Howard Hughes and Noah Dietrich (the chief Executive Officer of the Howard Hughes Corporation from 1925-1957), during a dinner in Houston honoring Hughes' world flight.
Description printed on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Howard Hughes in the cockpit of his plane. A few minutes before leaving Paris for Moscow on the second leg of his flight around the world. 7-12-38"
Description given with photograph: "Howard Hughes in New York after making a high altitude flight from Los Angeles during which he tested a new two-ounce oxygen mask."
Transcribed from press release attached to back of photo: "NEW PHOTO PLANE TEST-FLOWN CULVER CITY, California, July 7 -- Howard Hughes, who designed and built the new FX-11 reconnaissance plane in conjunction with Air Materiel Command engineers, sits in the pilot's bubble-glass canopy preparing for the first test flight. One of the world's fastest long-range photo planes, the XF-11 can attain a speed of more than 400 miles per hour, Army officials said. It is powered by two 3000-horsepower radial engines with eight-bladed contra-rotating propellers. Outstanding features include a full-span flap, unique eight-camera layout, and exceptionally fast take-off." Transcribed from photo sleeve: "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.