The Spruce Goose was one of the largest airplanes ever constructed. Due to the governments restrictions on materials critical to the war effort, the airplane was constructed of mostly wood including birch and spruce, hence the nickname “Spruce Goose”.

Originally designated HK-1 for the first aircraft built by Hughes-Kaiser, aircraft was re-designated H-4 when Henry Kaiser withdrew from the project in 1944. The airplane made only one flight on November 2, 1947. The unannounced flight was made by Howard Hughes during a taxi test. The Spruce Goose flew just over one mile at an altitude of 70 feet for one minute, a short hop proved to skeptics that the aircraft was airworthy.

The Spruce Goose was kept out of the public eye for 33 years. After Hughes’ death in 1976, it was purchased by entrepreneur Jack Wrather and moved into a domed hangar in Long Beach, California. The Spruce Goose is on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville OR. For additional information go to www.sprucegoose.org