Materials contain portrait photographs of Howard Hughes from 1920 to 1959 and a portrait of Noah Dietrich, the Chief Executive Officer of the Howard Hughes Corporation, from approximately 1940 to 1959. The photographs primarily depict Howard Hughes and include portraits used in official publications of the various corporations owned by Hughes.
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Materials include photographs from 1934 to 1972 of aircraft built by the Hughes Aircraft Company. The photographs primarily depict the XF-11 Prototype planes and the HK-1 Hercules, otherwise known as the "Flying Boat" or the "Spruce Goose," piloted by Howard Hughes. The photographs also depict the DC-3, XH-17 Flying Crane helicopter, the H-1 Racer piloted by Hughes, aircraft built for Trans World Airlines and Avro Canada, Lockheed planes, and other aircraft piloted by Hughes in various flying competitions.
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Materials depict Howard Hughes at the U.S. Senate Special Committee Investigating the National Defense Program hearings in 1947. The special committee, also called the Truman Committee, began investigating Howard Hughes's defense contracts after the Second World War. Hughes had been unable to produce feasible prototypes for the HK-1 Hercules (also known as the H-4 Hercules, "Spruce Goose," or "Flying Boat") as well as the XF-11 reconnaissance aircraft, despite spending $22 million. The materials depict Hughes giving testimony, answering questions, and having verbal exchanges with Senators Owen Brewster, Claude D. Pepper, and Homer Ferguson. The photographs also depict Hughes in conversation with his attorney T. A. Slack and Noah Dietrich, Chief Executive Officer of the Hughes Corporation.
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