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."
The black and white view of members of the Aeronautical Association awaiting the arrival of Howard Hughes and his Lockheed 12 aircraft at the Floyd Bennett Airport in New York. Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "Official timers of Aeronautical Association compare their precision chronometers as Lockheed-14 roars overhead, marking end of Round-the-World flight at Floyd Bennett Airport." Typed onto a second piece of paper also attached to the image: "Official timers of the Aeronautical Association shown at Floyd Bennett Field comparing their precision chronometers as Howard Hughes' plane roared overhead marking the end of his Flight Around The World. July 1938."
A view of Howard Hughes (right) being asked about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Senator Harry Cain (left), Republican of Washington, in Culver City, California. An unidentified man sits between the two.