Power coming up! Power coming up! Howard Hughes has just alerted us. Asked everyone to...

Howard Hughes: [Attempting a take-off of the Spruce Goose] Power coming up! Glenn Odekirk: Power coming up! [Howard pushes on the throttles] James McNamara: [On the radio] Howard Hughes has just alerted us. Asked everyone to hold on. Tremendous horsepower kicking up. Howard Hughes: [Continuing to push on the throttles] Let me hear it, Odie! Glenn Odekirk: 25 miles per hour! 30! James McNamara: Here we go. Here we go... Glenn Odekirk: 35! James McNamara: ...The airspeed indicator has moved up to 25... 30... 35... Glenn Odekirk: 40! James McNamara: ...As he pushes the throttle, that's 40... Glenn Odekirk: 45! James McNamara: ...45. More throttle. That's 45... Glenn Odekirk: 50! James McNamara: ...50. It's 50 over a choppy sea... Glenn Odekirk: 55! James McNamara: ...55. That's 55... Glenn Odekirk: 60! James McNamara: ...More throttle, that's 60... Glenn Odekirk: 65! James McNamara: ...65! Glenn Odekirk: 70! James McNamara: ...That's 70... Glenn Odekirk: 75! James McNamara: ...75! [Howard finishes pushing the throttles forward, the plane suddenly stops shaking as it takes off. There's a pause before everyone on the plane starts applauding] James McNamara: And something momentarily cuts out, I believe we are airborne. We are airborne, ladies and gentlemen. I don't believe Howard Hughes meant this to be, I don't know. And we were up in the air. We were clearly up in the air. James McNamara: Ladies and gentlemen, the Hughes mammoth aircraft has flown this afternoon in Los Angeles harbor. And it will personally look, at this moment, that Howard Hughes will be around in the United States for some time to come.

I have to do a great deal of screaming here into our microphone. Understood. - Lowering 15 degrees of flaps. - Lowering 15 degrees of flaps. Howard, she's got to hit 70 to have any kind of chance. Yeah, I know. I know. McNAMARA: I might add that it's a beautiful day over here off the coast of Southern California. Crystal blue skies, warm sun... 25 miles per hour. McNAMARA: and a relatively calm sea. 30. 35. McNAMARA: One would think that these eight power plants might shake the mighty craft to pieces. Take it easy, Howard. McNAMARA: it certainly is holding up... - Forty. - Throttling back for starboard turn 180. Throttling back for starboard turn 180. McNAMARA: The flight crew itself consists of four men. Mr Hughes, however, has added 11 maintenance men to this maiden taxi test, stationed at various places throughout the ship, checking points of stress and strain. How does she sound, Odie? Sounds good, Howard. - Professor. - Yes? Do me a favour? Would you take a look out that window there and tell me what the wind is doing? I would say that we have a 15-knot wind. Would you call that a headwind, Professor? I would, Mr Hughes. Must insist that we maintain silence. We must have quiet during these proceedings. All right, Mr Hughes, will you stand and be sworn? Mr Hughes, did you receive $43 million to manufacture 100 XF-11 spy planes for the United States Air Force? I did. How many functional planes did you deliver to the United States Air Force? None. Would you lean a little closer to the microphones, sir? None. Did you receive $13 million to manufacture a prototype of a flying boat known as the Hercules? I did. And did you deliver that plane?