The Hughes XF-11, a Behemoth That Never Made It Out of Testing

The aircraft was capable of reaching 42,000 feet with a 5,000-mile range and thought to be an ideal solution for photo reconnaissance.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, July 09, 2024 at 10:47 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

Resembling the far more common Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the Hughes XF-11 was roughly twice the size but never achieved full-scale production. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The Hughes XF-11 was a massive twin-boom photo-reconnaissance aircraft, significantly larger and more powerful than the similar-looking P-38 Lightning, featuring complex contra-rotating propellers and powerful engines.
The program was plagued by production delays and propeller issues, culminating in the crash of the first prototype during its maiden flight, piloted by Howard Hughes, due to a mechanical failure.
Despite the development of a second prototype with conventional propellers, the XF-11 program was terminated in 1949, with its intended role ultimately fulfilled by more cost-effective modifications of existing aircraft.

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At first glance, it might be mistaken for a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. The unique twin-tail boom arrangement, the shoulder-mounted wing positioned just behind the cockpit, and the small, bullet-shaped cockpit section itself extending forward of the wing’s leading edge create a nearly identical silhouette.

But silhouettes mask details and size, and a closer look reveals how the massive Hughes XF-11 was a vastly different aircraft—with a vastly different fate.