Howard R. Hughes, Sr., standing outdoors by a trench mining drill, which is underneath a tent-like canopy. Part of the Sharps-Hughes Tool Company's Second and Girard Streets plant is seen in the background.
L-R: Rea Hopper, Director of the Aeronautical Division, Hughes Aircraft Company; Howard Hughes; Clyde Jones, Director of Engineering, Hughes Tool Company Aeronautical Division; Warren Reed, Assistant; Col. Carl E. Jackson, Air Research and Development Headquarters, Baltimore; Gale J. Moore, pilot; and unidentified pilot in front of the experimental helicopter XH-17 Flying Crane on October 23, 1952. This was one of Hughes' last public appearances.
Description given with photo: "Howard Hughes Is Asked About His XF-11 By Senator! Culver City, Calif. - Millionaire plane builder Howard Hughes, left, is asked about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane, background, by Senator Harry Cain, right, Republican of Washington. Cain is member of the Senate War Investigating Committee, and inspected Hughes craft after the plane builder had test flown the ship. An earlier model of same design nearly cost Hughes his life when it crashed in Beverly Hill last winter. Note wind-blown hair on both Pilot Hughes and observer Cain. Photo by Felix Pagel. 8/16/47."
Howard Hughes giving a news conference beside his airplane after landing in New York. This was his first flight after the nearly fatal XF-11 prototype crash in 1946.