Description printed on photograph's accompanying strip of paper: "Checking damages of plane on arrival at Le Bourget. Le Bourget-- The thoroughness with which he planned the flight and carried it through was still with Howard Hughes when the millionaire flyer and his four companions arrived at Le Bourget, after a record smashing flight across the Atlantic. Hughes is shown here, examining the tail of his plane, just after landing, The tail was damaged slightly. After repairs were made, the fliers took off for Moscow."
Howard Hughes (wearing hat) receives congratulations from Mayor Fiorello La Guardia at Floyd Bennett Airport in Brooklyn. The gentleman wearing a polka dot bow tie, standing behind the mayor is Grover Whalen. Mr. Whalen was president of the 1939 New York World's Fair.