Howard's Whirlybirds: Howard Hughes' Amazing Pioneering Helicopter Exploits

boxkite said:
Has anyone bought and read this book?
Howard's Whirlybirds: Howard Hughes' Amazing Pioneering Helicopter Exploits
ISBN 978-1-78155-089-2
A review would be welcome - thanks.
Click to expand...

"Howard's Whirlybirds"? "Howard's Helicopter exploits"? My arse!!! With all respect due to his early career as a film-maker and aviator, the guy was an opportunist and a bully that never even designed or developed a single helicopter, appropriated Kellett's work and made it look his own! I'm not even sure he ever FLEW a helicopter! He used mafia-like methods to purchase existing projects, disown their inventors and deny them all rights to their work! The book's title sucks to no end, and to me it is so offputting and cheap a way to grab the buyers' attention that I don't even want to read it.
 
Stargazer2006 said:
boxkite said:
Has anyone bought and read this book?
Howard's Whirlybirds: Howard Hughes' Amazing Pioneering Helicopter Exploits
ISBN 978-1-78155-089-2
A review would be welcome - thanks.
Click to expand...

"Howard's Whirlybirds"? "Howard's Helicopter exploits"? My arse!!! With all respect due to his early career as a film-maker and aviator, the guy was an opportunist and a bully that never even designed or developed a single helicopter, appropriated Kellett's work and made it look his own! I'm not even sure he ever FLEW a helicopter! He used mafia-like methods to purchase existing projects, disown their inventors and deny them all rights to their work! The book's title sucks to no end, and to me it is so offputting and cheap a way to grab the buyers' attention that I don't even want to read it.
Click to expand...
If you are going to go off on Hughes like that, you might want to mention the source material that documents all the Hughes misdeeds you bring up.....
 
"Don't judge a book by it's cover" ... er, title !
Or maybe "You have to walk through ashes to find diamonds"

Old says, but certainly consisting at least some truth. And one of the best known attack helicopters
(shown on the cover) started its career in that company. So I won't condemn this book just because
of its title. There are LOTS of other books with great titles, but actually containing nearly no useful
information, so, just give this one a chance ! ;)
 
Jemiba said:
"Don't judge a book by it's cover" ... er, title !
Or maybe "You have to walk through ashes to find diamonds"

Old says, but certainly consisting at least some truth. And one of the best known attack helicopters
(shown on the cover) started its career in that company. So I won't condemn this book just because
of its title. There are LOTS of other books with great titles, but actually containing nearly no useful
information, so, just give this one a chance ! ;)
Click to expand...

What I "condemn" is the dishonest and cheap trick used by the publisher to sell his book: "Howard's...". Hughes helicopters on the whole owe very little if nothing to the founder himself. It would be exactly like saying "Glenn Curtiss's amazing VTOL exploits" (he died in the early 1930s and was associated with only one rotorcraft project in his career) or "Igor Sikorsky's drones" to talk about the Cypher and Dragon Warrior (he died in 1972 and never developed any drone in his lifetime) or the "Brothers Loughead's fabulous stratospheric ventures" to talk about the Blackbird or U-2 (they only gave their name to the company!). You see what I mean? That's what I call a "cheap trick", unworthy of the integrity that is to be expected of a strong editorial line with respect for the reader.
 
Howard Hughes was an exceptional man. He succeeded at every industry he touched. He accomplished more in his lifetime than almost any other industrialist of the last century. Unlike so many other capitalists, Hughes did everything out of passion, conviction, patriotism and altruism. All of his employees were fiercely loyal to him, even after his death. His legacy of research and progress continues to this day, from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to the myriad of successful companies he built in so many unrelated fields (oil, real estate, cinema, aviation, electronics, medical, research, global maritime exploration...)

Howard Hughes was a great man, a true visionary of impeccable character and the embodiment of the American spirit. It is unfortunate that some small-minded people still take pains to vilify him based on the falsehoods of a liberal press. Yes, HRH was secretive and quirky. No, he didn't fit the mold. Of course, he abhorred socialism. That is hardly enough to justify unsubstantiated character-assassination. Unless the credibility of his accuser is no more relevant than that of Owen Brewster.
 
