The shoreline is jammed with people who've come to see the world's biggest airplane during what was announced as a taxi test... the Long Beach authorities had not given permission for an actual flight from the harbor.
Isn't this beautiful?
This other view through the door gives a better idea of the scale of this monster...
One by one, the eight 28-cylinder P&W Wasp Majors come to life...
Despite Hughes' failure to deliver the leviathan to the military during the war when it was needed most and the resulting investigation, there were quite a few military vessels providing escort.
Hughes spent a lot of time and energy- and 18 million of his own money- on the Hercules, and this would be his big payback. The taxi test is about to commence...
Next: on the move!
