Glenn Odekirk

Glenn Odekirk
Glenn Odekirk
	H-4 Hercules Hughes D-2

Glenn Odekirk (born

Hughes Aircraft

.

Biography

The son of Edward John and Louise (Lewis) Odekirk, Glenn, also known by his nickname 'Ode' (pronounced "OH-dee"), was an

Hughes Aircraft, with whom he had a very close professional relationship.^{[citation needed}

]

Odekirk met Hughes on the set of his movie Hell's Angels, and Hughes was very impressed with him. For several years, the two flew around the country together, testing the young engineer's ideas and arguing constantly over the most trivial matters of airplane construction.

In 1935, Odekirk co-designed the

retractable landing gear, countersunk screws and flush rivets

to reduce wind resistance.

Odekirk co-designed the

which?

] state that Odekirk was aboard when Hughes piloted the plane on its only flight on November 2, 1947.

However, according to The Ouderkerk Family Saga: 350 Years in America,[2] Glenn Odekirk was not on the Hercules. Odekirk recalled that day: "I dropped Hughes down on the dock and he said to me, 'Odie, you don't mind not being aboard while I taxi' "...and I said, "Oh, come on." "The fellows back there (the Brewster committee) were giving him a bad time and told him the thing would never fly. So that is when I knew real well that he would take off if possible. I know darn well if it feels right, you are going to fly it. Mr. Hughes didn't want another pilot on board because someday someone would come out and say that Howard Hughes didn't fly it, so-and-so did."

Legacy

In the Howard Hughes biopic

H-4 Hercules or "Spruce Goose" is now on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon

.

References

Oregon State University Alumni Association

H. John Ouderkirk (ed.), The Ouderkerk Family Saga: 350 Years in America.

^ "Carry Me Back - Beaver Eclips - OSU Alumni Association". 2007-04-05. Archived from the original on 2007-04-05. Retrieved 2022-11-30.

^ H. John Ouderkirk (ed.), The Ouderkerk Family Saga: 350 Years in America, Chapter: Glenn Odekirk & Howard Hughes, page 180

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[1] "Carry Me Back - Beaver Eclips - OSU Alumni Association". 2007-04-05. Archived from the original on 2007-04-05. Retrieved 2022-11-30.

[2] H. John Ouderkirk (ed.), The Ouderkerk Family Saga: 350 Years in America, Chapter: Glenn Odekirk & Howard Hughes, page 180