A crowd of people stand in front of a stage supporting Howard Hughes and others in Chicago. The Lockheed 14 aircraft that Hughes landed moments earlier can be seen in the background.
The street view of a parade held for Howard Hughes in Chicago. Hughes can be seen in the first black car in line, sitting center between two other men.
Description written on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Howard Hughes is shown checking his plane at Paris before leaving for Moscow on the second leg of his round the world flight 7-11-38"
Materials contain photographs of the HK-1 Hercules, otherwise known as the "Spruce Goose" or the "Flying Boat," from 1942 to 1947. The photographs primarily depict the construction, transportation, and storage of the plane, but also include photographs of 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 Professional and Aeronautical Photographs
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Collection Number: PH-00321 Collection Name: Howard Hughes Professional and Aeronautical Photographs Box/Folder: N/A
Description given with photo: "Hughes Alone As Probers Recess Till Fall, Washington, D.C. - Plane builder Howard Hughes, above, sat alone in the normally jam-packed senate caucus room today after war investigating sub-committee chairman Homer Ferguson, (R) of Mich., announced that because of the disappearance of press agent John W. Meyer, the Hughes war contract investigation has been recessed until November 17, 1947. Hughes, shown checking his private papers, wrathfully termed the postponement action by the sub-committee chairman as "ridiculous." -INP Photo by A.E. Scott- 8/11/47."
Description printed on back of photograph: "Howard Hughes shaking hands with Major General Oscar Westover, Head of the US Air Corps, at a luncheon at the National Press Club. Jesse Jones stands at extreme right with other notables in the center. July 1938."