Description printed on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Howard Hughes in the cockpit of his plane. A few minutes before leaving Paris for Moscow on the second leg of his flight around the world. 7-12-38"
Transcribed from attached press release: "HUGHES READY FOR TAKE-OFF IN SECOND XF-11 FLIGHT. CULVER CITY, Calif., April 5. Howard Hughes, famed flier-industrialist, recovered from injuries following crash last July 7, is shown here just before he test-piloted today a duplicate of the plane in which he nearly lost his life. He designed and built the plane, designated XF-11, and one of the world's fastest photo-reconnaissance ships, for the Army Air Forces in conjunction with the Air Materiel Command engineers."
L-R: Edward Underwood, Commander of the Hollywood American Legion Motion Picture Post #43; Howard Hughes, Managing Director of production for RKO Pictures; John D. Home, Department Commander of the American Legion.
L-R: John D. Home, Department Commander of the American Legion; Howard Hughes, Managing Director of production for RKO Pictures; Edward Underwood, Commander of the Hollywood American Legion Motion Picture Post #43.