A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.

A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.

A view of Howard Hughes after being interviewed about his controversial XF-11 photo reconnaissance plane by Republican of Washington, Senator Harry Cain in Culver City, California.

Description printed on photograph's accompanying sheet of paper: "Members of the Howard Hughes flight around the world are (L-to-R) Thomas Thurlow, navigator; Richard Stoddart, radio engineer; Ed Lund, mechanic and H. P. Connor, co-navigator, as they rode in the welcoming parade in New York City 7-15-38."

Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: new York Hails Hughes and Companions, New York City --- In the greatest reception since Lindbergh's, Howard Hughes and his four gallant companions paraded up Broadway July 15 almost smothered beneath Manhattan's ticker tape accolade recognizing their record-smashing Round-the-World flight. This picture shows Hughes, center, waving to the cheering thousands. On the left is Grover Whalen, commissioner of the New York 1939 World's Fair and on the right is Al Lodwick, Hughes' flight manager. 7-15-38. Credit Line (ACME)."

Howard Hughes sits in the cockpit of the XF-11, a reconnaissance plane that Hughes built and designed in conjunction with Air Materiel Command engineers. Hughes is preparing for his first test flight in Culver City, California July 7, 1947.