Howard Hughes and an unidentified man stand in front of a Douglas DC-3.

Description given with photo: "Hughes At Controls Of Sky Giant For Taxi Tests - Long Beach, Cal. : Howard Hughes, millionaire plane builder, flyer and movie maker, is shown at the controls of the world's largest flying boat prior to taking the 400,000-pound craft out for taxi tests on Los Angeles Harbor. The plane, which figured in the Senate investigation of Hughes' wartime activities last summer, is 219 feet long with a wingspan of 320 feet. It was launched today, but will not be air tested until next spring. Shortly after this photo was made it was announced that taxi tests had been postponed. 11/1/47."

A view of Howard Hughes' Flying Boat being prepared for a test run in San Pedro, California.

A view of Howard Hughes' Flying Boat being prepared for a test run in Long Beach, California.

Howard Hughes in the Lockheed 14. Typed on a piece of paper attached to the image: "Howard Hughes, lifting his plane and headed for Wichita, Kansas, on the first leg of his flight to Newark, N.J. from where he will hop-off for Paris."