Howard Hughes sits in the cockpit of the XF-11, a reconnaissance plane that Hughes built and designed in conjunction with Air Materiel Command engineers. Hughes is preparing for his first test flight in Culver City, California July 7, 1947.
Description printed on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Hughes catches up with cables in Moscow. Moscow---Howard Hughes, sorting a packet of congratulatory cables on his arrival in Moscow. He was just beginning to sprout stubble with which he returned to New York, after his record-smashing round-the-world dash. 7/25/38"