
357Controlling Raw Materials
The Duramold plywood process was a clever method for making smooth,
light composite structures, especially when aluminum was in short supply.
Hughes had previously used it to fabricate prototype aircraft, but nothing
on this scale had ever been attempted. Thin layers of wood veneer were lay-
ered into curved mold forms with an alternating grain direction. The wood
was bonded together with liquid resins under heat and pressure. The result-
ing structural surfaces could take almost any curvature needed for airframe
components.
Howard Hughes’ ew his creation in 1947, primarily to answer his critics.
The plywood lamin