Transcribed from photo sleeve: "Two unidentified men in the Army Air Forces at the Mosaic Department, 8th Photo Section, in Mitchell Field New York." The photo has the identification 19829 A. C. in the bottom right corner.
'Johnson's California, with Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, published by Johnson and Ward.' 'Entered according to Act of Congress in the Year 1864 by A.J. Johnson in the Clerks Office of the District Court of the United States for the southern district of New York.' Atlas page numbers in upper margin: 66-67. This is probably plate 67 from Johnson's New Illustrated Family Atlas, published in New York by Johnson & Ward in 1864. Shows natural features, locations of Indian tribes, proposed railroad routes, routes of explorers, trails, county boundaries and populated places ; "." ; Relief shown by hachures ; Prime meridians: Greenwich and Washington ; In top margin: 66-67 ; Hand colored ; On verso: Historical and statistical view of Mexico and central America (p. 79) and Historical and statistical view of the United States, 1860 (p. 78) Scale [ca. 1:3,484,800]. 1 in. to ca. 55 miles (W 124°--W 102°/N 42°--N 32°)
Transcribed from back of photo: "Howard Hughes in the cockpit of the new XF-11 reconnaissance plane which he designed and built in conjuntion with Air Material Command engineers. He is preparing for its first flight. One of the world's fastest long-range photo planes, it can attain a speed of over 400 miles per hour."
Materials contain photographs of the Hughes H-1 Racer aircraft from 1935 to 1945. The photographs primarily depict Howard Hughes standing with the plane or in the plane's cockpit. The plane was designed by Glenn Odekirk and built by Hughes Aircraft Company in 1935, the first plane produced by the company. Hughes broke several records in the H-1, including the landplane speed record in 1935. In 1937, Hughes broke his own transcontinental speed record by flying from Los Angeles, California to New York City, New York in 7 hours, 28 minutes. Despite its speed, Hughes was unable to sell the H-1 to the U.S. military.
Archival Collection
Howard Hughes Professional and Aeronautical Photographs
To request this item in person:
Collection Number: PH-00321 Collection Name: Howard Hughes Professional and Aeronautical Photographs Box/Folder: N/A
Photographs that accompany the attached press release: "HUGHES DEMONSTRATES NEW RADAR WARNING Howard Hughes, at the controls of the TWA Constellation, demonstrates the efficiency of his new radar safety device, which is being installed on all TWA planes and which will be available to all other airlines in the United States as soon as he can produce the equipment. The instrument warns the pilot by a brilliant red light and a warning horn the instant the plane comes too close to the ground, or any building, bridge, mountain, aircraft or other obstacle, regardless of darkness or weather conditions. The device weighs only 16 pounds and costs about $130. (Arrow points to warning lights on instrument panel). Center photo shows the Hughes-piloted Constellation approaching a mountain in Southern California's Santa Monica Range, an area usually voided by pilots because of its dangerous peaks. This particular plane's radar set was equipped with both 500-feet and 2,000-feet warning signals. The 500-feet warning range now being installed on TWA airliners was developed first because the greatest immediate need for it is during approaches and landings. The 2,000-feet warning is designed from enroute flying to guarantee clearance of mountains and other obstacles. Photo at right shows the Constellation veering to the left and climbing at a speed of 300 miles an hour after receiving radar warning of an obstacle in its flight path."