01 Nov 1947, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA — Howard Hughes makes preparations for the historic flight of the Spruce Goose. — Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

01 Nov 1947, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA
Howard Hughes makes preparations for the historic flight of the Spruce Goose.
Designed to be used during World War II, the H-4 Hercules was not completed in time. The aircraft made only one very brief flight on November 2, 1947 and the project aborted. Howard Hughes, movie industry magnat, never really recovered from this huge failure, as large as the plane itself. Shortly after the Government rejected is projected, Hughes arranged to screen some movies at a film studio near his home. He stayed in the studio’s darkened screening room for more than four months, never leaving, in anticipation of later events in his life.

Photo by Bettmann