Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was a Jack of all trades, gaining his fame as an American
aviator, businessman, film producer, and director. He is also known for building the
largest flying boat, which only made one flight and was never advanced for other
prototypes.

On this day, November 2nd, in 1947, Howard Hughes conducted the only flight of the Spruce Goose, which was the largest fixed-wing aircraft in history. Its wingspan was 97.54 meters, and its height was 24.18 meters.

Because of wartime material restrictions, the Hughes H-4 Hercules or “Spruce Goose” aircraft was built out of wood. Despite its nickname, the plane was made almost entirely out of birch wood instead of spruce. The aircraft is currently housed in the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.