It was on this day in 1943 that Howard Hughes wrecked his Sikorsky S-43 flying boat on Lake Mead, in Nevada. Hughes had several government officials on board and although the airplane was in military markings Hughes, a civilian, was piloting. One passenger was killed and Hughes was seriously injured. He ordered the aircraft recovered from the lake and repaired. When it was returned to flying condition it was flown to Houston’s Hobby Airport, there to be hangared for the next 30 years under armed guard but ready for flight. After Hughes’ death it passed through several hands, was again restored to flight condition, hangared in the Houston area for a decade and recently was moved to the Fantasy of Flight in Florida.
Posted on: Sat, 17 May 2014 14:03:38 +0000