Larger than any other flying boat ever built is Hughes Aircraft Co.'s all-wood Hercules, shown here in final stages of construction at Culver City. Calif., plant. Wing has striking span of 320 ft., and huge hull is 220 ft. long, 30 ft. high, and 25 ft. beam. Craft is to be powered by eight P&W Wasp Major engines of over 3.000 hp. each, which would give Hercules an estimated 218-mph. top speed, 175-mph. cruising speed, and a 3.500-mi. range with 65-ton payload. With men standing (on short flights) capacity is put at 750 troops. or 350 hospital patients may be carried. Howard Hughes continued with mammoth project following earlier withdrawal of Henry Kaiser interests. (Press Assn. photos)
source: Aviation Week | Zetu Harrys collection
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