Date stamped on back of photo: Nov 2, 1947. Transcribed from attached press release: "IN THE AIR Hughes Flying boat, with Howard Hughes at the controls, takes to the air at Los Angeles Harbor November 2, 1947. LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 2 - - Howard Hughes' 400,000-pound flying boat, world's largest plane, in the air on its first flight. The mammoth aircraft today flew one mile at a height of 70 feet over Los Angeles Harbor with Hughes at the controls. Hughes had scheduled taxi tests only for the 219-foot long ship but it 'felt so good' on the second taxi test run at 95 miles per hour that he took it off the water, as shown here, on the third and final run. The super plane's air speed was 100 miles per hour. Take-off speed was 95 miles per hour. Hughes termed the tests exceptionally successful. The eight-engine behemoth, launched yesterday off Terminal Island, passed its tests today in view of thousands on the shore and in small craft near the test area."

A view of Howard Hughes being interviewed by reporters in New York, New York.

A view of Howard Hughes being interviewed by reporters in New York, New York.

Employees in front of the Hughes Tool Company building in Houston, Texas in 1917.

The black and white, overhead view of Howard Hughes and his crew after completing his Around the World flight at Floyd Bennett Airport, New York. Description printed on photograph's accompanying sheet of paper: "On hand to welcome Hughes and his gallant crew New York City-- Looking down on a segment of the huge crowd that gathered at Floyd Bennett Field, July 14th, to greet the arrival of Howard Hughes and his picked crew of four at the end of their record-smashing flight around the world. The tops of the cars jamming the parking spaces were used as coigns of vantage. Credit Line (ACME) 7/14/38 (SS)"

A view of Howard Hughes being interviewed by reporters in New York, New York.

A view of Howard Hughes being interviewed by reporters in New York, New York.