This aircraft with serial number 1997 was delivered to Howard Hughes in 1939 as part of his acquisition of TWA and named The Flying Penthouse. Sold to Glenn McCarthy in 1949. Damaged in a 1964 hurricane in Fort Lauderdale and thereafter converted to a powered houseboat in 1974. Last owner David Drimmer owned the planeboat for 35 years and lived on it and operated it in the Fort Lauderdale waters. Drimmer donated the planeboat in 2017 to the Florida Air Museum. This photo of the cockpit was taken at Drimmer’s dock in Fort Lauderdale. Cockpit completely original from the Howard Hughes era used as the boat helm.
