The Spruce Goose, a massive wooden aircraft built during World War II, is now a key attraction at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Designed by the famous American aviator and engineer Howard Hughes, the plane was constructed using layers of birch wood, not spruce, to avoid the use of scarce aluminum during the war. The aircraft holds the record for the largest wooden airplane ever built, with a wingspan of nearly 97.5 meters—longer than a football field. The Spruce Goose made its only flight on November 2, 1947, when it lifted off the water and flew for about 26 seconds, reaching an altitude of 21 meters before landing again. Although the flight was short, it was a significant engineering achievement. After that, the aircraft was never able to take off again. For over 30 years, it was stored in a climate-controlled hangar in Long Beach, California, before being acquired by the museum in 1992 for a symbolic dollar. The project was a major financial risk, costing $23 million at the time—equivalent to about $400 million today. The plane was equipped with eight powerful engines to lift its enormous weight. Initially intended as a military transport, the project lost its strategic value before the war ended, shifting its legacy from a wartime necessity to a symbol of human ingenuity and technical ambition. Today, the Spruce Goose is a centerpiece of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, which was founded in 1991 and has since grown to house over 200 aircraft, including other historic and advanced machines like the SR-71 Blackbird and the Titan II SLV missile. The aircraft's presence highlights the vision and determination of Howard Hughes, who believed that even the most impossible challenges could be overcome with innovation and perseverance.