Learning Center Our Enshrinees

Howard Robard Hughes

• Produced “Hell’s Angels,” a 1930 film starring Jean Harlow and Ben Lyons with a focus to detail on elaborate dogfight scenes which Hughes personally directed from a camera plane. Despite the frequent re-shooting of scenes and the high costs, the film was a success and sparked international interest in aviation.
• Disappeared from Hollywood and worked for American Airway as a co-pilot under the alias “Charles Howard” in 1932 to learn about all the different aspect of commercial flying.
• Set a straightaway record of 212 miles per hour in 1933 at Los Angeles Municipal Airport.
• Entered the All-American Air meet and, although it was his first and only competitive air race, won the Sportsman Pilot racing event and the President Trujillo Cup of the Dominican Republic.
• Desired to create the fastest racing plane of the time and succeeded in 1935 with the H-1.
• Set a transcontinental record in 1936 and was awarded the Harmon Trophy from President Roosevelt.
• Appointed Aeronautical Advisor to the New York World’s Fair in 1938.
• Broke Wiley Post’s (enshrined 1969) record around the world flight in Hughes’ Lockheed Model 14 to advertise the New York World’s Fair and demonstrate the true potential of a commercial airliner. For this feat, he was awarded the 1938 Harmon Trophy, the Collier Trophy and the Congressional Medal.
• Won a government contract to design a large, flying boat that could carry both people and supplies to the war in Europe. Hughes built the “Spruce Goose” which was flown once in 1947 and never took flight again.
• Built a gigantic helicopter in 1952 called the “Flying Crane.”