Description given with photo: "Pepper Sees Hughes Plane, Los Angeles, Calif.: Florida's Senator Claude D. Pepper (left) dropped into Los Angeles October 3, for a neck-cranning look at the 200-ton HK-1 Hughes Flying Boat. Pepper praised Howard Hughes (right), "for conceiving and constructing this great thing." Two of the plane's eight engines can be seen above the Senator's Head. Credit (ACME) 10/04/47."

A view of Howard Hughes and others inspecting the construction of the Spruce Goose in San Pedro, California. From left to right, the men include: Wressey C. Cocue, Homer (Dave) Roe, Dave Graig, Dave Kuans, Glenn Odeuiru, Howard Hughes, Jack Jerman, Rea Hopper, Carl Baggerger, Bill Benny, Warren Reed, and Joseph Petrali.

Description given with photo: "Poised For Trial Run, San Pedro, Calif.: Two engineers are dwarfed by the four right wing engines of Howard Hughes' mammoth plywood flying boat as the 200-tom craft is readied for taxi tests in Los Angeles harbor on November 1st. While completing taxi runs on the following day, Hughes casually lifted the big plane into the air for an unscheduled half-mile flight. Credit Line (ACME) 11/04/47."

A view of Howard Hughes conducting a test run of his Flying Boat in San Pedro, California.

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

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

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