The Hughes H-4 Hercules, popularly called the Spruce Goose, was a giant flying boat developed during World War II as a strategic transport to carry troops, cargo, or tanks across the Atlantic beyond the reach of German U-boats. Designed by Howard Hughes and first undertaken with Henry J. Kaiser, it was built largely of laminated birch because wartime restrictions limited aluminum. Though intended as a serious military project, delays meant it was completed after the war. It flew only once in 1947, briefly lifting off over Long Beach Harbor. Despite that limited career, it remains a landmark of aviation for its immense size, wood construction, and ambitious engineering.

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McMinnville, Oregon · USA