This unique coffee table incorporates a genuine rotor head from a Hughes 500 helicopter, an iconic model known for its versatility and reliability in both civilian and military applications. The Hughes 500, also known as the LOACH or “Little Bird” in the military, has been a staple in the helicopter industry since its introduction in the 1960s, widely used for search and rescue, news reporting, and powerline maintenance.   
 The rotor head used in this coffee table has an unknown past as it was acquired from a helicopter museum, but we do know its final flight marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new journey as part of this functional art piece. The most famous of this type helicopter flew during the Vietnam War by Hugh Mills and was known as “Miss Claude IV”. One notable mission involving "Miss Clawd IV" occurred when Captain Hugh Mills' OH-6A Cayuse was engaged by a VC .50-caliber machine gun, causing severe damage to the rotor blade and creating intense vibrations. Despite the damage, Mills managed to crash-land the helicopter in a rice paddy. As they came under heavy fire from the Viet Cong, Mills and his crewman, Parker, defended themselves until a nearby Infantry Brigade commander could extract them safely in a Huey helicopter.​