Great article on Jim Wright and the H-1 replica

[rottydaddy]

... In the July AOPA magazine.
Some very nice pictures- I saw that machine at Airventure '03, and it was the most beautiful aircraft I've ever seen (and one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen). Their goal had been to match the handiwork of Hughes' team, and I think they succeeded. I'll never forget how all the screws and bolt heads were aligned the same, even inside the wheel wells. And it flew as well as the original, by all accounts.
One new thing I learned from the article was that apparently, the accident was most likely caused by a prop counterweight failure... I'd been wondering what happened. That would be enough, for sure.

A terrible loss- a good man, and an extraordinary airplane.

http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/2011/july/feature_racer.html

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

That was a great story.

 

[gcd89]

The hughes H-1 is probably the airplane that single handedly got me into aviation. I saw it, and was amazed at Hughes in general. And the fact that this innovative, amazing man, created his own airplane, and became the fastest man on Earth was VERY inspirational to me. And after that I was in love with aviation.

 

[wanttaja]

The hughes H-1 is probably the airplane that single handedly got me into aviation. I saw it, and was amazed at Hughes in general. And the fact that this innovative, amazing man, created his own airplane, and became the fastest man on Earth was VERY inspirational to me. And after that I was in love with aviation.

I've got a friend who was a teen modeler in the '50s, so good he was doing models for the Smithsonian. He sold his models directly to Paul Garber, the first curator of aviation portion of the museum.

Garber told him that when Hughes was in town for the Congressional Investigation after WWII, he positioned himself to intercept Hughes on his way into the capitol. He identified himself, and asked Hughes if he could have the H-1 for the Smithsonian. "Let me think about it," said Hughes, brushing by him.

A month later, Garber got a call: It has Howard Hughes, at Washington National airport. "Come pick up the H-1." He'd flown it across the country with no notice or fanfare.

Ron Wanttaja