Howard Hughes sits in the cockpit of the XF-11, a reconnaissance plane that Hughes built and designed in conjunction with Air Materiel Command engineers. Hughes is preparing for his first test flight in Culver City, California July 7, 1947.
'Compiled, drawn, and engraved under the supervision of J.H. Colton and A.J. Johnson.' Relief shown by hachures and spot heights. Scale [ca. 1:3,041,280]. 1 in. to approx. 48 miles (W 124°--W 103°/N 42°--N 31°). Hand colored Prime meridians: Greenwich and Washington Plates 54 & 55 removed from Johnson's New illustrated family atlas of the world, with descriptions geographical, statistical and historical ... New York, 1862 Title page of atlas.
Howard Hughes (second from left) standing in front of the experimental helicopter XH-17, Flying Crane, with others (from left to right): Rea Hopper, Director of the Aeronautical Division, Hughes Aircraft Company; Hughes; Clyde Jones, Director of Engineering, Hughes Tool Company Aeronautical Division; Warren Reed, Assistant; Colonel Carl E. Jackson from Air Research and Development Headquarters, Baltimore; Gale J. Moore, Pilot; possibly Chal Bowen, Flight Engineer/Co-pilot; and an unidentified man, October 23, 1952.