Hughes 500E 1:5 – Fuselage Kit

The “big Hughes 500E” from VARIO is a 850 size scale helicopter. You can power this remote-controlled model helicopter with gasoline (benzin), turbine or electric propulsion. Hughes Helicopters is the creator of the man-carrying version and the Boeing daughter McDonnell Douglas produces this helicopter.

For VARIO’s 850 Hughes 500E we recommend a maximum main rotor speed of 1000 rpm. Electric drive sets from VARIO are already tuned to this head speed.

Select one of the following drive types:

Benzin Mechanics

The benefit of a gasoline helicopter is a robust, easy-to-use engine for long flight times. The fuel is available at every petrol station (2-stroke mix). Kit Ord.No. 9041 contains the bulkheads for the gasoline mechanics. If the engine noise in flight does not disturb you, you will enjoy this classic drive system for model making.

Electric Mechanics 1002/76

For the Hughes 500E (Ord.No. 9004) VARIO recommends this premium electric mechanics system be used. This system is the latest evolution of our well known and very reliable mechanics set. The fuselage mounting points are now the same as our original JetCat PHT3 turbine mechanics system, so that they can be used in almost all of the kits that used the JetCat PHT3 turbine. Electric motors provide very quiet operation with low vibration, and have no exhaust gases or residual thrust to contend with. Model flights are very realistic with the electric drive because it is so quiet, that even the sound of the rotor blades can be heard in flight. For this electromechanical system we offer a drive set for 12S LiPos.

Electric conversion of the Benzin mechanics

Use kit Ord.No. 9041 for conversions of the petrol mechanics to electric motor drive. The strong and rigid aluminum side frames from the petrol mechanics are very suitable for the powerful electric motors being used in model helicopters today. Electric motors provide very quiet operation with low vibration, and no exhaust gases or oily mess to clean up. Model flights are much more realistic without the noise of the petrol engine, and the electric drive is so quiet that even the sound of the rotor blades can be heard in flight. Electric conversions are easy to accomplish using the suitable VARIO drive sets to achieve the optimum system speed for the 10.9:1 ratio. You may choose between 10S or 12S LiPo battery cells when selecting the conversion drive set that will be right for you.

Logo 800 version

The kit Ord. No. 9045 is adapted to use the Logo 800 mechanics. This kit contains everything you need to convert a Logo 800 into a ready-to-fly Hughes 500. It includes a main rotor shaft, required linkages and swash plate driver for mounting a VARIO 5-blade rotor head with VARIO rotor blades, unpainted fuselage, and door fitting set. There is an optional cockpit available as well. Conversion of the logo rotor head to a 5-blade rotor head is also an option.

Benzin propulsion option – Build suggestion

First build a VARIO petrol trainer (Ord.No. 8311) in the pod and boom configuration and fly, later install the mechanics in your scale fuselage. Advantage: You buy the mechanics components at a reasonable price and can learn the flying characteristics of the Benzin Trainer. The trainer mechanics can be built into all kits for gasoline mechanics or the electric mechanics Ord.No. 1002/80 and 1002/82. If you exchange the Benzin Trainer’s 2-blade head to a multi-blade scale head, the reduction ratio must be adjusted. It is an easy conversion and the VARIO support network is always available to assist with the change.

Turbine Mechanics JetCat PHT3 (mechanics and turbine)

The drive of this model is also possible with a JetCat turbine. However, since the upgrade of the PHT3 series to the V2 version, there are deviations from the previous version. For this purpose, components of the kit must be adapted accordingly at your own discretion.

In May 1965, the Hughes company won the contract for a new observation helicopter for the U.S. Army, and produced the OH-6 Cayuse (Hughes Model 369). The OH-6 was later developed into the civilian model 500, variants of which remain in production to this day. In January 1984, Hughes Helicopters, Inc. was sold to McDonnell Douglas and was renamed McDonnell Douglas Helicopter System.