Description printed on photograph's accompanying sheet of paper: "Howard Hughes is appointed Aeronautic Adviser to the New York Worlds Fair 1939 by Grover Whalen, its president."
Howard Hughes leaving his private hangar as he is wished "happy landings" and well wishes by friends before he boards his speedy Lockheed plane at Union Air Terminal in Burbank, California.
Transcribed from back of photo: "Howard Hughes in the cockpit of the new XF-11 reconnaissance plane which he designed and built in conjuntion with Air Material Command engineers. He is preparing for its first flight. One of the world's fastest long-range photo planes, it can attain a speed of over 400 miles per hour."