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Cinematic Tag


The MD 500, formerly known as Hughes 500, are a family of helicopters produced by MD Helicopters.

They were initially developed by Hughes Helicopters, with the first copter of the family being the the military observation aircraft OH-6 Cayuse. Later the Hughes 500 was developed as civilian version of the OH-6. Subsequently, a combat-purpose MH-6 Little Bird (aka the "Killer Egg") and AH-6 were also developed.

In 1984, the Hughes Helicopters was sold to McDonnell Douglas and become a subsidiary called McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems, and was later renamed MD Helicopters in 1999, after McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing.

The MD 500-series is also known for being one of the few helicopter designs to successful incorporate a NOTAR-type tail. The NOTAR (No Tail Rotor) being a system from McDonnell Douglas for torque compensation in helicopters without the typical tail rotor configuration. The patent is owned by Boeing. MD copters with NOTAR system are designed with an suffix N.

In 1995, the MD 600N (first designated as the MD 630N) was introduced, being a stretched eight-seat development of the five-seat MD 520N helicopter.

Film appearances[]

Diamonds are Forever (film)[]

A civilian Hughes 500 is flown by Joe, a member of a diamond smuggling ring in South Africa, after receiving the case from Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. While flying over the desert, the helicopter explodes due to the case being booby-trapped by the duo.

Later in the film, Hughes AH-6 Little Bird copters appear to siege Ernst Stavro Blofeld's Baja Oil Platform.

Die Another Day (film)[]

MD Helicopters MD 600N appears inside Gustav Gravesmodified Antonov An-124. After Gustav Graves is defeated, Bond and Jinx try to escape the Icarus-damaged plane by riding the helicopter out.

Casino Royale (2006 film)[]

MD Helicopters MD 600N is used to take James Bond and Villiers to Alex Dimitrios' house. Has the registry “N451DL”.

Spectre (film)[]

A white MD 500 appears at the Saharan Crater Facility.

Non-film appearances[]

A Silent Armageddon[]

SilArm Bond Terri MD500 gunfire

Cerberus henchmen aboard MD 500D open fire at Babel Center.

Cerberus syndicate deploys a MD 500D to raid the Babel Center near the end of Issue 2. They open fire at the building trying to hit Bond, almost hitting Terri Li, their target.

Blood Stone[]

MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird appears in the intro. During the Athens sequence, they are also used by Greco's men.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • In early GoldenEye drafts by Michael France, two armed MD 520N were meant to attack Bond (and the Bond girl Marina) flying a rough-hewn Soviet-era STOL above the villain’s satellite control base. In the final version, Bond and Natalya’s plane is shot down by a underwater surface-to-air missile from the submerged Janus Satellite Control Centre, with Xenia then appearing in a Eurocopter AS355 to the crash site.
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