Transcribed from back of photo: "Howard Hughes in the cockpit of the new XF-11 reconnaissance plane which he designed and built in conjuntion with Air Material Command engineers. He is preparing for its first flight. One of the world's fastest long-range photo planes, it can attain a speed of over 400 miles per hour."
Description written on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Howard Hughes is shown checking his plane at Paris before leaving for Moscow on the second leg of his round the world flight 7-11-38"