A view of Howard Hughes' Hercules preparing for taxi tests in Long Beach, California.

Description given with photo: "Non-Stop Los Angeles - New York Flight Inaugurated New York -- View of the crowd around the "Star of California" waiting for passengers -- most of them after it landed at LaGuardia Airport Feb. 15. Piloted by Howard Hughes, famed Around-The-World record holder and a TWA executive, the flight in-augurated non-stop schedule between Los Angeles and New York. The TWA Constellation made the trip in 8 hours and 38 minutes, as compared with the record of 7 hours, 27 minutes. Credit (ACME) 2/15/46."