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The Helicopters of Howard Hughes

By Dan Megna | August 20, 2013

Estimated reading time 4 minutes, 51 seconds.

Editor’s note: The October-November issue of Vertical will include a feature on the 50-year legacy of the iconic Hughes 500 (now MD500). As part of our commemoration of the aircraft’s 50th anniversary, we’re inviting readers to share their MD500 photos with us, and will award two autographed copies of Howard’s Whirlybirds to readers who submit photos before Monday, Aug. 26. To enter, post your photos to www.facebook.com/verticalmag, tweet them to us @verticalmag, or email them to elan@mhmpub.com.
Whether you are a helicopter professional, a “rotor-head” enthusiast or just a lover of aviation history, Donald J. Porter’s new book, Howard’s Whirlybirds: Howard Hughes’ Amazing Pioneering Helicopter Exploits, published by Fonthill Media, is a remarkably insightful look back on a man, a company and the incredible flying machines that they developed and produced. 
Howard Hughes is perhaps best known as an eccentric billionaire, businessman, movie mogul and philanthropist; however, his influence on the world of modern aviation, and in particular the world of helicopters, is quite extraordinary. 
Aviation historian and writer Donald Porter worked for Hughes beginning in the 1960s, first as a technical representative for the OH-6 helicopter program. He went on to work as a project engineer and manager on the company’s AH-64 Apache program. 
Now his book — a wonderfully comprehensive 224-page hardcover, complete with 16 pages of photographs — takes a look back at Hughes’ earliest days in the world of fixed-wing aviation, from the record setting H-1 racer, to the behemoth HK-1 Hercules, also known as the “Spruce Goose.” 
Porter then goes on to chronicle Hughes’ first attempts at helicopters, starting with the huge XH-17, a massive, 46,000-pound maximum gross weight lifting helicopter. He proceeds to describe the emergence of Hughes Helicopters and its early pioneering successes while pursuing military contracts with the relatively tiny 269/Model 300; the tremendously popular 369/500 line; and the NOTAR program; right through to the mighty AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. 
“There have been dozens of books written about Howard Hughes’ moviemaking, Las Vegas life, romances, and a few that examined the history of TWA and Hughes Aircraft Co.,” said Porter. “Missing was a book detailing his involvement with the helicopter company and the amazing array of machines it produced. That story needed to be told.”
Porter’s own first-hand experiences — along with his collaboration with many former Hughes employees, each possessing their own “tribal knowledge” of the iconic Hughes Helicopters days — provide the reader with much more than just a simple history lesson of how these helicopters were produced. Porter goes to great lengths to provide some of the incredibly fascinating and little-known back stories of individuals, innovation, success and failure, as well as insights to many of the private, interpersonal dynamics and battles that were waged among company principals, business associates and politicians. 
“When I started working at Hughes in the late 1960s, a small group of people had already made history, such as the OH-6A setting 23 world records,” said Porter.  “Management by big committees was unknown and individual accomplishment was the name of the game. Throughout its later years, Hughes Helicopters continued to nurture that can-do spirit.” 
The people and situations responsible for the development of these legacy aircraft is truly an inspiring and fascinating story. It leaves little doubt that Howard Hughes did in fact attain his lifelong dream: to be remembered for his contribution to aviation. 
Howard’s Whirlybirds can be purchased from outlets including Amazon (click here). For more information about Donald Porter, visit his website at www.porter-aero.com.

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