What caused the XF-11 to crash?

2021-04-03 by No Comments

What caused the XF-11 to crash?

Actually it was the Army Air Forces’ XF-11, developed by Hughes for reconnaissance duty. The crash was caused by a propeller failure. Hughes had been in the air only briefly but had outrun his chase plane, an A-20K Havoc.

What happened to the Hughes XF-11?

Although 100 F-11s were ordered in 1943, only two prototypes and a mockup were completed. During the first XF-11 flight in 1946, piloted by Hughes himself, the aircraft crashed in Beverly Hills, California.

When did Howard Hughes crash his plane?

July 7, 1946
On July 7, 1946, Howard Hughes took the first prototype on its maiden flight – and crashed.

What planes did Howard Hughes build?

During World War II the company designed and built several prototype aircraft at Hughes Airport. These included the famous Hughes H-4 Hercules, better known by the public’s nickname for it, the Spruce Goose, the H-1 racer, D-2, and the XF-11.

Why was the Spruce Goose only flown once?

The plane would need to be built from wood and fabric (rather than aluminum), as wartime rationing prevented the use of precious metals. Mind you, this wasn’t any normal wood but a particular composite of plywood and resin made from Birchwood.

Did Howard Hughes locked himself in a room?

Howard Hughes had always been eccentric. In 1947, Hughes locked himself in a darkened screening room for four months, doing little more than eating chocolate bars, drinking milk and relieving himself into empty bottles.

Who was Howard Hughes in love with?

It’s really no surprise that a rich and influential film producer in Hollywood was able to initiate relationships with dozens of 1930s starlets. After his divorce, he fell in love with actress Billie Dove and apparently tried to pay Dove’s husband to divorce her.

Why does the Spruce Goose never flew again?

Despite its successful maiden flight, the Spruce Goose never went into production, primarily because critics alleged that its wooden framework was insufficient to support its weight during long flights.

When did Howard Hughes build the XF-11?

The Hughes XF-11 was a prototype military reconnaissance aircraft designed and flown by Howard Hughes and built by Hughes Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces. Although 100 F-11s were ordered in 1943, only two prototypes and a mockup were completed.

What kind of aircraft was the XF-11?

The XR-11 was a remarkably stable aircraft, and at high speeds lateral control was excellent – but it became somewhat unstable at low speeds. The XF-11 never became the Air Force’s high-altitude photographic reconnaissance aircraft.

Which is harder to maintain the XF-11 or XF 12?

When the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) evaluated it against the XF-12, testing revealed the XF-11 was harder to fly and maintain, and projected that it would be twice as expensive to build.

Where was the XF-11 crash site located?

Unfortunately, they didn’t like his use of a resin bonded plywood construction and rejected his ideas. Hughes went ahead and secretly developed the plane he called the D-2 in a hangar built on Harpers Dry Lake, near Muroc Dry Lake (near present-day Edwards Air Force Base).