Howard Hughes sits at the controls of his 400,000 pound Flying Boat just a day prior to its first tests in the Los Angeles Harbor in California. The aircraft was 219 feet long with a wing span of 320 feet.
Description given with photo: "Hughes In Good Humor As He Takes The Stand Again, Washington, D.C. - Howard Hughes, millionaire plane builder and movie maker, takes the witness stand this morning before the Senate committee which is investigating his wartime plane contracts. His huge seaplane has taken to the air in the interim between his first appearance in Washington and the current visit, a fact that might account for his undeniable good humor and broad smile. Photo by G.B. Kress. 11/10/47."