Enstrom F-28 vs McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender

Enstrom TH180 Spitfire Mark I^[source]

Enstrom 480^[source]

two passengers^[source]

804 sq ft (74.7 m 2 ) NACA 0013.5^[source]

Vereinigte Staaten^[source]Country of design · Entwurfsland

United States^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 30, row 3, cell 2; revision 1377709660; retrieved 2026-10-02

United States^[source]

In service^[source]

Republic of Korea Army Iraqi Air Force Israeli Air Force Philippine Air Force^[source]

471^[source]

1976^[source]

Hughes OH-6 Cayuse MD Helicopters MD 500^[source]

8,200 ft (2,500 m)^[source]

5,300 ft (1,600 m)^[source]

light multi-role military helicopter^[source]

During the Vietnam War , the original OH-6 Cayuse helicopter performed admirably as a light helicopter. A market for light multi-mission helicopters with better equipment fit than the OH-6 and Model 500M was identified by the designers at Hughes . The resulting design was the Model 500MD Defender which first flew in 1976. It was tailored for specific roles including unarmed observation and an armed scout helicopter equipped with TOW anti-tank missiles. An anti-submarine version was developed with a search radar , magnetic anomaly detector and the capability to carry lightweight aerial torpedoes .^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Design and development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The pilotless aircraft flew autonomously in a 25-minute demonstration for the purpose of showing unmanned capabilities technologies, such as enhanced ISR and resupply, in the system that could be integrated into Army MD 500 helicopters.^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Design and development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In October 2015, Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD) unveiled a mock-up of their unmanned MD 500, designated the Korean Air Unmanned System-Vertical Helicopter (KUS-VH), featuring blacked out windows, a large fuel tank where the rear seats would be that extends endurance to four hours, and an armament of two Hellfire missiles and a 2.75 in (70 mm) rocket pod; unlike Boeing's optionally manned and unarmed ULB, the KUS-VH is completely unmanned and armed as well as having an EO/IR sensor.^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Design and development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Boeing offered their AH-6 in the competition.^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Design and development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

500M Defender^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

NH-500M Defender^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Italian-built version of the 500M Defender. Licensed by Breda Nardi before merge with Agusta .^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Philippine Air Force version built 32 Brand New units delivered in 1990. Modified 500MG Defender that carries .50 (12.7 mm) caliber machine guns and 7-tube rocket pods and operates as a light attack aircraft.^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Performance : Service ceiling 16,000 feet (4,900 m), range 235 nautical miles (435 km), cruising speed 135 nautical miles (250 km) per hour.^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Weapons : Two hardpoints for FN HMP400 gun pod with FN M3P .50 BMG (12.7 mm) heavy machine gun (1100 rpm firing rate, carries 400 rounds ammo, effective firing range nearly 1,850 m, maximum firing range 6500 m) and/or M260 rocket pod with 7 unguided Hydra 70 rockets (effective firing range 8 km).^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

MD 530M^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

MD 530G BII^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Length: 30 ft 9.5 in (9.385 m) rotors running^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Height: 8 ft 8.5 in (2.654 m) to top of rotor hub^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

8 ft 10.75 in (2.71 m) to top of tail fin^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Empty weight: 1,512 lb (686 kg)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Max takeoff weight: 2,550 lb (1,157 kg) normal MTOW^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

3,000 lb (1,361 kg) overload MTOW^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Powerplant: 1 × Allison Model 250-C20B turboshaft engine, 420 shp (310 kW)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Main rotor diameter: 26 ft 4.75 in (8.0455 m)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Maximum speed: 132 kn (152 mph, 244 km/h) at 1,000 ft (300 m)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Cruise speed: 117 kn (135 mph, 217 km/h) at sea level^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Range: 318 nmi (366 mi, 589 km) at 4,000 ft (1,200 m)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Service ceiling: 4,390 ft (1,340 m)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Hover ceiling IGE: 8,200 ft (2,500 m)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Hover ceiling OGE: 5,300 ft (1,600 m)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

two 7.62mm General Electric M134 Miniguns plus ammunition, or^[source]McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender · Specifications (500M); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

USA Italy^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 1, row 38, cell 3; revision 1374105995; retrieved 2026-10-02