Lily Pons (left) and Howard Hughes (right). Text printed on an attached strip of paper: "Noted flier and his hostess at cocktail party Los Angeles, Cal. -- Howard Hughes, noted flier, with Lily Pons, singing star, as he attended the cocktail party given by Miss Pons at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Credit Line (ACME) 11/8/38 NY LOND PAR."

A view of Howard Hughes installing a radar safety system for passenger planes in Culver City, California.

A view of Howard Hughes and others inspecting the construction of the Spruce Goose in San Pedro, California. From left to right, the men include: Wressey C. Cocue, Homer (Dave) Roe, Dave Graig, Dave Kuans, Glenn Odeuiru, Howard Hughes, Jack Jerman, Rea Hopper, Carl Baggerger, Bill Benny, Warren Reed, and Joseph Petrali.

A view of Howard Hughes' Flying Boat being prepared for a test run in Long Beach, California.

Photograph of New York Tonopah Mine, Tonopah (Nev.), early 1900s

The black and white view of a crowd of people gathering to greet Howard Hughes at Floyd Bennett Field Airport in New York. Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "HH-101 NY-101. Here are thousands who greeted Howard Hughes and his crew after completing Round the World Flight at Bennett Field Airport. 7-14-38 (Press Association)."

A view of Howard Hughes attending an informal press conference in Culver City, California, after Hughes left the Senate War Investigating Subcommittee hearing in Washington.