Materials depict the celebrations of Howard Hughes's circumnavigation flight in 1938. Along with a crew consisting of Harry Connor, Tom Thurlow, Richard Stoddart, and Ed Lund, Hughes flew the Super Electra on a global circumnavigation flight. On July 10, 1938, Hughes and the crew departed Floyd Bennett Field in New York and flew to Paris, France, Moscow, Russia, Omsk, Russia, Yakutsk, Russia, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Minneapolis, Minnesota before landing back in New York on July 14. The photographs primarily depict the parades thrown for Hughes after completion of the flight. The photographs also depict Hughes and his crew meeting with New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia at New York City Hall, the National Press Association, and crowds of onlookers who attended the plane's landings in various cities.
Archival Collection
Howard Hughes Public Relations Photograph Collection
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Collection Number: PH-00373 Collection Name: Howard Hughes Public Relations Photograph Collection Box/Folder: N/A
The black and white view of the Lockheed 14 aircraft at the Floyd Bennett Airport in New York. Typed on a piece of paper attached to the image: "Readying Hughes' plane for Paris flight. New York City-- Mechanics hastened to put Howard Hughes' Lockheed 14 monoplane in shape for a flight from Floyd Bennett Airport here, to Paris. Motor trouble forced postponement and helpers were working under injunction to have the ship ready for a takeoff, July 9, "at the earliest possible moment." Photo shows: the plane being pulled out of the hangar by a truck. Credit Line (ACME) 7/9/38."
The black and white view of the Lockheed 14 aircraft at Floyd Bennett Field in New York. Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "Scene at Floyd Bennett Airport this evening shortly before the big Lockheed special monoplane New York World's Fair 1939 took off on a transatlantic flight to Paris, carrying Howard Hughes an a crew of four."
The black and white view of the New York Police Force awaiting the arrival of Howard Hughes at Floyd Bennett Airport in New York. Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "More than 1000 members of New York Police Force lined up on runway at Floyd Bennett Airport awaiting Howard Hughes and crew." Typed onto a second piece of paper attached to the image: "Hughes gives cops a busy day. New York - More than 1,000 members of New York's "finest" were on hand at Floyd Bennett Field as a record crowd gathered to welcome Howard Hughes and his crew. 4/14/38."
The black and white view of unidentified people surrounding the Lockheed 14 aircraft. Typed on a piece of paper attached to the image: "Rolling Howard Hughes' plane out of hangar at Floyd Bennett Field, with Lt. Thomas Thurlow, one of the navigators, calibrating the compass. 7/9/38."