A view of Howard Hughes giving a speech at a banquet dedicated to him located inside of the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. California Governor Frank Merriam can be seen sitting behind Howard Hughes, sitting second from the left.
Howard Hughes exiting the Lockheed 14. Typed on a piece of paper attached to the image: "Howard Hughes, millionaire sportsman, leaving cabin of plane (Lockheed 14) at Wichita airport, after trip from coast to N.Y., where he's reported taking off for Europe. Credit Line (ACME)."
Typed onto a piece of paper given with the image: "Hughes' Plane Over Los Angeles, Cal. -- The world-girdling plane of Howard Hughes pictured from an American Airlines plane as it flew over Los Angeles as Hughes and four companions on the record-breaking flight arrive at Los Angeles for the ovation accorded them by proud Southern Californians. The Los Angeles City Hall is in the background. Credit Line (ACME) 8/2/38 NY
Date stamped on back of photo: April 3, 1947. Transcribed from attached press release: "HUGHES FLIES DUPLICATE OF CRASH PLANE CULVER CITY, Calif., April 5 -- Howard Hughes, famed flier-industrialist, today test-piloted the plane pictured here, a duplicate of the XF-11 photo-reconnaissance ship which he nearly lost his life in an accident last July 7. He designed and built the plane for the Army Air forces in conjunction with the Air Materiel Command engineers. He has recovered from the injuries sustained last year when the freak propeller trouble dashed the original XF-11 to earth. As usual, he today took personal responsibility for the first test flight of the new plane." The actual flying date is April 4, 1947.