Evening star., 1947-08-10

added, "the Army didn't want t,
touch me with a 10-foot pole"
Earlier testimony has been to tn,
effect that after Col. Roosevelt. re.
ported favorably on the Hughe!
plane Gen. Arnold passed wore
along that, If Mr.. Hughes had the
most satisfactory reconnaissance
type, he should be given a contract
Neither the flying boat, nor the
photo-reconnaissance plane, fol
which he finally got contracts, were
built in time for use in the war, but
Mr.. Hughes testified yesterday he
knew of 81 other new-type plane,
that were started before or during
the war, paid for by the Govern
ment, but not completed in time to
take part in hostilities.
Flying Boat Completed.
The big flying boat is structurally
finished and resting on the water
near Long Beach, Calf, awaiting a
test flight. Mr.. Hughes was serious
ly injured in test flight of the first
photo-reconnaissance plane last
year, but the second plane has since
been built.
II have investigated and found" !"
said Mr.. Hughes, that this flying
boat that has been so criticized will
cost the Government less per pound,
and less time per pound. than any
other project and this makes
allowances for the $13,50o,000 spent
on starting it during the war"
He had reference to the earlier
testimony that when that amount
had been spent Washington officials
considered cancelling the contract
but finally decided to complete it,
The original limit of Government
cost was $4,000, 600, but Mr.. Hughes
contends he has put in $1,000, 900,
and viii have to spend more before
the plane is tested The contract
gives him an option to lease the
plane at q stated sum per month
until he has recovered $4,000 900 of
his own investment.
Completion Was Decided.
4 Former RFC Chairman Jesse
Jones has testified that when cam
collation. was being considered In
1914, he spoke to President Roose-
velt, who indicated it would be bet
ter to complete the plane than to
waste what already had been spent.
Senator Pepper, Democrat, OF
Florida asked Mr.. Hughes yester-
day whether, If Mr.. Roosevelt
reached that conclusion, he was act
ing with fair regard for the pub
lie interest"
Il don't know what was in Presi-
dent Roosevelt's mind, but no one
has shown me proof that he acted
lnsincerely," Mr.. Hughes replied.
After describing the huge dimen-
sions of the flying boat, with its 800
foot wing spread, and hull "a feet
In diameter, Mr.. Hughes said 1t is
the first plane ever built so big that
It's controls cannot be operated by
hand even in an emergency.
Power Controls Used.
The controls will have to be op-
Grated by power units, he said, and
revealed that the development of
This delicate mechanism is the step |
now delaying a test flight. Mr..
Hughes said he is not pretending to |
say the plane will fly or be success
ful, but he hopes it will.
In any event, he argued, the
knowledge already gained of the
problems involved in continuing to
the size of aircraft will be
II great value to the Government
md the. industry.
He pointed out that, while this
lying boat was built of wood, be-
'ause metals were not available
Turing the war, if its fight test
ustif1es the building of others,
METAL undoubtedly will be used and
hereby overcome a weight problem
hat figured in the first plane.
Hughes Corrects Error.
Mr.. Hughes, discovering an error
n his testimony, late last night