I am not basing my opinion of him on slander or gutter press articles, but on the testimony of those who dared to oppose him or saw their inventions practically stolen by him. We have several instances of this that were discussed on the forum at various times (check "Horton" for instance). They are not the imaginings of conspirationists but the factual description of Hughes's ruthless and selfish ways of appropriating everything he judged worthy of his genius.

As I said before I do respect the man's early career and many achievements. I absolutely adored the movie "The Aviator" and can only be fascinated by what this single man did, much so like all the other early pioneers of the aircraft industry and airline business. But that doesn't cancel the despicable behavior of the man.
 
Don't know enough about Howard Hughes for any judgement, but I've the feeling, we are drifting away from the original
theme, which was the book "Howard's Whirlybirds". Maybe right, that the author or publisher is just trying to boost sales
by mentioning the man, who founded the company, which principally is still existing. My point is just, l that we should judge
a book by its contents. There are dozens, even hundreds of books with empty words like "super plane", "super fighter" or
something like that in the title, nevertheless there may be some of them containing good research and new information.
Wouldn't buy any of them just by the title, but if someone here gives a favorable review, I'll probably change my mind.
That's why boxkite asked for that book.
 
The bio of the author on Amazon indicates that he is qualified to write on the topic:

"Aviation historian and writer Donald J. Porter authored the first definitive history of the Hughes OH-6A helicopter. He also wrote two books that profile the development of the Learjet and Citation business jets. During almost a decade at Hughes Helicopters, he worked in a variety of roles ranging from OH-6A technical representative in Vietnam to project engineer and proposal manager on the Apache helicopter program. Following a successful career as a corporate communications executive in the electronics industry, and later in a senior communications post at a state university, he now serves as a communications consultant to the aerospace industry."

Of the 6 reviews posted there, all positive, 2 are from former employees of the company.

I will probably buy the book myself in due time. The one Hughes helicopter that always intrigued me was the XH-17 with that enormous two-bladed rotor turning so slowly. Yes, it was Kellett's design, but it was Hughes that brought it to fruition.
 
If a slightly misleading title (assuming it is) results in much bigger sales (Howard Hughes remains a figure of interest for far more people than a history of a helicopter company, I suspect) for a great book (assuming it is) on Hughes' Helicopter division, I think thats a price worth paying.

Certainly the author's credentials are impeccable.
 
I have read this book and if you have an interest in the Hughes OH-6/500 or Apache, you will discover quite a bit of interesting information about both aircraft types in this book. You will also learn quite a bit about this remarkable helicopter company. The book is written by a man who worked at Hughes Helicopters from the 1960's until the company was purchased by McDonnell Douglas. He worked on both the OH-6A and Apache programmes and is THE authority on the history of this company. Don Porter pulls no punches in relation to some of the goings-on at the company and as such, appears to give a very frank and honest description of Hughes Helicopters Inc. and its many ups and downs.


It is true that Howard Hughes was not a helicopter pilot. His first aviation love was always fixed-wing aircraft. He gathered some great people at Hughes Helicopters though and let them get on with the business of building great helicopters. The Hughes 269/300, OH-6A/500 and AH-64 Apache are all remarkable designs and both the 300 and 500 are still very much in use today, fifty years or more after their first flights. The 500 is even enjoying a resurgence with new orders and new versions being developed today. I have carried out a considerable amount of research into the OH-6/500 family of helicopters for a possible future book and I can say that it is one of the most versatile helicopters to fly and has tested and proven more rotary-winged technology that any other helicopter type. NOTAR, mast-mounted sights, glass cockpits, higher harmonic control and quiet rotor technology all flew first or were brought to fruition on various versions of the OH-6/500. The Apache is another technological marvel. These helicopters and this technology could only be dreamt off and constructed in the slightly unconventional company that was Hughes Helicopters, thanks in no small part to Howard Hughes. Hughes Helicopters allowed Howard Hughes to fulfil his dream of seeing an aircraft of his entering service with the US Armed Forces. Thus, I'd imagine, Hughes Helicopters was of great importance to Howard Hughes.


