Ironically: famous aviator, eccentric billionaire, died in a plane crash

Have you ever heard of Howard Hughes? FLIPAR will retrace the life of this great name in the history of aviation, who marked an era with an eventful life full of curious events: Fasten your seatbelts!

Howard Robard Hughes Jr. was born on December 24, 1905 in the United States, more precisely in Humble, Texas.

Until his death in 1976, Howard was an aviator, aeronautical engineer, film producer and director.

He became famous for breaking several world records in aviation, as well as building his own plane.

Howard also owned TWA, one of the largest airlines in US history. Due to financial difficulties, it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001.

After the deaths of his mother, Allene Hughes, and father, Howard R. Hughes Sr., (photo) within two years, Howard was orphaned at the age of 19.

After losing his parents, Howard inherited his father’s company, the Hughes Tool Company, which was estimated to be worth a million dollars at the time.

Interested in mechanics and mathematics from a young age, Howard Jr. dropped out of college in 1925, married Ella Rice, and began producing films after moving to Hollywood.

After financing three unsuccessful films, Howard Jr. produced “Hell’s Angels,” a play about pilots in the Royal Air Force during World War I, a segment of the British air force.

The film, released in 1930, was considered the most expensive production ever made up to that time, costing $3.8 million.

After an initial silent version, Howard ended up reshooting everything when he noticed the phenomenon of talkies, which arrived with everything in Hollywood in the early 1930s.

Howard Jr.’s fame in Hollywood took off after the success of “Hell’s Angels” and he had the opportunity to interact with the big movie stars of the time.

Among the actresses with whom Howard collaborated are Ava Gardner, Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Bette Davis (photo), Terry Moore and Lana Turner, as well as being married to Jean Peters, from 1957 to 1971.

Passionate about airplanes, Howard devoted himself to learning engineering and developed his first airplane in 1935, the “H-1,” from his own company, Hughes Aircraft.

In his first flight, Howard broke the world speed record by reaching 566 km/h. In 1937 another record, this time for flight duration: he went from Los Angeles to Newark (New Jersey) in 7 hours and 28 minutes!

Also in 1937, Howard Jr. was voted the world’s best aviator and received an honor from President Roosevelt at the White House.

Tireless, Howard set yet another world record: in 1938 he circumnavigated the world in 3 days, 19 hours and 17 minutes, half the previous time!

During World War II, Howard developed the “H-4 Hercules,” a gigantic seaplane considered the largest of all time!

After many successes in life and being considered one of the richest men in the world, Howard Jr. began to suffer from drug addiction and saw his phobia of germs, a condition inherited from his mother, worsen.

With his mental and physical health increasingly compromised, Howard spent the final days of his life in Mexico until his death at the age of 70, the victim of cardiac arrest.

Ironically, Howard Jr. died aboard a plane while being flown to Houston for medical treatment.

Howard Hughes’ hectic life inspired several cinematic works. Among these, “The Aviator”, a film by acclaimed director Martin Scorsese.

The film, released in 2004, starred Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role, cost around $110 million to make and grossed just over $210 million worldwide.

Furthermore, the film was nominated for 11 Oscars and won 5, including best supporting actress for Cate Blanchett (photo) in the role of Katharine Hepburn, one of the stars with whom Howard Jr. had an affair.

Now loosen your seatbelts and stay tuned to FLIPAR for more curiosities and discoveries!