Hughes H-4 Hercules 75 Years -- November 2, 2022

Lagrand Observer, 05-November-1947

The Hughes H-4 Hercules, also known as the Spruce Goose, was the largest flying boat ever built. Industrialist Henry J Kaiser proposed the concept during the height of the U-Boat attacks on shipping, when the US government wanted to procure an airplane made of non-strategic materials, which could fly across the Atlantic with a heavy load. Kaiser dropped out, but Howard Hughes carried on and built an incredible airplane. A Senate committee was grilling Hughes about possible war profiteering, but he proved that the giant airplane could fly 75 years ago today, on 02-ovember-1947. The airplane never flew again, but Hughes preserved it carefully until he died. The plane went on display in Long Beach for many years and is now in Oregon. I'd like to go see it.