Hughes H-4 Hercules – Billeder og videoer

Den Hughes H-4 Hercules (også kendt som Spruce Goose; registrering NX37602) er en prototype strategisk luftbro flyvende båd designet og bygget af Hughes Aircraft Company. Beregnet som en transatlantisk flyvetransport til brug under Anden Verdenskrig, blev det ikke afsluttet i tide til at blive brugt i krigen. Flyet foretog kun en kort flyvetur den 2. november 1947, og projektet nåede aldrig frem til det eneste producerede eksempel. Bygget af træ på grund af krigstid restriktioner på brugen af aluminium og bekymringer om vægt, blev det tilnavnet af kritikere Spruce Goose, selv om det blev lavet næsten udelukkende af birk. Hercules er den største flyvende båd, der nogensinde er bygget, og den har det største vingefang af ethvert fly, der nogensinde har fløjet.

Kilde: Hughes H-4 Hercules på Wikipedia

Den Hughes H-4 Hercules was a massive flying boat designed and built by Howard Hughes and his company during World War II. It was intended to transport troops and supplies across the Atlantic Ocean, avoiding the threat of German submarines. However, the project faced many delays and challenges, and the war ended before the aircraft was completed. The H-4 Hercules only flew once, on November 2, 1947, piloted by Hughes himself.
The flight lasted for about a minute and reached an altitude of 21 meters. The aircraft was made mostly of wood, using a special laminated process, to save metal for the war effort. This earned it the nickname “Spruce Goose”, although it was actually made of birch. The H-4 Hercules had a wingspan of 97.54 meters, making it the largest luftfartøj ever flown until 2019. It was powered by eight engines and could carry up to 750 soldiers or two tanks. The aircraft is now on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in Oregon, where it attracts many visitors who marvel at its size and history.