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.
Text typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "Howard Hughes strutting across a New York hotel lobby after completing a Round The World flight. 7-15-38. (Press Association)."