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

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

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

Description given with photo: "Hughes At Controls Of Sky Giant For Taxi Tests - Long Beach, Cal. : Howard Hughes, millionaire plane builder, flyer and movie maker, is shown at the controls of the world's largest flying boat prior to taking the 400,000-pound craft out for taxi tests on Los Angeles Harbor. The plane, which figured in the Senate investigation of Hughes' wartime activities last summer, is 219 feet long with a wingspan of 320 feet. It was launched today, but will not be air tested until next spring. Shortly after this photo was made it was announced that taxi tests had been postponed. 11/1/47."

The black and white view of several unidentified men and mechanics standing near the Lockheed 14 aircraft that was then being refueled. At the time, Howard Hughes was then on his Around the World Flight with the Lockheed 14 where he visited Paris, Moscow, Fairbanks, and Alaska.

The black and white view of several unidentified men and mechanics standing near the Lockheed 14 aircraft that was then being refueled. At the time, Howard Hughes was then on his Around the World Flight with the Lockheed 14 where he visited Paris, Moscow, Fairbanks, and Alaska.

The black and white view of people surrounding the Lockheed 14 aircraft in France. Text printed on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Part of the crowd that greeted Howard Hughes and his globe girdlers as they landed in Paris on the first lef of a round-the-world flight."