How the Spruce Goose was Moved to Oregon

In the early 1990s, the legendary H-4 Hercules—the "Spruce Goose"—embarked on an incredible logistical move to Oregon. This documentary covers story of this challenging feat, which became the longest and most complex journey in the plane's history.

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
1:40 - Uprooted
3:57 - A New Nest
6:20 - Disassembly
8:25 - The Pacific Leg
10:56 - The Willamette Leg
13:55 - The Overland Leg
15:45 - A Living Museum
18:51 - Epilogue & Credits

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Visit the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum:

[aaronredbaron]

My dear friend Bob Dutton who died in 2005 is in this video @17:57 on the far right carrying the propeller. I haven't seen him in so long, and the last time I saw him he was so sick before he died. This was quite a shock seeing that face! RIP my friend!

[jhalkoski]

man, the quality of this video, it should definitely be played on loop in the museum. i havent been to the evergreen museum in ages and now i want to go so badly

[Islandmidfielder]

My first apartment in 1990 was on Ocean Blvd. Long Beach, CA. I could see the Queen Mary and The dome that house the Spruce Goose from my 3rd floor windows. I was there when Disney bailed and the Spruce Goose was moved. I remember the impact of the community of Long Beach after. The redevelopment of that area with the current aquarium. I’m know in my 50’s and live in SW Washington. It has been on my list for the 20 years I have lived here to find out what became of the Spruce Goose. This film has definitely put the Evergreen Museum on my winter plans. Thank you for such a well researched film. Like everyone else, I did not realize how much that plane meant to my circumstances until I watched this.

[tombazemore]

I was a crew member on John Wayne’s yacht, the Wild Goose, in 1980. My last charter on board was when the Spruce Goose was towed out of the hanger after all those years. We had many local celebrities and dignitaries on board for the occasion. I was at the controls of one of the boat’s runabouts or shore boats with some guests to get a closer view of the plane as an aircraft took a picture that was made into a postcard. So I’m there with the Wild Goose, the Spruce Goose, and my boat. Kinda cool! Once it was open for viewing next to the Queen Mary, I got a chance to see the inside of the enormous plane.

Great documentary of the various owners and of the massive undertaking to move the Spruce Goose to Oregon, where I now reside. I haven’t been to the museum yet, but I’m sure I will to complete my brief history with the aircraft.

[larryfreeman]

My wife and I were staying in a beautiful campground along the Oregon coast. In a spur of the moment conversation, a fellow camper mentioned that they had just got back from visiting the Spruce Goose. Although seeing this magnificent airplane was on my bucket list, I somehow forgot that it was in Oregon, and in fact, only a hundred miles from where we were staying. The next day, I fulfilled my bucket list item and spent a wonderful afternoon with this amazing piece of aviation history. All this from a chance conversation with a complete stranger. if you haven't gone, you have to give it your best effort to do so,

[mdlclassguymdlclassguy]

I was fortune to get a chance to visit the museum, I was delivering a load of groceries locally and my boss suggested I take the time to visit the spruce goose, I planned on spending 20-30 minutes there, 3 hrs later I finally left, it's a amazing plane and the access granted is spectacular, I encourage anyone to go, you will be very impressed, PS yes I had a very cool boss he even paid me for the time I spent admiring the plane and museum 👍

[michaelrunnels]

In 2006 the Oregon Air Guard had a "Dining Out" at the museum. They had a Glen Miller style swing band that played until midnight while hundreds of members of the Oregon Air Guard and their spouses ate and danced under the tail of the Spruce Goose. Many of the members there toasted Michael Smith, their friend and comrade in arms.

[carl]

Thank you so much for this opportunity to see the Blue Goose and the story behind it 😊🛫👏

[bethfurry]

All I know about the museum there- My husband, having been in the Korean war and Viet Nam, visited there with me. He was a recipient of the Distinguished flying cross and had over a year of flying time in the Air Force. He was very emotional while visiting the museum. Thank you to those whose effort made the museum possible.

[clivenicholson]

I was one of the lead mechanics on the disassembly crew back in 92. Great video and a good general overview. Stand Soderberg was a great guy and had a lot of stories from 1947 to the present day. My prize possession is a picture of the Goose signed by Mr. David Grant the copilot on the flight. He was kind enough to sit down with me one day and give me the full account of the flight with Mr. Hughes. FYI...the Evergreen guys took the props and engines off and we did the rest.

[l.l.]

We live just down the hwy. from the Evergreen Museum. This really helped fill in the blanks for me since I was not able to follow the details if the plane's journey from California. I was busy with our 2 young children and we did not have TV at this time. But I will always remember the day that the Spruce Goose crossed Hwy. 18 to its new home. Our children were part of the "Gosling Crew" that followed it across on foot. They were too young to understand, but I was so happy that they had the chance to participate in this little piece of history. We still have the little, yellow shirts they wore.

[erasmodemeo]

I worked at Evergreen International as a contract maintenance mechanic from 1997 until 2012 at JFK airport alongside with their maintenance team. I’ve never worked with a more dedicated and experienced team and this story is an excellent reminder of that. We were mostly all ex Pan Am employees who grew up with the Queen of the sky 747-100/200 and 400’s . Hopefully one day I can venture out to McMinnville and see that beauty in person . Thanks for that glimpse of a giant😉

[drakbar]

Glad they repainted it silver. Too many visitors in Long Beach called the plane a White elephant. Hughes dreamed big, and the H4 showed the world just how big! Kudos on a excellent tribute to an incredible aircraft. 👏👏

[dokiepkosa]

I visites the museum as a 9 year old kiddo in the early 2000s. The Aviator had recently come out and these two factors sparked a long standing interest for that big ol’ boat! This video was so cool, I even sent it to my mom. Thank you!

[richardmundt]

What an absolutely heartwarming story of a fathers love for his son.

[thebaddestogre-]

When I was 7 years old, my dad brought me down to Mcminnville to watch them drive the hull over to the museum grounds. Absolutely unforgettable memory! I've been in the museum 5 times and just brought my 6 year old son to see it.😁😁😁.

[TR-zxlc]

Man, you've got to be the true hidden gem of YouTube. 13k subscribers only? I'd put your content up against any of the big ones like Wendover, RealLifeLore, etc. Keep it up. Being born and raised in the Portland area, Wilsonville more specifically, your content is fascinating. I'm frankly surprised local media hasn't picked you up.

[gregotterson]

Evergreen and the museum were my business clients, and In 2005 I had the pleasure of a private tour of the Spruce Goose by the team that oversaw disassembly, shipping from Long Beach, and reassembly. We were allowed to sit in the pilots’ seats, and I have some great photos of sitting in the same place as Howard Hughes as well as photos of the interior. We also toured inside the wings down narrow catwalks where engineers monitored each of the 8 engines. They allowed me to open the top hatch at the rear of the cockpit area, climb up the ladder and look down the fuselage and across the wings for an incredible vantage point and a real sense of the size of that airplane. Great video, Peter. It brings back some wonderful memories.

[ferraridan]

Incredible video. My wife and I saw the Spruce Goose when we were in California on our honeymoon in September of 1991. Still married and our 30th anniversary coming up in a few weeks. Glad the Spruce Goose was preserved for all to see. Best wishes from Tennessee,

[rja]

I live in Aurora which is about 40 miles from the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. I highly, highly recommend a visit to this fabulous attraction. Everything is well presented and the aircraft they have on display are immaculate!