Howard Hughes in the cockpit of his XF-11 before its first test flight.

Howard Hughes in the cockpit of his XF-11 airplane before his first test flight.

Howard Hughes (second from left) standing in front of the experimental helicopter XH-17, Flying Crane, with others (from left to right): Rea Hopper, Director of the Aeronautical Division, Hughes Aircraft Company; Hughes; Clyde Jones, Director of Engineering, Hughes Tool Company Aeronautical Division; Warren Reed, Assistant; Colonel Carl E. Jackson from Air Research and Development Headquarters, Baltimore; Gale J. Moore, Pilot; possibly Chal Bowen, Flight Engineer/Co-pilot, and an unidentified man, on October 23, 1952.

Howard Hughes (second from left) standing in front of the experimental helicopter XH-17, Flying Crane, with others (from left to right): Rea Hopper, Director of the Aeronautical Division, Hughes Aircraft Company; Hughes; Clyde Jones, Director of Engineering, Hughes Tool Company Aeronautical Division; Warren Reed, Assistant; Colonel Carl E. Jackson, Air Research and Development Headquarters, Baltimore; Gale J. Moore, Pilot; possibly Chal Bowen, Flight Engineer/Co-pilot, and an unidentified man, October 23, 1952.

Rear Admiral C.J. Seiberlich, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, is shown at the controls of the Hughes Flying Boat in its Long Beach, California hangar. The Navy had expressed an interest in using the craft in an experimental capacity, circa late 1940s.

Standing from left to right are John D. Home (Department of Communications of the American Legion), Howard Hughes (Managing Director of Production of RKO), and Edward Underwood (Department of Communications of Hollywood American Legion Motion Picture Post #43), in the late 1950s.

Hughes Helicopters Division of Summa Corporation in Culver City, California.