It may not actually be all that well known that the Apache is a Hughes design and so the picture on the cover is quite interesting. Most people will probably associate it with McDonnell Douglas and Boeing. To put Howard Hughes' name on the cover of this book is certainly appropriate. Anyway, this is a fine book that records the history of this relatively small helicopter company that produced some remarkable aircraft. It is well worth a read.


500 Fan.
 
Thanks a lot 500 Fan for this very interesting and balanced review. And all my best wishes on your own book project!
 
No problem, Stargazer. Howard Hughes is a very interesting character, of that there is no doubt. I have read a few books on him, his aircraft and his exploits as an aviator. It is really difficult to get a true picture of what he was really like. Some books show him in a positive light, others in a negative way. So much of his life is shrouded in mystery and for many years, only a few people had access to him. A book I haven't read yet is one written by Jack Real. He was a close friend of Hughes and was trusted by him so it should give an accurate account of Hughes and what he was really like in his later years.


Apparently, Hughes Aircraft had a hangar at the Groom Lake site for many years, something I only became aware of recently (if true).


500 Fan.
 
After initial lessons and solo in Bell 47 "shaky G" (wood blades) in the hills of Irvine Ranch out of now John Wayne Airport, but back in 1967, I completed commercial license on Hughes 269As and enjoyed the little bird. My instructor said it was initially designed by Kellet engineers when the firm was purchased by H. Hughes, but others say it was a Hughes design, so I will purchase the book. Many 'Nam vets swear by the tough frame construction of the OH-6/500 series, and I flew in them in Alaska, and owned one for a short bit...it could land on a dime in the Alaska bush and was "the copter of choice," fast compact and did the job if you did not have Ceco governors but Bendix on your engine. To me, "olive on a toothpick" 500 is the cat's meow, and I know of others in the rotary wing world who outright agree!
I've read a number of books on the man and simply put, Hughes was indeed, eccentric to an extreme; but...we all have our faults on this physical plane and he is but an example, of a man who wielded power through wealth (consequently leaving his mark in the aviation world)...but others have done exactly the same thing. And yes, certain of these flawed personalities also, step on and shamelessly use-abuse those with much less money and influence in society. The 500 was a Hughes design and had naught to do with Kelle to my understanding. That is the way of it on this mudball...planet earth!
Bomiwriter.
 
Many thanks for the positive reviews. Donald and myself appreciate your kind support.
If you have any queries, questions or more ideas for us to consider in publishing, please do drop me a line: j.slater @ fonthillmedia.com
With very best wishes,
Jay
Publisher
 
I'm now reading Howard's Whirlybirds and being a commercial helicopter pilot plus A&P was fascinated by this historical write. Only thing missing was some Kellet copters and XH-17 rotor-system test rig photos.
After my solo in Shakey Bell 47G with wood blades on the Irvine Ranch complex out of Santa Ana, CA. I completed te commercial syllabus in 269A N8919F-unsure if it even exists today. It was a light bird, not much useful load, but a good trainer but I never suffered the nose tuck-own described in the book. both myself and instructor once out ran a Seattle hailstorm including a small twister a photographer shot from atop the Boeing Development Center. The nxt door competitor with their 269A acting like fighter pilots flew through it and it chewed off their tail rotors upon landing at Boeing Field...these were the early small, and noisy tail rotor blades. I briefly owned a 269B, but was unable to rebuild it...same wth a highly admired and much regarded but severely mistreated Hughes 500...the cat's meow for squeezing into small spots in Alaska. I managed to fly around in H-500Ds and they too, were the royal cat's meow copter. MyBrantlyB-2 & B-2Bs however, were also very cheap, light, and performers on a cool day, and required little maintenance, although not a big-time competitor. The Loach was mount of champions and many Army pilots walked away from a thrashed wreck what with its internally engineered A-frame and thus was a most successful copter despite Howard's poor decisions.
It is an enjoyable read, filled with details concerning the design of the Hughes series and details how Hughes with his spoiled rich-man's mentality and whatever mental baggage he held fast, continually made mistake after mistake in his business decisions, or lack thereof where a firm either succeeds, fails or is simply driven down the wrong path! A quite decent and inciteful book!
 

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