I just saw this in my LHS and was wondering if anyone has ever built one. I don’t mind putting extra work into it to make it accurate, in fact, sometimes I’d rather have a model be pretty basic so I can put some effort into it. Just curious to find out if there are any opinions about the kit.
Hi,
Save yourself the trouble. The kit was a big disappointment. I built it when it first came out back in the 90’s. It seems it was designed from the old Hughes company display model. I happen to have an old OH-6A display model and it was pretty close. There are many inaccuracies with the kit. The canopy, interior, over thick blades, funny windows. It was just a poor attempt of a kit. Don’t let the scale excite you as it did me. When I opened the box, it was just one big dud. You do get what you paid for.
Go get yourself one of the 1/35th kits instead.
Cheers,
John
Air med said it all.
That is one ROTTEN kit! do the Revell 1/32 loach instead its a much better kit for its scale, of course the best 500 series are in 1/35 and 1/48 scale.
Thanks guys. Like I said, I don’t mind a challenge, but I’ve got too many other things on the bench to spend a lot of time with something in need of a significant overhaul.
Any time Tex,
It would have been quite the job indeed.
If you have done some Chooper builds post the pics.
Take care now.
Troy 
Take care now.
My pleasure sir. Glad we were of some help. You would have been well over your head on that one. It wasn’t much of a loss for me. I only spent $5 when I bought it.
Hope all is well down in Houston. Home of Hermann Life Flight!
Yes, post pics please!
Cheers,
John
Thanks guys. I’ve been modeling armor for years and suddenly decided I wanted to do some rotary wing stuff, but I’ll post some pics shortly. The biggest thing I’m doing is a 1/35th UH-1P. I’ve been doing a lot of measuring, but haven’t done any cutting yet.
Don’t forget the rare 1:20 Nichimo kit.
Wow…Thats news to me…was that a good kit? INFO PLEASE!
Wow… I just spotted this reply.
How far back do the archives go? I think I posted an open-box mini-review with pictures back in 2003 when we first started the Helicopter Forum. I’ll have to dig through my CDs to find any photos… much easier than trying to dig out the old kit.
ETA: I just found the old thread; looks like I’m going to have to dig out those CDs after all.Better yet, UPS should be bringing my new camera tomorrow. I just might have to dig out that old kit and take a few more pics.
Here’s the link to that old thread, without pics:
/forums/8118/ShowPost.aspx
That “My Forums” feature is pretty handy! Today was the first time I ever noticed it.
Hey Gang,
<>Did a swing by today to see what’s happening.
Regarding Loach/500 kits; the 1/35th DML is a very, very nice kit! I just picked up 2 MD530 w/ MMS’. I’m going to be converting them to police 500E’s. I have another favorite kit!
I can’t wait to get a 500MD Defender or Littlebird to make a civilian D.
The 1/48 Hasagawa/Minicraft 500’s are great 500 kits also.
Hope all is well with everyone.
John
<>No major builds, just a lot of misc. kit bench work, 2 finish jobs and some chop work. <>
Crap.
Utter and complete crap.
Even has the side mounted exhausts. I got rid of mine a LONG time ago.
It had the right shape to make a tied-down load coverd with tarps on the back of one of my 1/24 semi tractor flatbeds tho…
David
a fun build for those with a dremel, hobby knife, putty, wire, styrene, balsa, polyester and epoxy resin, carbon fiber, fiberglass, etc…etc…
I had just bought my Aztec airbrush and enjoyed masking and painting this one…then I put about 10 coats of Future on it…it awaits completion…one day…
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4829566
Empeter … those guys aren’t being honest with you … that kit was FAR WORSE than they are describing. They suggest it’s even possible to save the thing … I submit that, by the time you corrected everything wrong with the kit, you’d have a SCRATCHBUILD. Save your money and go to the 1-35th kits. They are by far the best examples of this fine little aircraft, especially the Police 500D with the beveled windscreeen.
yes, get the Dragon 1/35, work with the fit on the windscrren a bit, it needs sanding on top and shimming on the bottom.
GREAT KITS! 
David
OK, in my “travels” if ran across a few of the pictures I posted in that older thread of that 1:20 scale Nichimo kit.
This kit is not completely accurate, as it has the civilian Hughes 500 instrument panel, yet it also has the military OH-6A floor ribs in the rear compartment.
Box contents:
Most of the contents spread out. Note: I don’t see the included display stand. I must have left it out of the photo:
From the included color guide:
The kit does have its drawbacks, the main one being that it’s just not available.
Seriously, the kit was designed to be a powered display, but optional detailed parts are included for those who choose to omit the motor and geartrain. There are metal reinforcements that strengthen the joint where the landing skids join the fuselage. The doors on the port side only can be made to open for display, but the opposite side could be easily removed, as well. A complete interior would have to be built to accurately depict the military version, which I would assume is what most people here would want.
It is a neat kit, though. I wonder if Nichimo is still in business, and if not, what has happened to the molds.
Hi Fitter,
Just bought a used Nichimo 1:20 Huhges 500. It was started and the decals and instructions are missing. Do you still have the instructions?