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.
Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "Crowd Greets Hughes On Arrival In Capital, Washington D.C. -- Howard Hughes and his companions came to Washington July 21, to personally thank Secretary of State Cordell Hull for the State Department's co-operation on their record world flight, and incidentally to be feted at a luncheon of the Press Club. The photo shows Hughes, in park suit and black hat, as he was led through a huge crowd on his arrival at the Washington Airport. Credit Line (ACME) 7/21/38 (NY FOR)."
The black and white view of Howard Hughes surrounded by people in Paris, France. Text printed on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Howard Hughes after arriving at Paris to complete the first leg of a round-the-world flight. 7-11-38."
Description printed on photograph's accompanying sheet of paper: "Hughes guest at National Press Club. Washington, D. C. -- After personally thanking Secretary of State Cordell Hull for his assistance in clearing the way for their round-the-world flight, Howard Hugehs and his four daring companions were guests at a luncheon of the National Press Club here, July 21st. Here Hughes is shown as he was congratulated at the club by Major General Oscar Westover, Chief of the Army Air Corps. Left to right: Howard Hughes, Constantine A. Dumansky, Counselor of the Soviet Embassy: General Westover, Jesse Jones, Chairman of the R. F. C. and Count De Saint-Quentin, the French Embassador."
Howard Hughes (in white shirt) supervises construction of the Hughes D-2 at the Hughes Aircraft Company. in Culver City, California. The D-2 was the prototype of the XF-11.