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Howard Hughes H 4 Hercules Research Paper

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1.) Explain why this person has had significant impact. When most people think of Howard Hughes, they probably don’t think of a billionaire Filmmaker, instead the thing that comes to mind is most likely the Hughes H-4 Hercules, better known as the Spruce Goose. This aircraft is one of the largest ever constructed and it was first flown over 70 years ago (H-4 Hercules Flying Boat, n.d.). This aircraft, although one of Hughes most impressive, was merely one of countless aviation records he set. Hughes’s first aviation record was merely a straight line speed record of 212 mph, but this sparked his interest leading to countless other records (Fame, 2017). One of these included a transcontinental flight record set in 1937 which stood through …show more content…

He was an ambitions soul, reaching for sometimes impossible heights with his goals and promises. His first such barrier occurred during the production of his first film. In the middle of production, the movie marked switched from silent movies to talkies. Hughes’s entire movie was filmed silent, but thanks to his ambition the movie still went on to be a success. He added sound to the flight scenes and refilmed the dialog scenes with an entirely new actress (Nixon, 2017). This wasn’t Hughes’s only problem plagued venture either. His Hughes H-4 Hercules was supposed to be completed for the war effort, but instead it didn’t fly until 1947. Throughout this period Hughes was subject to Senate hearings leading to his statement that “…if it fails to fly, I will leave the country. And I mean it.” Lucky for Hughes and everyone else involved, it did manage to fly, albeit 70 feet above the water for a distance of only about a mile. Surprisingly, successful flights were not Hughes’s forte. One such example was the maiden flight of his XF-11 another aircraft designed for the military and not completed until after the war, but during its maiden flight the plane crashed leaving Hughes in critical condition. Another such crash occurred in 1943 on Lake Mead where Hughes was flying a Sikorsky S-43 flying boat. The aircraft had been significantly modified by Hughes and the plane was too unbalanced to fly (Lerner, …show more content…

One great example is the aim to build streamlined aircraft capable of high speed and efficiency. Hughes rigorous pursuit of building the very best aircraft continues to this day. Almost all modern aircraft use flush rivets and smooth streamlined surfaces to cut through the air. Another of Hughes’s contributions was simply inspiring public interest in aviation. The Hughes H-4 Hercules, although not a success by most defections, still motivates public interest in aviation today. Displayed in a museum, what was for a very long time the world’s largest aircraft is a sight to behold and will probably inspire future aviators for decades to come. Before that his movie Hell’s Angels immeasurably changed the public perception of aviation, and although it is not known for sure, that movie was likely an inspiration to many who have changed the path of aviation for the better. Another of Hughes’s contributions, although not directly related to aviation, Hughes Electronics Corporation founded what is one of the largest providers of satellite television, DirecTV. Hughes had a space division as early as the 60’s, but it wasn’t until after his death that this division split off. Hughes Electronics Corporation was founded in 1985 and built primarily satellites, up until it stepped into the satellite telecom service sector (Amir, n.d.). As of the year 2000, forty percent of all operating satellites

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