Hearings of the U.S. Senate Special Committee Investigating the National Defense Program photographs, 1947

Materials depict Howard Hughes at the U.S. Senate Special Committee Investigating the National Defense Program hearings in 1947. The special committee, also called the Truman Committee, began investigating Howard Hughes's defense contracts after the Second World War. Hughes had been unable to produce feasible prototypes for the HK-1 Hercules (also known as the H-4 Hercules, "Spruce Goose," or "Flying Boat") as well as the XF-11 reconnaissance aircraft, despite spending $22 million. The materials depict Hughes giving testimony, answering questions, and having verbal exchanges with Senators Owen Brewster, Claude D. Pepper, and Homer Ferguson. The photographs also depict Hughes in conversation with his attorney T. A. Slack and Noah Dietrich, Chief Executive Officer of the Hughes Corporation.