" scale provider in the industry.


What is inside:

[genovia]

Yesterday, I had a great conversation with a real military pilot named Roger, we talked about the scale like appearance of the Defender and how it valiantly served during its days, its maneuverable abilities is unmatched during its tour of duty.

Some of you that already built the Hughes 500D knows how easy it is to put it together, its examine the landing gear. The landing is dead on this time around, it is made of a heavy duty plastic material that is attached through the fuselage and fastened with a 3x12 socket head tapping screws.

[genovia]

was a little worried when the front strut did not align with the back strut, the front was angled to where it was off a little bit. Due to my lack of experience, I did not know that I had to dip one of the strut in hot water making it loose and flexibility to work within a few seconds, enough for me to slide the skid from the front to meet the back strut, and as soon, as it cools down, it hardens to where it gives the whole landing gear assembly the extra security.

Adding the one of the cool factor:

One of the additional "cool factor" of the Defender is the extra attention that was given when making this fuselage, we all know that that when you added extra exhaust ports that the real helicopter that it was derived from, means heavy duty business.

[genovia]

Front nose and windows:

I was going to describe in details the real life purpose to the attaching "thingy" in front of the nose and the bulging "thingy" on the bottom of the nose of the helicopter. All I know and can identify is the red light by the big bulky thing beside the big bulky thing. Probably you guys can educate me on what they are realy for and its purpose.

Here's the front of the defender.

[genovia]

The next step.

While waiting for the glue to adhere, I proceeded in mounting the mechanics inside the fuselage. The key to building a scale project is to achieve a proper alignment of the tailboom inside the fuselage, this made it easier for me to do, because all of the material that I needed was already in the parts bag.

The wooden flat form are pre-drill to accept the well known mechanics in the market, Thunder Tiger has it's name written all over this helicopter

The kit comes with 4 blind nuts, and prepped wooden spacers that the nuts inserts to, and glued on the bottom of the flat form.

[Mutt]

Looks good Antonio

[genovia]

Thanks :glasses2:

[stpeteheli]

Great job Antonio!

Niles