Description printed on photograph's accompanying sheet of paper: "Howard Hughes and his crew of globe girdlers (L-to-R) Thomas Thurlow, Ed Lund, Albert Lodwick, Hughes, Harry Connor and Dick Stoddart. 8-1-38. (Press Association)." Howard Hughes is standing third from right.
Howard Hughes leaving his private hangar as he is wished "happy landings" and well wishes by friends before he boards his speedy Lockheed plane at Union Air Terminal in Burbank, California.
Transcribed from back of photo: "Howard Hughes (in cockpit) warms up the XF-11 for its initial test flight. It is one of the world's fastest long-range photographic planes, July 7, 1946."