Magnum Mania!

Pretty sweet Mike. Do you know where this is, or did you just find it surfing? Maybe they came from the Hughes factory with this paint scheme option?

I just happened upon it while I was looking for something else helicopter related. We've established that the design was a standard Hughes paint scheme. My guess is that buyers could choose whatever colors they wanted.
According to an N-number search it is N58430, a 1979 Hughes 369-D, Serial# 1290636D.
It's registered to: AVSTAR, INC. 7213 PERIMETER RD. S. SEATTLE WA 98108-3812

I'd love to see one of the Hughes' with that paint scheme flying around one day. I'm sure a lot of them are out of service by now.

There are a few still around. There is one that I know of in Hawaii that has the paint scheme.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexsuarez/2789575231/
Thanks Sam!

It sort of reminds me of another Hughes 500D just with different colors...

Mike,

Double-check the model. I think this is the "E," not 500D -- look at the pointed nose. I'll see if I can find another picture of the E identified as the E.

golf

Golf,you are correct but it's listed as a "D"

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... dfind.y=10

As long as we're on helicopters.I found this photo of N2995W the Jet Ranger used in "Texas Lightening" It's now in Southern Minnesota.

Sam,

Thanks. Check here for the history of the models (but no picture of the E and it may be more technical information than you really want to know):

MD500 info

Simply put, TC's chopper style (NOT the helicopter itself -- it started for the military as the Cayuse, Loach, OH-6A, etc.) started as the 500C with the V tail (which we saw a few times), then went to the 500D with the T tail. Now it's the E with the pointy nose.

However, I'm delighted to find out this style heli is doing tours on Maui. We're going in September and I gotta get MGI in this, don't I???? (even though it misses the brown in the paint scheme like TC's)

golf

Actually I've seen many older models with the pointed nose. That was a change made when Hughes was bought out by MD. Many operators have changed the plexiglass to the one piece pointed type.

Golf...Here is a link to the E.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... l%26sa%3DG

And by all means,MGI deserves a flight.

Well, I found the company on Maui that has the near-Island Hoppers MD500. It's Alex Air.

You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be calling them a week or so before we go to Maui in September. Yippee!! A real ride in as close to Island Hoppers as we can get these days. I'll have on my red parrot shirt and Larry in his black one. MGI has his own red parrot shirt. I'm not so sure Larry will "appreciate" the "doors off" option, but it doesn't bother me. The guy who took that flight and uploaded that picture to Flickr said they were strapped in with five straps -- shoulders, waist, between the legs (like a parachute, I guess). Heck, I did two flights in the Robinson 22 with the doors off with nothing but the lap belt, so . . . I LAUGH at "doors off"!!!! Huh-wa-wa-wa!!!

I am SO corny . . . .

golf

I saw their site Golf. Sorry, hanging out the door firing an UZI while wearing BDUs and a headband wasn't mentioned.

Mike,

OH!!! Hadn't thought of that. Maybe for this flight MGI needs to wear his camos and have his automatic weapon in his hands. His little 1911 handgun wouldn't do any good from a heli. He'll have to steal the weapon from RickGI (see Intro clip for MGI in camos and for the part where RickGI jumps through the window with his automatic weapon ready to fire).

However, Magnum never fired an automatic weapon from TC's heli . . . . maybe I just need to give him his handgun. Whatever . . . I'll take it all. Not like packing clothes and weapons for MGI uses up a lot of space in the luggage!!!! (I wonder if TSA will confiscate MGI's armament . . . . )

(give the lady another drinkie-poo . . . .)



golf