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"
Description given with photo: "Flying Boat Put To Test - San Pedro, Calif. : Howard Hughes pilots his much-publicized flying boat on the first of a series of taxi runs in Los Angeles harbor on November 2nd. Shortly afterward, the millionaire plane builder took the giant ship up on a surprise half-mile flight. Credit Line (ACME) 11/04/47."
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."
A view of Howard Hughes (left), California Governor Frank Merriam (center, front), and Will Hays (center, back) at a banquet held for Howard Hughes in the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California.