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."
Typed onto a piece of paper given with the image: "As Los Angeles Welcomed Howard Hughes Los Angeles, Cal. -- The crowd gathered around the world-circling plane of Howard Hughes in the hangar at the Grand Central Air Terminal as Hughes and his companions on his record-breaking world flight alighted from the plane to receive the welcome home of Southern California. Hughes put his plane down at the airport and taxied it into the hangar all before alighting with his companions. Credit Line (ACME) 8/2/38 NY."