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."
A view of Howard Hughes (right) after being asked about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Senator Harry Cain (left), Republican of Washington, in Culver City, California.
Description printed on accompanying strip of paper: "Howard Hughes reading maps and studying his way in the meteorological office at the Le Bourget. July 1938"