Yes! It is Howard Hughes. There are other posts that I have updated when an answer was found, but this one has become much more interesting thanks to the help of "Scott" (a frequent visitor to a favorite site - see bits and pieces in the favorite links to the left) He was able to find an image that is so close in time to the one below. Here is the image he found:
Now, Compare it with this photo that popped out of a photo equipment catalog I found at a sale over the summer. The really amazing thing is this not only confirms it is HH, but they are uncannily similar - I believe these photos (that came from opposite ends of the internet) were taken maybe only seconds apart. Take a look at the front and back and then I will tell you what I know of the photographer.
Now, Compare it with this photo that popped out of a photo equipment catalog I found at a sale over the summer. The really amazing thing is this not only confirms it is HH, but they are uncannily similar - I believe these photos (that came from opposite ends of the internet) were taken maybe only seconds apart. Take a look at the front and back and then I will tell you what I know of the photographer.
Well, first, I apologize in advance to the estate of Rudy Arnold if such exists. I know that the Smithsonian has a large collection of this well known 20th century photographer's images.
From the Smthsonian Air & Space Division:
"Rudy Arnold (1902-1966) was an
accomplished airman and 
photographed many of
the major news stories of the 1920's and 1930's. He shot much of his material
at New York City's Floyd Bennett Field where many of the great early long distance
air races started and finished."
photographed many of
the major news stories of the 1920's and 1930's. He shot much of his material
at New York City's Floyd Bennett Field where many of the great early long distance
air races started and finished."
My image is confirmed to be from Rudy Arnold, but the image from a cooperative Flicker account owner (Click here to see more images of HH) is from an as yet unidentified photographer. If we knew the photographer, we would be able to confirm (almost) that the photos were taken at the same time (theorizing that Rudy Arnold couldn't have shot both images simultaneous).
Take one more look at a comparison of the 2 images:
The exposure difference aside (my fault) look at HH's arms, expression, position, jacket and in my image you can just see the curved rivets from the door. Here is the caption from the image on the left:
4 Jul 1938, New York, New York, USA --- Howard Hughes, millionaire aviator and film producer, is pictured above with four members of his crew after he landed his twin-motored Lockheed 14 Super Electra at Floyd Bennett Field here. At the end of a leisurely flight from Wichita, Kansas, he made the trip in the unofficial time of 7 hours and 15 minutes. Preparations were made immediately for a hop to Paris and a probable flight around the world. Left to right above are Lt. Tom Thurlow, designer of a new type drift indicator for use over water; Harry Connor, navigator; Howard Hughes; Richard Stoddart, builder of the plane's elaborate transmitter for voice and code; and Dale Power, assistant flight engineer. The last member of the crew, Glenn Odekirk, flight engineer is not shown.
There you have it. Thanks again to the help I got from people I've never met, but would like to.
Take one more look at a comparison of the 2 images:
The exposure difference aside (my fault) look at HH's arms, expression, position, jacket and in my image you can just see the curved rivets from the door. Here is the caption from the image on the left:
4 Jul 1938, New York, New York, USA --- Howard Hughes, millionaire aviator and film producer, is pictured above with four members of his crew after he landed his twin-motored Lockheed 14 Super Electra at Floyd Bennett Field here. At the end of a leisurely flight from Wichita, Kansas, he made the trip in the unofficial time of 7 hours and 15 minutes. Preparations were made immediately for a hop to Paris and a probable flight around the world. Left to right above are Lt. Tom Thurlow, designer of a new type drift indicator for use over water; Harry Connor, navigator; Howard Hughes; Richard Stoddart, builder of the plane's elaborate transmitter for voice and code; and Dale Power, assistant flight engineer. The last member of the crew, Glenn Odekirk, flight engineer is not shown.
There you have it. Thanks again to the help I got from people I've never met, but would like to.
