A view of Howard Hughes (left), California Governor Frank Merriam (center, front), and Will Hays (center, back) at a banquet held for Howard Hughes in the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
A view of Howard Hughes giving a speech at a banquet dedicated to him located inside of the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. California Governor Frank Merriam can be seen sitting behind Howard Hughes, sitting second from the left.
The black and white view of Howard Hughes in New York. Text printed on a card included with the image: "Howard Hughes and Albert Lodwick beside Northrop Gamma, surrounded by a crowd at the Floyd Bennett Airport after breaking the record from Miami to New York in 4 hours and 21 minutes (distance 1095 miles; average speed 250 mph; high speed 290 mph). This bettered Jimmy Wedell's July 1933 record by 36 minutes. New York, New York."
Description given with photo: "Losing Money on Flying Boat, Says Hughes, Culver City, Calif.: Howard Hughes (center, facing camera) makes his first appearance before the press since the start of the senate investigation into his multi-million dollar plane contracts. Hughes said the government is getting its $18,000,000 worth out of his big, eight-engined flying boat but he's losing money. the plane has yet to be flown. Credit (ACME). 7-30-47."