Materials contain photographs of the Hughes XF-11 prototype military reconnaissance aircraft. Howard Hughes piloted the two XF-11 prototypes built: in July 1946, Hughes crashed the first XF-11 in Beverly Hills, California; in April 1947, Hughes successfully flew the second prototype at high speeds and at high altitudes. However, the United States Air Force abandoned the controversial project, and in August of 1947, Hughes was called to testify before the Truman Committee in the U.S. Senate about the failures of the program.
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
The black and white view of police men awaiting the arrival of the Lockheed 14 aircraft at Floyd Bennett Airport in New York. Typed onto a piece of paper attached onto the image: "Police in readiness for arrival of Hughes' plane, Floyd Bennett Airport, N.Y. -- Police lined up in front of a plane at Floyd Bennett Airport, as last-minute preparations were made for the arrival of Howard Hughes and his companions, who were winging over North Central America on the last leg of their epochal Round-The-World flight. By noon a crowd of 6,000 persons had assembled and countless others choked all roads leading to the field as the fliers drew nearer to their goal. Credit Line (ACME) 7/14/38."