Transcribed from press release attached to photo: "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.

Description given with photo: "Hull of "Hercules" Starts Journey to Assembly Dock, Culver City, Calif. - The 220-foot-long fuselage of Howard Hughes' gigantic airplane crawls down the highway on truck dollies after leaving the Culver City, Calif., plant. the hull is on its way to the graving dock for assembly at Terminal Island, Calif., 28 miles away. Note size of man on top of hull. NY EUR CAN. Credit (ACME) 6/16/46"

A view of Howard Hughes taking off in his XF-11 near Culver City, California.

From the Nye County, Nevada Photograph Collection (PH-00221) -- Series IV. Pahrump, Nevada -- Subseries IV.A. Hughes Family

Description given with photo: "Flying Boat Takes Off - Pedro, Calif. : With all eight motors roaring, Howard Hughes' giant plywood flying boat skims across the surface of Los Angeles harbor at 95 miles per hour on November 2nd. Shortly afterward, Hughes lifted the plane into the air for an unscheduled half-mile flight. Credit Line (ACME) 11/04/47."