Hey all,
While painting some planes this weekend, I was going through my Crimson Skies books and notes and found this squadron idea a friend and I had brainstormed for a possible RPG campaign a while back. I thought it might be fun to post it here and see what other people think.
The Hughes Air Guard ACES (Air Combat Evaluation Squadron) an Air Action Weekly Overview
Founded by brilliant entrepreneur Howard Hughes -- a Texan who inherited his family’s oil fortune in 1924 -- Hughes Aviation has become one of the most innovative design houses and manufacturers of aircraft in North America. Hughes used his vast wealth to indulge in a number of his interests: by 1928, he was a major film producer, and soon was the toast of Hollywood society. A pilot since 1919, Hughes used some of the profits of his moviemaking ventures to fund the creation of Hughes Aviation, allowing him to indulge his other passion: flight.
Though the Hollywood Knights receive the lion's share of fame and credit among West Coast militia squadrons, the redoubtable Hughes Air Guard is no less capable or well-equipped. The private security and military arm of Hughes Aviation, the Air Guard's primary mission is the protection of the firm's vital aerodromes and production facilities in Century City, Long Beach and Burbank. However, Hughes Aviation interests go hand-in-hand with Hollywood's interests (as Mr. Hughes is fond of saying), and the Air Guard has often been placed at the disposal of the national government, defending Southern California cities against pirates and hostile squadrons side-by-side with the Hollywood Knights.
Howard Hughes spares no expense for his personal squadrons, and often cutting-edge experimental aircraft are evaluated under combat conditions in action with the Air Guard. The test pilots of the Hughes Air Combat Evaluation Squadron, who fly these experimental planes, are among the best of the best Hughes Aviation employs. Hughes demands exacting standards for his elite pilots, but in return they are lavishly paid and have the privilege of flying the most advanced warbirds North America has ever seen. ACES pilots were the first to field many of Hughes' most innovative aircraft, including the Bloodhawk "E" parasite fighter, the Angel, and the rumored prototype code-named "Silver Bullet" allegedly sighted in recent test flights near the Mojave Desert and the Channel Islands.
Rumors and gossip whisper that pilots of ACES not only are employed as Hughes' best test pilots and aviation designers, but also serve to pursue Mr. Hughes' interest in more...sensitive...matters when regular channels will not suffice, and the vast financial and legal resources of Hughes Aviation cannot effect a solution. Stories of unauthorized air raids against factories belonging to rival manufacturers Bell and Messerschmitt/GM (including the recent disastrous fire at Bell's Dixie headquarters in April 1937), covert missions to extract aerospace engineers and scientists from enemy nations and special "loans" of ACES personnel to Hollywood government officials for high-risk anti-piracy operations have surrounded the squadron since its formation. However, Hughes representatives have always categorically denied these rumors.
"A man of Mr. Hughes' talents and success is always surrounded wild stories," said company spokeswoman Laura Mulholland. "Mr. Hughes is dedicated to the prosperity and well-being of his adopted nation, Hollywood, and the Hughes Air Guard--including ACES--has served valiantly in the defense of our country. To suggest that a law-abiding firm like Hughes Aviation is involved in some kind of far-fetched international skullduggery or espionage is preposterous. We're an aviation firm, not some secret spy force out of the pulp monthlies. It's like the rumors Mr. Hughes himself secretly flies combat missions under an alias. Simply ludicrous!"
Ms. Mulholland would not take any further questions from AAW regarding ACES or Mr. Hughes' alleged combat missions.