This week, I'm reading the nineteenth chapter of the Peter David penned movie novelization of the 1991 Rocketeer film. This chapter takes place in the study of Howard Hughes, the inventor of the Cirrus X-3 rocketpack in the world of the film (in Dave Steven's original story, it was his unnamed analogue of Doc Savage). In this scene , you can see what's in Cliff's pockets, a Dave Stevens cameo as an ill-fated German rocketeer, an animated film featuring German rocket troopers, and references to the Spruce Goose (the Hughes H-4, a gargantuan - 218 ft long with a 319 ft wingspan - wooden flying boat meant to ferry men and equipment across the Atlantic during WW2). Interestingly enough, the book has Cliff hang glide from Howard Hughes' study all the way to the Chaplin airfield (which was actually filmed in Santa Maria, CA, some 150+ miles northwest)! Presumably, the airfield in the movie was not actually in Santa Maria. That said, there is a museum there, the Santa Maria Museum of Flight , that has a number of remaining props used in the film, as it was the real life hangar used in the film (check out this clip for some very thorough detective work of filming locations). Although it aired on Disney Channel around the time the movie was released, Rocketeer: Excitement in the Air (both a featurette on the film as well as a documentary on manned flight hosted by Billy Campbell) has some shots of the real life Spruce Goose as well as some shots of its maiden (and only) flight as well as some info on Howard Hughes. It's well worth a watch! Thanks for listening! ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Signup for the mailing list for a free special edition podcast, a demo copy of The Thirteenth Hour, and access to retro 80s soundtrack! Like what you see or hear? Consider supporting the show over at Thirteenth Hour Arts on Patreon or adding to my virtual tip jar over at Ko-fi. Join the Thirteenth Hour Arts Group over on Facebook, a growing community of creative people. Have this podcast conveniently delivered to you each week on Spotify , iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM , Tunein , and Googleplay Music . Follow The Thirteenth Hour’ s Instagram pages: @the13thhr for your random postings on ninjas, martial arts, archery, flips, breakdancing, fantasy art and and @the13thhr.ost for more 80s music, movies, and songs from The Thirteenth Hour books and soundtrack. Listen to Long Ago Not So Far Away , the Thirteenth Hour soundtrack online at: https://joshuablum.bandcamp.com/ or Spotify . Join the mailing list for a digital free copy. You can also get it on CD or tape . Website: https://13thhr.wordpress.com Book trailer: http://bit.ly/1VhJhXY Interested in reading and reviewing The Thirteenth Hour for a free book? Just email me at
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