Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "New York hails heroes of World Flight, New York City --- In the greatest reception since Lindbergh's, Howard Hughes and his gallant companions paraded up Broadway today, almost smothered beneath New York's ticker-tape accolade recognizing their record-smashing world dash. Here's Hughes, (center back, seat), gazing up the tons of torn paper fluttering down on him and his comrades, following in the car behind. Beside Hughes on the left is Grover Whalen, head of the New York World's Fair, 1939. Credit Line (ACME) 7/15/38."

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.