A view of Howard Hughes (left) and California Governor Frank Merriam (right) dining together at a banquet for Howard Hughes in Los Angeles, California.
Description given with photo: "Hughes Has Session With Senate Committee, Washington, D.C. -- Howard Hughes, right, who met with members of the Senate War Investigating Committee Feb. 11, is shown after the secret session with senators Carl A. hatch (D. - N.M.), Owen Brewster (R. - ME.), and William F. Knowland (R. Calif.), left to right. Committee chairman Brewster told reporters Hughes discovered certain war contracts of his were under investigation and "asked to appear to discuss them informally with the committee." Credit Line (ACME) 2/11/47."
Description given with photo: "The multi-millionaire plane builder is leafing through a 92-page report of the testimony he gave the senators 6 months ago in secret session as he testified. -INP Photos by N.K. Benson- 8/6/47."
Description given with photograph: "Howard Hughes in New York after making a high altitude flight from Los Angeles during which he tested a new two-ounce oxygen mask."
Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "Howard Hughes (second from left) surrounded by newspapermen in Los Angeles and telling them about his Round-The-World flight. 8/1/38. (Press Association)."
Howard Hughes' 400,000 pound Flying Boat flying 70 feet above the water for one-mile during taxi tests over the Los Angeles Harbor with Hughes at the controls. Hughes had scheduled taxi tests only for the 219-foot long ship, but it "felt so good" on the second taxi test run at 95 miles per hour that he took it off the water on the third and final run, which is shown in the photo.