Hughes H-4 Hercules - fotod ja videod

2007 Hughes H-4 Herakles (tuntud ka kui kuusehani; registreerimine NX37602) on Hughes Aircraft Company projekteeritud ja ehitatud strateegilise õhutranspordi lendava paadi prototüüp. See oli mõeldud teise maailmasõja ajal kasutamiseks mõeldud atlandiüleseks lennutranspordiks, kuid seda ei valminud õigeaegselt, et seda sõjas kasutada. Lennuk tegi 2. novembril 1947 vaid ühe lühikese lennu ja projekt ei arenenud kunagi kaugemale kui üks toodetud näide. Puidust ehitatud sõjaaegsete alumiiniumi kasutamise piirangute ja kaaluga seotud murede tõttu panid kriitikud sellele hüüdnimeks Kuuse hani, kuigi see oli valmistatud peaaegu täielikult kasest. Hercules on suurim lendav paat, mis kunagi ehitatud, ja sellel on suurim tiibade siruulatus kõigist lennukitest, mis on kunagi lennanud.

Allikas: Hughes H-4 Herakles Vikipeedias

2007 Hughes H-4 Herakles 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 õhusõiduk 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.