Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose
The Puzzle of Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose"
Despite its nickname, Howard Hughes' famous aircraft, the "Spruce Goose," was actually built mainly out of birch wood, not spruce wood as the name suggests. The massive plane, officially known as the Hughes H-4 Hercules, was constructed during World War II out of laminated birch wood due to a shortage of aluminum.
Howard Hughes, a renowned aviator and entrepreneur, designed the Spruce Goose as a massive flying boat intended for use by the U.S. military. The plane had a wingspan of 320 feet and was powered by eight radial engines. Despite its impressive size and innovative design, the Spruce Goose only made one brief flight in 1947, reaching a height of 70 feet and a distance of one mile.
Today, the Spruce Goose is on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, where visitors can marvel at its size and learn about its fascinating history.