Overview
The H-4 Hercules was ordered in 1942 as a huge transport flying boat to carry 750 troops across the Atlantic, safe from U-boats. Because aluminium was scarce it was built mostly of laminated birch, earning the nickname "Spruce Goose", which Howard Hughes hated.
It was not finished until after the war. On 2 November 1947 Hughes himself flew it for about 1.6 km at a height of around 21 m over Long Beach harbour — its only flight. Its 97.5 m wingspan remained the largest of any aircraft until the Stratolaunch carrier of 2019.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 66.65 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 97.54 m |
| Height | 24.18 m |
| Wing area | 1,061.9 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 113,400 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 181,437 kg |
Performance
| Max. speed | 351 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed | 282 km/h |
| Range | 4,800 km |
| Service ceiling | 6,370 m |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 3 |
|---|---|
| Seats (max.) | 750 |
Powerplant
| Engines | 8 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | Pratt & Whitney R-4360-4A Wasp Major |
| Power (each) | 2,238 kW |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Did you know?
The H-4 is now displayed at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
Photos
Photo 1: Ben pcc at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
