On December 24th, 1905, the legendary aviation pioneer Howard R. Hughes , Jr. was born in Houston, Texas.
Hughes Jr. was the son of oil baron Howard Robard Hughes Sr. and his wife, Alene Gano Hughes.
From an early age, he was passionate about engineering and machinery, which was no surprise considering that his father’s wealth had been amassed from the invention of specialized oil and gas drilling machinery. His mother attempted to reign in his youthful fervor for invention and speed. When he was denied a motorcycle as a young man, he motorized his bicycle using electrical car parts.
Later on, he would ask his father to gift him a ride on a Curtiss seaplane. The experience served as a catalyst that sparked his lifelong love for flying. The young Howard inherited the family business in 1923 at only 18 years of age.
He would choose to invest some of his fortune in the film business in 1926, producing several movies, including the 1930 epic “Hell's Angels.” This iconic film featured stunning and prohibitively expensive aerial fight sequences. Later, he produced other great films of the era, including “Scarface” and “The Outlaw.
” Hughes earned a reputation as a Hollywood playboy, dating famous actresses like Katharine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, and Ginger Rogers. Despite his many scandalous escapades and spectacular lifestyle, Hughes’ true passion would always be for the thrill and joy he found in the world of flying. As if being a captain of industry and a Hollywood s.
