The MIGHTY Howard 500...
Dee Howard's last major twin piston design came in 1959 with the Howard
500, often confused with their earlier creations the Super Ventura and Howard
350. The one big difference was that the Howard 500 was pressurised - something
which more and more business users were requiring. Pressurisation allowed
the aircraft a maximum altitude of 35,000ft, though flights with passengers
were restricted to 25,000ft. Despite looking very similar to the 350, the
500 was virtually a new aircraft. The only true Ventura parts were the outer
wings salvaged mainly from ex-SAAF examples. The Howard 500 used the more
robust Harpoon under-carriage units.
Pitched against the Grumman Gulfstream I which had taken its first flight
on 14th August 1958 the Howard 500's maximum cruising speed of 338 knots
was only 10 slower than the turbo-prop Gulf I, the 500 could stay in the
air for over 8.5 hours and cover about 2,800 miles (4,506 km), over 200
miles (322 km) more than the Gulf I. Using the same power-plants as the
DC-6, Pratt & Whitney R.2800s, only with huge 11ft (3.3m), 4 blade props
which were cut down DC-7 blades and with DC-7 spinners performance was impressive.
With its fat, low-slung fuselage (there was 6'2" (1.87 m) head room
in the 27ft (8.2 m)long cabin) it looked on the ground like a beached whale,
but once in the air it's fuel efficiency and consequent long range made
it a serious competitor to the Gulf I. But certification came too late on
20th February 1963, over three years after the first flight of the prototype
in September 1959. This was mainly due to the 500's FAA 4b certification
licence (transport aircraft) which was tedious and thorough. This certificate
allowed the aircraft to operate in virtually all weather conditions, but
many operators never experienced for example, heavy ice condition, therefore
operated their aircraft on a slightly different certificate. Many operated
on a "Limited" category certificate (i.e. unable to carry passengers
or cargo for profit) initially until brought up to 4b and then numerous
restrictions were lifted.
By 1963 Grumman already had a very healthy looking order book for its Gulf
I and the first Jetstars and Sabreliners were being delivered to corporate
owners, Bill Lear was working on the Lear Jet 23 also the Jet Commander,
amongst others, was near certification. Ironically Lear asked Dee Howard
in 1962 to go into partnership to design the Lear Jet 23 but Howard considered
it to be too small and wanted to finish his Howard 500 development and certification.
Howard's sales brochure of the time made many proud boasts about the Howard
500: its ability to fly at over 16,000ft (4,864 m) while retaining sea level
pressurisation, its roomy interior and how it could depart New York, climb
to 22,000ft (6,688 m) , cruise at 300 knots, descend to 10,000ft (3,040
m) so as to encounter more favourable winds en route to Dallas. Over Dallas
it could hold for a quarter of an hour, divert to Tulsa, hold for a further
15 minutes and then fly to Wichita where on landing it would still have
one hours fuel remaining! Total flying time of seven hours 40 minutes! Given
that some mission profile the (unnamed) turbo prop aircraft used for comparison
fell out of the sky somewhere close to Dallas. Much play was made too of
the turbo prop's $800,000 price tag - a new Gulf I would have cost $ three
quarters of a million in 1959 - the price tag of the Howard 500 was something
in the region of $580,000.
But in Dee Howard's own admission the 500 was certified ten years too late
as the market was turning to turbines and jets. Pistons were no match for
the turbine's smoothness and reliability. 22 Howard 500s were built, by
2000 only one remains in regular service.
Today there are few of the original 'executive'
Lockheed twins remaining. Nearest to home is Duncan Baker's Howard 500 N500LN
(the registration reportedly standing for "Lady of the Night")
based at Exeter, kept in excellent condition, its tyres are very familiar
to the Exeter tarmac and the aircraft hardly ever takes to the air. In the
USA one can fare better with two Howard 500s based at Eagan, MN, with Phillippi
Equipment. N500HP was in 1986 painted in a green,
black and yellow colour scheme and fitted with the latest digital avionics
and a new passenger interior. This is the airworthy example of Phillippi
Equipment's fleet, the other 500 is N137U which was recovered from Florida
having previously spent many years in storage in Canada. A decision has
yet to be made on the future of this aircraft, whether to restore it to
airworthy condition or to use it for spares for N500HP. Bruce Stevenson,
one of N500HP's former owners, might have been tempted to acquire an aircraft
such as a King Air or a small jet to fly him from his base in Oregan to
his house in Idaho but chose the Howard 500 - as Bruce's chief pilot David
Cummings said you really need something seriously cool to show up on the
ramp with and the Howard 500 was it! Dave Cummings stayed with N500HP when
it was acquired by it's next owners The Born Foundation moving the aircaft
and his home from Oregon to Minneasota. Later Born sold it to Phillippi
Equipment of Eagan, MN. Incidentally N500HP carries interesting "nose
art" depicting a Howard 500 dive bombing a Gulfstream IV.
For all the latest concerning the only regularly flown Howard 500 do visit
David
Cummings web site, you won't be dissapointed! Or try this: HOWARD
500 FLIGHT SIM some great shots and an interesting account of flying the big fella from Dave Cummings. And finally you might want to visit here for some great shots of N500HP: http://maxair2air.com/06AIR/Howard500/O10.html
Howard 500/Lockheed Ventura c/n tie ups: Notes (H)C/n=(L)C/n Reg Date of conv. 500-101 = 5170 N18N July 1962 500-102 = 5272 N721N Early 1960 500-103 = 5372 N511YP Jan 1964 500-104 = 5375 N420L Feb 1960 500-105 = 5551 N20S Aug 1961 a) 500-106 = 5784 N502N Sept 1960 500-107 = 5655 N3030 Oct 1963 or earlier 500-108 = 5770 N1424 Dec 1963 500-109 = 5650 N90N Dec 1963 500-110 = 5793 N515N Apl 1964 500-111 = 5500 N456 1961 b) 500-112 = 5854 N111M Oct 1961 500-113 = 5560 N539N Nov 1962 c) 500-114 = 5958 N130PL May 1964 500-115 = 5939 N139W 1963 500-116 = 5841 N239R Dec 1962 500-117 = 5506 N517H 196?