Howard Hughes never did anything halfway. From the HK-1 Hercules, a.k.a. "Spruce Goose," to his business empire, to Jane Russell's brassiere, Hughes was on the leading edge. His H-1 Racer, designed and built in 1935, was no exception. The H-1 was the first airplane to use flush riveting and butt-joined skins. Its cowling was state-of-the-art, incorporating the latest NACA research into low-drag cowls for radial engines. Its gear retracted completely, even the tailwheel. No struts or wires marred its sleek lines.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/hughes-h-1-shows-its-stuff-at-reno-2002