Photos of the Spruce Goose

`Photos of the Spruce Goose `

It`s called the Hercules 🙂

She was modified in everyway right up to Hughes’ death, power controls were added, something to suppress the massive amounts of vibration & amongst many other mods uprated engines.

The “one man’s vision” type project is unfortunatly a closed chapter for the aviation industry (besides a few much smaller projects).

We should consider how lucky we are, that that aircraft survived to be placed on display. Despite the fact that nobody actually knew it still existed (ok, a few knew).

Too many of the really extraordinary aircraft have been lost.

Imagine if the Brabazon had survived in the same way……

It is amazing to think that she was kept in an airworthy (might fly more than a few feet?) condition until the late 70’s.

Shame they never proved the concept she was built for but i saw her when she was at Long Beach many years ago and she was a sight to behold.

curlyboy

Picture 4.

You gotta love the guy with the crosscut saw….a Spruce Goose indeed.

I’m pretty sure the Life magazine photographer said: “can we get a woodworker in here, so our readers understand that this thing is made of wood.”

Mondariz,
There’s good news and there’s bad news.
The good news is that you can wear a “Hughes Hat” for the first flight of the replica – although there was (in some quarters) mutterings about ‘bone-domes’!!
The bad news is that you are going to have to wear an approved ‘head-set’. It is hoped that an ‘approved’ design can be found such that it can be worn under the hat. If “They” insist on it being worn over the hat then – as I am sure you will agree – this will destroy the whole aesthetic approach to cockpit head-gear.
You may rest assured that I will keep a very beady eye on developments in this area. I suspect, though, that the approved head-gear will be ready before the airframe. Pity!
HTH
Resmoroh

Res: mate, with the advances made in bluetooth technology these days, he may be able to wear the hat after all! Plug an ear piece and mic set in and away you go! Oh and don’t be too hard on old Moggy, he lived a sheltered life till the net came along- he really is a good guy you know. As for the disco jackets- you got to love those, and the padded pink rooms they put you in so that you don’t hurt yourself dancing 😉

On a side note: can you see what I mean about the engines looking like Dart Turbo props? Is it just me or could RR have looked and said- Hmmmmm that looks like a nice engine, lets refine it and market it?

Great set of pics, btw now I know were Spielberg got Indy’s hat from:D

Fantastic pictures of both the Hercules and HH. A fantastic aircraft and a brilliant man who managed to achieve so much in his life. Film producer, TWA founder, Hughes aircraft company, fantastic aviator, inventor of the XF11, and the CIA link with the Glomar explorer and the raising of the Russian sub. All that and trying to deal with the unknown illness of severe OCD throughout his life. Perhaps if he had been born in more modern times his life would have been easier.

You forgot to mention bra designer :diablo:

Roger Smith.

Don’t know about FSX, but I’ve had a version for FS9 before now. Was quite nice to fly, too!

Mondariz,
There’s good news and there’s bad news.
The good news is that you can wear a “Hughes Hat” for the first flight of the replica – although there was (in some quarters) mutterings about ‘bone-domes’!!
The bad news is that you are going to have to wear an approved ‘head-set’. It is hoped that an ‘approved’ design can be found such that it can be worn under the hat. If “They” insist on it being worn over the hat then – as I am sure you will agree – this will destroy the whole aesthetic approach to cockpit head-gear.
You may rest assured that I will keep a very beady eye on developments in this area. I suspect, though, that the approved head-gear will be ready before the airframe. Pity!
HTH
Resmoroh

Fantastic pictures of both the Hercules and HH. A fantastic aircraft and a brilliant man who managed to achieve so much in his life. Film producer, TWA founder, Hughes aircraft company, fantastic aviator, inventor of the XF11, and the CIA link with the Glomar explorer and the raising of the Russian sub. All that and trying to deal with the unknown illness of severe OCD throughout his life. Perhaps if he had been born in more modern times his life would have been easier.

As long as i can wear a hat like Howards, then i’m up for building a replica.

Ja,
Yup, we could build a replica and fly it! Brilliant idea! There is sufficient expertise in the restoration and/or replica building religion(s) on this Forum (Sorry, Moggy!) such that if they combined all their skills you (note change of person!!) could be at the controls (with all knobs turned fully clockwise), one foot on the instrument panel, heaving away at the control column to get the beast into the air. World-wide TV coverage, etc, etc.
Just needs a modicum of dosh! I suspect that if we could assemble just 1% of all the money that has been spent in the past on crazy, lunatic, non-profitable, aviation “good ideas” then that should be more than enough! Even a hangar and slipway as well!!
I was going to mention politics in connection with the failed aviation “good ideas” – but as I’ve already mentioned ‘religion’ I fear that Moggy’s “heavies” may be at my door shortly (or The Men In White Coats in the Plain White Van!!!)
HTH
Resmoroh

Amazing, the pics show Howard’s cockiness but he was right wasn’t he- the thing did fly!

I always dream that one day she’ll fly again but reality is that she never will, too bad. I wonder if we could make a replica and fly that instead.

As a side note, if it were built today with todays tech, I wonder how it would be- the engines on the original look a lot like the old Dart Turbo props but you’d be more inclined to use the PT-6 wouldn’t you?

Sorry side tracked- Again mate well done!!!

Newforest,
Yup! It’s only us scientific artists (and I include all the other support services) that aid and abet aviators (be they civil or military) to continually defy the laws of physics and finance.
“If you’ve time to spare – go by air”!!!!
I am, Sir, your obedient servant
Resmoroh

Yes, they are great historic photos.

Resmoroh, good story, I assume you lean to being an artist rather than a scientist?:D

Mondariz,
Absolutely brilliant! Now I am not, by and large, an admirer of early aviation hardware as are many on this forum (sorry, chaps and chapesses! – do I hear many sharp intakes of breath??).
However, having actually seen that vast a/c in the Evergreen Aviation Museum at McMinnville, OR, I was forced to utter several expletives of amazement!! I was told, whilst there, that the Wright Bros first flight would just about fit into the cargo compartment!!! I’ll bet the Spruce Goose was a cow to fly. Anybody know if there’s a version for FSX?
I was reminded, as I typed this, of a programme (many, many, years ago) on BBC radio called “The Test Pilots”. The guy who first flew the first Beverley (at Brough?) said “After we had been trundling down the runway for what seemed like a fortnight, I looked down to my left. I said to the Co ‘Well, my side’s off the ground, how about yours?’ “. That was REAL flying.
HTH
Resmoroh