Howard Hughes' 400,000 pound Flying Boat flying 70 feet above the water for one-mile during taxi tests over the Los Angeles Harbor with Hughes at the controls. Hughes had scheduled taxi tests only for the 219-foot long ship, but it "felt so good" on the second taxi test run at 95 miles per hour that he took it off the water on the third and final run, which is shown in the photo.

Howard Hughes on a ladder, climbing into the XF-11. A police officer is seen in the background.

A view of Howard Hughes' Flying Boat being prepared for a test run in Long Beach, California.

A view of Howard Hughes' Flying Boat being prepared for a test run in Long Beach, California.

Description given with photo: "Howard Hughes Flying Boat at anchor at Terminal Island. Long Beach, California."

From the Sister Klaryta Antoszewska Photograph Collection (PH-00352). From Slides #1550 through 1557. Newspaper title text: “Soviet Explodes Atomic Weapon of Intermediate Force Over Asia; Nasser Assails Test Resumption.”