Lily Pons (left), Howard Hughes (center), and an unidentified man (right) at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Text printed on an attached strip of paper: "Noted flier and his hostess at cocktail party Los Angeles, Cal. -- Howard Hughes, noted flier, with Lily Pons, singing star, as he attended the cocktail party given by Miss Pons at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Credit Line (ACME) 11/8/38 NY LOND PAR."
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.
Description given with photo: "After Non-Stop Coast to Coast Flight -- Pilot Howard Hughes (left) millionaire flier and movie producer, co-pilot Joseph Bartles, and navigator Robert Stevens, relax at the controls of their Lock-heed Constellation after landing at LaGuardia Field in new York City, Feb. 15 on Pre-Inaugural non-stop coast to coast flight from Burbank, Calif. the Constellation, named "Start of California" and carrying 34 passengers, including movie stars and a crew of seven, landed at LaGuardia Field eight hours and 38 minutes after leaving Burbank. 22/15/46."