Men and women in the Hughes Laboratory Machine Shop are devoted to the building of full-scale test models of rock bits, tool joints and other drilling tools for laboratory and field testing. In connection with the latter, the shop is equipped to manufacture these tools in sufficient quantities to make possible extensive and simultaneous field trials. The machine shop handles a large amount of work for Research, Product and Metallurgical Engineering divisions. This includes building new designs, new mechanisms and new devices for preliminary testing.

A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.

A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.

A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.

A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.

A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.