Howard Hughes' XF-11 Recon Plane Model

[Bengt Fredén]

Hi all airplane modelers,

From Paper-Replika.com, and Julius Perdana in Indonesia - a new paper model of Howard Hughes' experimental prototype XF-11 reconnaissance airplane, in which he was nearly killed in a crash in Beverly Hills, LA, in 1946.
You might have seen the intense and dramatic sequence in Martin Scorcese's movie 'The Aviator' , where Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Hughes, as he is struggling with the faulty starboard contra-rotating engine controls and the aft propeller suddenly reverses it's rotation, sending him into a deadly spin: YouTube - The Aviator [Part 12]

This is the Wikipedia story, with a black & white newsreel clip from 1946 (at the crash site), plus interesting specifications on the plane:
Hughes XF-11 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So, finally, a link to Paper-Replika.com and the new model: Paper Replika Free Paper Model - Papercraft | Hughes X-plane XR-11 | X plane, experimental, aviator, air force, crash, photo reconnaissance, twin boom
It may be downloaded as a .rar file, along with three excellent assembly drawings, from this blog page: paperhobby



Thanks, Julius, for sharing this fine new model. This would perhaps be exciting to try out with a matted silver paper.

All the best from Stockholm,
Bengt :D

[kenlwest]

Bengt,

Nice job on this interesting aircraft. I've never seen the Aviator, but after watching the "crash" clip, I now must see it! Hollywood sure knows how to dramatize it up. If the crash was as bad as the movie depicted, I don't think he would have survived.

Ken

[Bengt Fredén]

Thanks, Ken,

Yes, it it really is a rather special aircraft, along with Hughes' other notable aircraft, e.g. the HK-1 'Hercules' (nick-named 'Spruce Goose') and the sleek 1935 H-1 world-record racer. Here's Howard at the controls of the first XF-11 prototype:



I have slightly darkened the color of the PDF sheets for the XF-11, to medium grey. I shall try to find a molded plastic canopy and nose cone (the aerial camera window), and, some time to put it together. Photos coming up when I do.

Thanks, by the way, for the incredible big XB-70 'Valkyrie' model - I've got a copy! Amazing work!

All the best,
Bengt :D

[marc1900]

can't seem to find this model atpaperreplika do you have any other sources

[charleswlkr54]

Too bad it came along just as the jets were coming in! Might have made an interesting long range or night fighter!

[richkat]

Very cool plane...kind of like a giant P-38, Very fast for it's day, Howard was a great man! to bad, his mental illness could have been treated today easy...Rich

[charleswlkr54]

exactly, which is why I thought it might have made a good fighter, using the same flaperons as the P-61 which I have heard was a very manuverable plane for it's size!

[tekzo]

well it exactly two years, since the model was upload :d

[3Turner]

Originally Posted by marc1900

can't seem to find this model atpaperreplika do you have any other sources

Its also available at Tekzo's blog which is the very last link in the original post that says paperhobby. And like Tekzo posted, it will be almost 2 years back.

[glounsbury]

Bengt,

Nice work on a unique aircraft.
Suggest you carve a mould for canopy and nose and form your own parts. clear plastic sheets will soften in oven and can be pulled over the mold. Balsa modelers have been doing it for years.

George