The Spruce Goose

Ultradog MN · Nov 2, 2013

Eccentric Howard Hughes' Wooden monster made it's first and only flight today in 1947.
Nice little write up at the link below.

<img src="http://www.theaviationzone.com/images/vintage/hk1/bin/hk1_08.jpg">
Spruce Goose

Ultradog MN · Nov 2, 2013

Bloody BBC code screws up your html when you edit.
Here's the photo.

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MarkB_MI · Nov 2, 2013

The hangars where the H-4 was built still stand in Culver City, CA. I believe they are still the largest wooden-frame buildings ever built.

Bret4207 · Nov 2, 2013

Hughes gets a lot of bad press about his eccentricities but the guy was brilliant, industrious and way ahead of his time. You compare Hughes to most of, of not all of, the big names today and he shines.

JF in MI · Nov 2, 2013

IIRC in reading some of the in depth history of the Spruce Goose it never would have flown as a cargo plane because the engine company, Napier, was never able to deliver the engines it promised to. They wound up using Pratt & Whitneys, while the most powerful production engines at the time, were substantially less powerful than what was planned as necessary. It is said that Napier had the reputation of taking any engine and making it twice as complicated as necessary. It's probably good that the Goose flight was so short as the engineers (some riding in the back if I remember) said the tail was about to break off just like the early B-17s.

Texasmark1 · Nov 2, 2013

My sister used to live in Long Beach. So, on one trip out there I visited both the goose and the QM. Thoroughly enjoyed both. Have always admired the eccentric nature of Mr. Hughes. I used to live in Houston and saw his tool company, which financed a lot of his antics, many times.

Mark

James Howell · Nov 2, 2013

Here's the photo of the Spruce Goose you wanted.

Hope this helps.

Dean · Nov 2, 2013

Napier was well known for producing opposed piston marine engines. Their designs could produce very high power output for the overall package size but were complex and difficult to service and repair.

Not sure if they produced opposed piston aircraft engines.

Dean

Anonymous-0 · Nov 2, 2013

the props on the motors don't look big enuf to lift that monster ,, but they did ,, empty...

waltdavies · Nov 2, 2013

The engines are the 4360 that's a big engine with 4 rows of 7 cylinders. I worked on them when I first started with Government at McClellan AFB. Mother also worked on them she built the A case 5 a day for several years. She started working in 1943 during the big war then was layed off then went back in 1951 when the Korean war broke out.
The plane is just 25 miles north of me at if you haven't seen it it's well worth the trip.
Walt

waltdavies · Nov 2, 2013

Plane is at McMinnville, OR
HERE is a video of the engine running. My BILs brother worked in the test room he sent for for me to come over and watch one run it was great made your whole body shake and the noise was something else.
I was really lucky to have this experience when I was a young guy right out of the Navy.
Walt

waltdavies · Nov 2, 2013

Here is a link to see the engine run.
4360

37chief · Nov 2, 2013

I always wanted to see the plane when it ws in Long Beach ca. I will have to go to Organ now. The Navy used Sea Planes, (flying boats) until 1967. Stan

Super-H-Mike · Nov 2, 2013

That is impressive !!

MKinON · Nov 2, 2013

Yes they did. The Napier Sabre, horizontally opposed, H block 24 cylinder, producing from 2000 to 3500 hp, depending on version, was the last. It was sleeve valved, with a displacement of just over 2200 cu inches. They say one of the final test engines produced over 5000hp.

Texasmark1 · Nov 2, 2013

I guess that had it been accepted by the govt. and gone into production, Pratt and Whitney or Rolls would have upped the cubes, add another bank of cylinders and got the engine count down or the HP up.

Mark

MarkB_MI · Nov 2, 2013

Propeller diameter is limited for a given RPM to avoid supersonic tip speeds. The R-4360 had a gear reduction unit so it could turn very large props. Although they look small on the H-4, those props are 17 feet in diameter.

k6zrx · Nov 2, 2013

There is a fellow in the next county over from where I live that has one the engines off the Spruce Goose. He traced the serial number and it was one sent to Hughes for the aircraft. It runs, and I have been a few feet away from it when running. Very impressive!

The owner collects large engines, all of which run. The place is in Penngrove, CA and he has open house days for the public to come see and hear the machines run.

Josh

Nebraska Kirk · Nov 2, 2013

My Great Uncle worked for Howard Hughes at one time. He told the story of working on a plane one time when Hughes himself showed up and chatted with my Uncle for a few minutes.

Tim in OR · Nov 2, 2013

My wife and I drove past the museum today. It is impressive looking at that big thing sitting in there.

Texasmark1 · Nov 3, 2013

Considering the massive size of the goose, that's understandable. I guess that engine powers the B 29 and their size is much more noticeable on that bird.

Mark

Texas! · Nov 4, 2013

The B29 was powered by Wright R3350's. 2 rows of 9 cylinders each for 18 cylinders. It was a turbo compound engine. Google that if you want a headache!

The Spruce Goose

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