A close up view of the side of Howard Hughes's Sikorsky S-43 on the shore of Lake Mead after being retrieved from the water.

Howard Hughes speaks into a microphone as he testifies before the Senate War Investigating Committee, August 6, 1947, in Washington, D.C.

Howard Hughes descending a stairway from Constellation 069, at the Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. in 1944.

Description given with photo: "Flying Boat Takes Off - Pedro, Calif. : With all eight motors roaring, Howard Hughes' giant plywood flying boat skims across the surface of Los Angeles harbor at 95 miles per hour on November 2nd. Shortly afterward, Hughes lifted the plane into the air for an unscheduled half-mile flight. Credit Line (ACME) 11/04/47."

Description given with photo: "Float Hughes Flying Boat, San Pedro, Calif.: Water pours into Howard Hughes' mammoth drydock as the millionaire plane builder prepares to float his giant plywood flying boat on November 1st. The nose of the 200-ton craft can be seen at right. In upper right are three of the four right wind engines. Credit Line (ACME) 11/04/47."

Description given with photo: "Senator Visits Hughes, Culver City, Calif.; Senator Harry P. Cain (R. Wash.) (left), member of a Senate Subcommittee investigating Howard Hughes' war contracts, chats with Hughes (right) beside his controversial XF-11 photo-reconnaissance plane just before the millionaire plane maker took off for a test flight from his private Culver City Airport today (8/16). Credit (ACME) 8/16/47."