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HelicoptersIn service
Light utility and trainer helicopter
Hughes TH-55 Osage is a light utility and trainer helicopter. It was built by Hughes Helicopters. Reported operators include United States Army.
United StatesLight utility and trainer helicopter
Hughes Helicopters
United States Army
2,800
1961–1983
2 October 1956
Schweizer S300
2
28 ft 10.75 in (8.81 m)
8 ft 2.75 in (2.51 m) overall
958 lb (435 kg)
1,550 lb (703 kg)
1,670 lb (757 kg) certificated
30 US gal (25 imp gal; 110 L) in external mounted tank with provision for a 10 US gal (8.3 imp gal; 38 L) auxiliary tank.
1 × Lycoming HIO-360-A1A four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine., 180 hp (130 kW)
25 ft 3.5 in (7.71 m)
503 sq ft (46.7 m 2 )
NACA 0015
87 mph (140 km/h, 76 kn)
80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn) maximum
87 mph (140 km/h, 76 kn)
20 mph (17 kn; 32 km/h)
10 mph (9 kn; 16 km/h)
300 mi (480 km, 260 nmi) with maximum fuel and no reserve.
three hours and 30 minutes with maximum fuel.
13,000 ft (4,000 m)
7,700 ft (2,300 m)
5,800 ft (1,800 m)
1,140 ft/min (5.8 m/s)
3.3 lb/sq ft (16 kg/m 2 )
0.107 hp/lb (0.176 kW/kg)
The Hughes TH-55 Osage is a piston-powered light training helicopter produced for the United States Army .
In 1955, Hughes Tool Company's Aircraft Division carried out a market survey which showed that there was a demand for a low-cost lightweight twin-seat helicopter. In response, the division launched development of the Model 269 in September 1955, initially being carried out as a private venture. It was a remarkably light rotorcraft, being half the weight of the smallest operational helicopter in the mid 1950s. In February 1957, a Hughes spokesperson claimed the type to possess a good rate of climb, modest fuel consumption and provide for ease of maintenance.
In 1964, Hughes introduced the slightly larger three-seat Model 269B, which was marketed as the Hughes 300 . That same year, the Hughes 269 set an endurance record of 101 hours. To set the record, two pilots took turns piloting the aircraft and hovered in ground-effect for fueling. To ensure no cheating, eggs were attached to the bottom of the skid gear to register any record-ending landing.
The Hughes 300 was followed in 1969 by the improved Hughes 300C (sometimes 269C), which first flew on March 6, 1969, and received FAA certification in May 1970. This new model introduced a more powerful 190 hp (140 kW) Lycoming HIO-360-D1A engine and an increased-diameter rotor, giving a payload increase of 45%, plus overall performance improvements. It was this model that Schweizer began building under license from Hughes in 1983. In 1986, Schweizer acquired all rights to the helicopter from McDonnell Douglas , who had purchased Hughes Helicopters in 1984, and renamed it McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems . For a few years after, Schweizer acquired the FAA Type Certificate known as the Schweizer-Hughes 300 . While Schweizer made over 250 minor improvements, the basic design remained unchanged.
Between Hughes and Schweizer, and including foreign-licensed production civil and military training aircraft, nearly 3,000 copies of the Model 269/300 have been built and flown over the last 50 years. That would have been the end of the story, but Schweizer continued to develop the model 300 by adding a turbine and redesigning the body to create the model 330m, and then further developed the dynamic components to take greater advantage of the power of the turbine engine; this led to the development of the Model 333.
Two prototype aircraft powered by a 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A engine and had a truss tailboom. First flown on 2 October 1956.
Replacing the prototype's truss tailboom with a simple aluminum tube as the tailboom, the 269A came with the option for several models of Lycoming O-360 engines: the carbureted O-360-C2D, restricted to 165 hp (123 kW) in the 269A, or the carbureted HO-360-B1A/B1B or fuel-injected HIO-360-B1A/B1B, all rated for 180 hp (134 kW) in the 269A. Customers also had the option for dual controls, and a 19 gal (72 liter) auxiliary tank. The maximum weight was 1,550 lb (703 kg); later this could be increased to 1,600 lb (726 kg) if certain modifications were performed.
The 269A-1, which Hughes marketed as the Model 200 , was an improved version of the 269A certified by the FAA on August 23, 1963. Powered by the 180 hp (134 kW) fuel-injected Lycoming HIO-360-B1A or -B1B, and with its maximum weight increased to 1,670 lb (757 kg), the Model 200 also had the option for either a 30 gal (114 liter) or 25 gal (95 liter) main fuel tank. Hughes sold two versions of the Model 200: the ordinary Model 200 Utility and the Model 200 Deluxe with added custom interior decor and electrically operated trim for the cyclic control .
Featuring a three-seat cockpit, the 269B was powered by a 190 hp (141 kW) Lycoming HIO-360-A1A engine and was marketed as the Hughes Model 300 . Optional floats were also available on the 300, the first time available on any 269-variant.
269B designed specifically for agricultural spraying with a 30 gal (114 liter) chemical tank on each side of the fuselage, and a 35 feet (10.67 m) spray boom.
The 300C was powered by a 190 hp (141 kW) Lycoming HIO-360-D1A and had a larger diameter main rotor - 26 ft 10 in (8.18 m) compared to 25 ft 4 in (7.72 m). The larger rotor and engine giving it a 45% performance increase over previous 269-models. Hughes and Schweizer both marketed the 269C as the Model 300C .
Military version of the 269A-1 (Model 200) built for the U.S. Army as its standard primary training helicopter and named after the Osage Native American tribe; student pilots nicknamed it the "Mattel Messerschmitt". Although basically the same as the Model 200, the TH-55A was fitted with military radio and instrumentation. 792 TH-55As were purchased by the Army between 1964 and 1967. An experimental TH-55A was fitted with an Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine, and another would be fitted with a 185 hp (138 kW) Wankel RC 2-60 rotary engine .
Length: 28 ft 10.75 in (8.81 m)
Height: 8 ft 2.75 in (2.51 m) overall
Empty weight: 958 lb (435 kg)
Gross weight: 1,550 lb (703 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 1,670 lb (757 kg) certificated
1,850 lb (839 kg) maximum weight with restricted operations
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming HIO-360-A1A four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine., 180 hp (130 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 25 ft 3.5 in (7.71 m)
Main rotor area: 503 sq ft (46.7 m 2 )
Maximum speed: 87 mph (140 km/h, 76 kn)
Cruise speed: 80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn) maximum
66 mph (57 kn; 106 km/h) economical.
Never exceed speed : 87 mph (140 km/h, 76 kn)
Maximum water contact speed (on floats): 20 mph (17 kn; 32 km/h)
Maximum water taxi speed (on floats): 10 mph (9 kn; 16 km/h)
Range: 300 mi (480 km, 260 nmi) with maximum fuel and no reserve.
Endurance: three hours and 30 minutes with maximum fuel.
Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (4,000 m)
Hover ceiling IGE: 7,700 ft (2,300 m)
Hover ceiling OGE: 5,800 ft (1,800 m)
Rate of climb: 1,140 ft/min (5.8 m/s)
Hughes 269 United States Trainer helicopter 6
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
True scale
Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Sept 2026 | 8.81 m | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| 28 Sept 2026 | 8.81 m | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| 28 Sept 2026 | 8.81 m | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
Hughes TH-55 Osage equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
El SalvadorAir Force exact named equipment holdings: TH-300C. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: HELICOPTERS / TRG. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
GreeceArmy exact named equipment holdings: NH-300C. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: HELICOPTERS / TRG. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
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