Crowd of people watching Howard Hughes arrive at the Washington Airport in Washington D.C.

Howard Hughes in the Lockheed 14 in Los Angeles, California. Typed on a piece of paper attached to the image: "Howard Hughes off on first leaf of flight to Paris. Los Angeles, Cal. -- Howard Hughes, Millionaire oil man and speed flyer, at the controls of his huge Lockheed "Flying Laboratory" as it took off from here for its leisurely flight to New York, from where Hughes and his crew will fly to Paris and perhaps around the world. 7/4/1938 Credit line (ACME)."

Howard Hughes (standing) on the set of the motion picture, "The Outlaw." The movie set resembles the interior of a stable. Three unidentified crew members work on the set.

Howard Hughes is seen sitting in the cockpit of the second XF-11 prototype, April 4, 1947.

A view of the inside of an airplane hangar at the Hughes Helicopters Division of Summa Corporation in Culver City, California in the late 1950s.

Howard Hughes (left, in dark coat) noted designer, builder, and industrialist entering the hull of the Hughes Flying Boat, the largest airplane in the world, as it was nearing completion on Terminal Island in the Los Angeles Harbor. With him is Joe Petralli, assistant director of service and flight.

Description given with photo: "Mr. Hughes Exits Smiling, Washington, D.C. - A different Howard Hughes from the harried, sometimes angry, man who faced the Senate War Investigating Committee last week, the millionaire plane-builder is shown waving a cheerful farewell to Washington and his admirers as he boarded his converted bomber at National Airport today for his return to California. Before taking off Hughes said he has no idea of the where-abouts of his elusive public relations man, John W. Meyer. Asked if he would be back in Washington when the committee reconvenes in November, he said: "Certainly." Photograph by N.K. Benson. 8/13/47."