The Packshot Company believes that there will be a ready market for film appearances by the Hughes 369D it has recently acquired.

"We purchased G-FASH to operate in the film and TV industry to feature in our online fashion channel Fashot.tv, as well as to pose for film work as an MH6 as used by the American 160th SOAR Special Operations Aviation Regiment," says managing director Lee Friend.

"Although she has been converted to an 'E' she is the right airframe pedigree being a 'D', the basis for the MH6 airframe. Given the number of feature films sure to be made about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars where the 160th operated we expect quite a bit of film work for her in her new all-black livery. It looks as though the American armed forces are now buying a lot of MD530s and so she will not get dated for this purpose – and will have the right nose!"

The helicopter is operated and maintained by Fast Helicopters at Shoreham, who are also offering type conversion training. "As she has been in refit for two months there is quite a queue developing now for this," says Friend.

Having been fully stripped for airworthiness review certification and refit by Fast, the helicopter is being given a Fargo tank, new screens with a complete bare metal repaint by Edmondson's at Thruxton. The engine, an RR250 C20B, has just returned from a full strip down and rebuild by H&S. "She is an unusually low hours model with only 2,500 hours and also, rarely, features an APS 841 autopilot with FITS, VOR and GS tracking," adds Friend.

"She has a colourful history, being the former property of the late John Hervey, seventh Marquess of Bristol, who some may remember, apart from being jailed for carrying cocaine in a helicopter into Jersey, was reported to have flown his helicopter snorting cocaine off the charts on his lap!"

The helicopter is a 'D' model built by Hughes rather than by MD, which are reputedly faster than the MD-built 'E' model. "Consequently it is an incredibly nippy 500 easily achieving 135 kts and is a delight to fly," says Friend.