Trip to the Air Museum and the "H-4 Hercules"

The gang walking near a rocket parked under the huge plane.

Daddy with the SR-71 Blackbird

I have always loved the many forms of transportation. From boats, to cars, to trains to planes...and all the subways, monorails, helicopters, blimps and bicycles in between...

I am pretty sure the fact that I actually enjoy car shows was one of the reasons my husband married me. :)







So, knowing that the world's largest airplane (or at least the one with the longest wingspan) resided only a couple of hours away, has been nagging at both my hubby and I for a while. Finally, this past Saturday, we took the kids to see the famous "H-4 Hercules". Don't recognize the name? It is better known as it was dubbed by the critics, "The Spruce Goose". Built by Howard Hughs, and most recently immortalized in the movie, "The Aviator", this plane must be seen to be believed.







A bit of trivia for you all: It was actually owned by the Disney Company for 2 years when it was still housed in Long Beach, Califonia. Disney bought both the plane and the ship "The Queen Mary" with the intention of them both become a large commercial venue, but when that idea was dismissed, the Hercules was dismantled and brought up to McMinnville, OR to become a part of the Evergreen Aviation Museum.







It basically fills the entire museum, with the other planes and helicopters resting under and around its wings. Ian had a hard time seeing it at first. He commented that "that big metal is in the way!" That "big metal" was, of course, the plane!