From the David Rea Collection of Howard Hughes Publicity Photographs (PH-00400). This collection is comprised of publicity photographs of Howard Hughes and his aircrafts, from approximately the 1940s to the 1950s, that were compiled by David Rea, former pilot for Hughes Aircraft Company. This collection also includes clippings and technical drawings of Hughes aircrafts. Note: Newspaper clippings were not digitized, but are available in the reading room. All digital objects from this collection are part of a photographic album.
The black and white view of a crowd of people, possibly including reporters and members of the press, standing atop a tower as they wait for the arrival of Howard Hughes in his Lockheed 14 aircraft at Floyd Bennett Airport, New York. This final landing for Hughes marked the end of his Round The World flight.
24 x 38 cm. on sheet 43 x 56 cm., folded to 28 x 13 cm. Includes advertisements for Las Vegas businesses. Advertisements for Las Vegas businesses, inset map of North Las Vegas, and index on verso. Copyright held by Redwood Pub. Co. Includes inset map of the Strip (U.S. 91 or Los Angeles Highway). Map is irregularly shaped. Original publisher: Redwood Pub. Co..
Transcribed from attachment to photo: "NEW LONG-RANGE PLANE ANNOUNCED CULVER CITY, CALIF., The FX-11 took off today on its first test flight. One of the world's fastest long-range photographic planes, it was designed and built by Howard Hughes in conjunction with Air Materiel Command engineers. It has a wing spread of 101 feet, 4 inches, and is powered by two 3000-horsepower radial engines with eight-bladed contra-rotating propellers. Army officials said it can attain a speed of more than 400 miles per hour and has a ceiling of more than 40,000 feet." 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."