firm
under investigation here.
I cannot help but think that has a little more
to do with TWA than planes that did not fly.
- You've made your point, Mr. Hughes.
- One second. I have one more thing...
...to say here to this committee.
And that has to do with The Hercules.
Now, I am supposed to be many things
which are not complimentary.
I am supposed to be capricious.
I have been called a playboy.
I've even been called an eccentric...
...but I do not believe that I have
the reputation of being a liar.
Needless to say, The Hercules
was a monumental undertaking.
It is the largest plane ever built.
It is over five stories tall with a wingspan
longer than a football field.
That's more than a city block.
Now, I put the sweat of my life into this.
I got my reputation all rolled up in it.
I have stated several times
that if The Hercules fails to fly...
...I will leave this country
and never come back. And I mean it.
Now, Senator Brewster,
you can subpoena me...
...you can arrest me, you can even claim
I've folded up and taken a run-out powder...
...but, well, I've had just about enough
of this nonsense. Good afternoon.
I had to do it.
- Mr. Hughes.
- Mr. Hughes.
I'd love to see The Hercules in the air.
Thank you, thank you so much.
Switch it off.
- The hearings aren't over yet.
- The hearings are over.
The airline bill will be defeated
in the Senate.
TWA will begin flights from
New York to Paris...
...then on to Moscow, to Japan,
to Hawaii, to Los Angeles...
...to New York.
Fuck.
- Power coming up.
- Power coming up.
Howard Hughes has just alerted us.
He has asked everyone to hold on.
Tremendous horsepower kicking up.
Let me hear it, Odie.
Twenty-five miles per hour.
Thirty.
Here we go. Here we go.
- Thirty-five.
- The air-speed indicator...
...has moved up to 25. Thirty.
- Thirty-five.
- Forty.
As he pushes the throttle it's 40.
- Forty-five.
- Forty-five. More throttle.
- Forty-five.
- Fifty.
- It's 50 over a choppy sea.
- Fifty-five.
It's 55. It's 55.
- Sixty.
- More throttle. It's 60.
- Sixty-five.
- Sixty-five.
- Seventy.
- It's 70.
- Seventy-five.
- It's 75.
And something momentarily cuts out.
I believe we are airborne.
We are airborne. Ladies and gentlemen.
I don't believe that Hughes...
...meant this to be. I don't know.
And we were really up in the air.
We were really up in the air.
Ladies and gentlemen.
The Hughes mammoth aircraft...
...has flown this afternoon
in Los Angeles Harbor.
Well. It certainly looks at this moment
that Howard Hughes will be around...
...the United States for quite
some time to come.
We must understand that technologies
like these are the way of the future.
- That's enough questions.
- TWA and Hughes Aircraft are delighted...
...to have you come here
and witness this wonderful sight.
- Excuse us for just a second.
- All right.
- So you feel like going to Paris?
- Now?
TWA is starting up flights to Europe.
I thought I might pilot the first one.
Ought to be some fun.
- Lots of shopping in Paris.
- I'll buy you anything.
You can buy me dinner. How about that?
Dinner, then. We got a date?
Okay, baby, you got a date.
I'll be back in a second,
but don't you go anywhere, now. I mean it.
All right, listen, boys.
Something new. Jet airplanes.
- You know about jets?
- No, but it sounds expensive.
Oh, it will be, but we gotta get started.
Come on, walk with me.
Whoever can start utilizing
jet technology...
...on commercial airliners is gonna win.
What do you know about the science?
I know a little. I can work something
to show you. Basic turbine stuff.
Noah, who are those fellas?
Do they work for me?
Everybody works for you, Howard.
Lockheed worked on the F-80. Let's get
Bob Gross and see if he can help us out.
- What, now?
-