Description given with photo: "Hughes Moves To Press Table To Hear Brewster Testimony, Washington, D.C.: -After complaining that he could not hear Senator Brewster's testimony, Howard Hughes took a seat with United Press at the press table. Hughes is pictured above, his head cocked to a public address system loudspeaker, at today's morning session before the Senate War Investigating Subcommittee. Creditline (ACME) 8/7/47."
Howard Hughes, wearing pilot's overalls and gear with parachute, at the tail of the Hughes H-1 Racer, in Newark, New Jersey. Unidentified men are seen behind him.
Materials contain photographs of the HK-1 Hercules, otherwise known as the "Spruce Goose" or the "Flying Boat," from 1945 to 1947. The photographs primarily depict the construction, transportation, and storage of the plane, but also include the first and only test flight of the HK-1 above Los Angeles Harbor in 1947. Howard Hughes designed the HK-1 as the world's largest plane, capable of transporting large quantities of U.S. military hardware and personnel. In 1947, under the program's new designation H-4 Hercules, Hughes had the plane transported from his factory in Culver City, California to Los Angeles Harbor. On November 2, he piloted the plane during its only test flight. The U.S. Air Force abandoned the controversial project, and Hughes was called to testify before the Truman Committee of the U.S. Senate to justify the use of government funds on a program that never succeeded.
Archival Collection
Howard Hughes Public Relations Photograph Collection
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Collection Number: PH-00373 Collection Name: Howard Hughes Public Relations Photograph Collection Box/Folder: N/A
Description given with photo: "Hughes' Fourth Day On Stand, Washington: Bored or tired after four days on the stand before the Senate War Investigating Subcommittee, Howard Hughes listens on his headset, Aug. 9. Credit (ACME) 8/9/47."