Howard Hughes sits at the controls of his 400,000 pound Flying Boat just a day prior to its first tests in the Los Angeles Harbor in California. The aircraft was 219 feet long with a wing span of 320 feet.
Description given with photo: "Howard Hughes Carries His Lunch Tray Cafeteria Style - Washington, D.C. Howard Hughes is shown selecting his luncheon cafeteria style during a short recess of the Senate investigation of his wartime plane contracts. Along with Thomas A. Slack, his counsel, the millionaire plane builder had his luncheon in the cafeteria of the Senate office building, while Senator Homer Ferguson, (R) Michigan the Sub-Committee Chairman, called the recess due to the absence of the witnesses summoned to the inquiry at Hughes' request. 11/8/47." Hand-written description on back of photo: "Howard Hughes & Atty. Thomas Slack have bite in Senate Office Bldg. 11/8/47."
Description given with photo: "Hughes Arrives In New York: La Guardia Field, New York, N.Y. -- Howard Hughes, airplane designer, pilot and movie producer, steps down from his converted B-23 bomber at La Guardia Field following his transcontinental flight from Culver City to New York, the first since he narrowly escaped death in the crash of an experimental plane July 7. Hughes personally piloted the B-23 over the 3,000-mile route."
Howard Hughes in the Lockheed 14. Typed on a piece of paper attached to the image: "As Howard Hughes took off from Coast for flight east. Los Angeles, California-- The huge Lockheed "Flying Laboratory" of Howard Hughes, millionaire oil man and speed flyer, taking off from here for the flight to New York, from where he will take off for Paris. Credit Line (ACME) 7/4/1938."
Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "As Los Angeles Welcomed Howard Hughes Home, Los Angeles, Cal. --- Governor Frank Merriam, Howard Hughes, and Mayor Frank L. Shaw (left to right) as they rode through the crowd-packed streets of Los Angeles during the reception -- one of the greatest and wildest the city had ever seen -- as Hughes and his four daring companions on his World-Flight arrived in the city. Credit Line (ACME). 8/2/38."
Typed onto a piece of paper given with the image: "Hughes' Plane Over Los Angeles, Cal. -- The world-girdling plane of Howard Hughes pictured from an American Airlines plane as it flew over Los Angeles as Hughes and four companions on the record-breaking flight arrive at Los Angeles for the ovation accorded them by proud Southern Californians. The Los Angeles City Hall is in the background. Credit Line (ACME) 8/2/38 NY