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.
Description given with photo: "Hughes Pilots Radar-Equipped Plane Culver City, Calif. -- First passenger plane equipped with radar is flown in demonstration May 1st by Howard Hughes (left) and co-pilot R.C. Loomis over Culver City. Pilots using this equipment will be warned of approaching obstacles by lights flashing on radar panel. Two lights (lefts) with 2,000-foot range, are used to guarantee clearance over mountains; two lights (right) with 500-foot range, are a safety device for approaches and landings. Either set of lights warns against approaching aircraft. Trans-World Airline plans to install radar on its passenger planes. Credit (ACME) 5-3-47."
The black and white view of police men awaiting the arrival of the Lockheed 14 aircraft at Floyd Bennett Airport in New York. Typed onto a piece of paper attached onto the image: "Police in readiness for arrival of Hughes' plane, Floyd Bennett Airport, N.Y. -- Police lined up in front of a plane at Floyd Bennett Airport, as last-minute preparations were made for the arrival of Howard Hughes and his companions, who were winging over North Central America on the last leg of their epochal Round-The-World flight. By noon a crowd of 6,000 persons had assembled and countless others choked all roads leading to the field as the fliers drew nearer to their goal. Credit Line (ACME) 7/14/38."