This Day in History

[BradG7]

On this day in 1947, Howard Hughes piloted the "Spruce Goose" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spruce_Goose) for about a mile.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/H-4_Hercules_2.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Giant_planes_comparison.svg/429px-Giant_planes_comparison.svg.png
It is now sitting in the Evergreen Aviation Museum
http://www.sprucegoose.org/images/museum_sg.jpg

[Dalreg]

Amazing for its time. Wonder if it could have really been flown?

[GEH4EVR]

It did actually fly, About a mile of the water(in the air) is considered Flying.

[Dalreg]

I know it flew for a mile or so, but never more than 20 feet above the water. I would have loved to seen it UP in the air.

[BradG7]

I would imagine that a "bubble" in the atmosphere(as refered to as pilots go) would have severly weakened the wings structure and fractured may supports.

Imagine how different war-fare would've been on the Atlantic if we had flown supplies accross to the British, less subs, more cruisers.