.jpg)
.jpg)
3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Afghan Air Force MD-530F helicopter fires machine guns: Staff Sgt. Perry Aston (USAF)· Public domain
- 2. MD 500D Finnish Army (cropped): MKFI· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 3. FAC4251 MD Helicopters MD500 E Fuerza Aerea Colombiana With 90 Years Titles (7501686632): Aeroprints.com· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems MD 500 Defender is a light multi-role military helicopter based on the MD 500 light utility helicopter and OH-6 Cayuse Light Observation Helicopter.
How to recognise it: 1 turboshaft engine · 8.1 m main rotor
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 50 years ago, in 1976.
- Top speed is 1.9× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1976
- status
- still flying
- number built
- 471
- role
- light multi-role military helicopter
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- makers
- Hughes Helicopters
- engines
- 1× Allison Model 250-C20B
- crew
- 2
- length
- 9.4 m
- rotor diameter
- 8.1 m
- height
- 2.7 m
- max take-off weight
- 1,157 kg
- top speed
- 244 km/h
- cruise speed
- 217 km/h
- range
- 589 km
- ceiling
- 1,338 m
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
family
Sources: Wikidata Q3142350, Wikipedia: McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.