The Case:
On July 7, 1946, Howard Hughes undertakes the first flight of his XF-11, designed to be the highest, fastest spy plane of its time. But the propeller fails, leaving Hughes without power. He crashes in Beverly Hills, destroying two homes and scarring himself for life.
A man in Laramie, WY owns a 1940s altimeter he received from his father, who claimed it came from the fiery crash. He’d been a Hughes employee for over 34 years and was there the day of the accident. Based on this altimeter’s near-perfect condition, experts are skeptical of its connection to the crash, but footage from Martin Scorcese’s The Aviator and a visit to Hughes’ “Spruce Goose” at the Evergreen Aviation Museum could challenge this assertion.
History Detectives determines if the altimeter can be traced back to America’s first billionaire.
Related Content
Technique:
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Related Investigation
Hollywood Sign
Is this a piece of the original Hollywood sign?
-
Related Investigation
Coca Cola Trade Card
Could this card be a unique piece of early Coca-Cola advertising?
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Seadrome
Did floating airports dot the Atlantic before modern air travel?
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Hot Town Poster
What role did this striking poster play in the explosive events of 1960s America?
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Ventriloquist Dummy
How did an African-American ventriloquist act become so successful in a time of racial unrest?
-
Also in Post War: 1945-1960
Bettie Page Slide
Is this a lost Bettie Page image by Irving Klaw?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.