Birch Goose .... aka Spruce Goose

[Paul Taylor]

I got to see the Spruce Goose this week. Man what a plane!
I did not have a lot of time and just had my phone to take pictures. What a neat place.
If you ever get out to the NW it is a must stop. I thought I remember someone posting that there was a control line plane model sitting under a full scale plane in the museum?

I wish I had more time this trip to meet up with the guys out at Delta Park.

[mike hartung]

Neat picture. Thanks for the post.

[Bob Reeves]

Haven't seen it in it's new home but was in Long Beach when they moved it out of it's hanger in 1980-something. That is one big bird.

[jim ivey]

Hi guys: For many years this airplane sat in a field next to a Richfield oil storage and refining facility. it was  at the intersection of Avalon and sepulveda blvds. No one that i knew of ever tried to scale the fence to go play on it. I dint remember any guards just a sign that said "trespassers will be violated"  oops that's not right  "trespassers will be prosecuted". After it was originally put there. The DWP put high voltage lines and towers through there between richfield and Avalon blvd. so it couldn't be moved till they tool the lines down. I dint remember ever seeing anyone around, as kids about12, we just stood next to the fence and  marveled at it. Its really really huge! When there was speculation it might be flown again, I said "no way after sitting in that field all those years."  I was amazed they were able to move it without it falling apart, let alone fly it! It's a marvelous piece of work, speaks volumes for the craftsmen of those days.           Jim

[Paul Taylor]

Just a few things I remember the guy in the museum told me. It Howard H. Kept it flight ready until his death. It was bought by M. Smith of Evergreen industries for 1 dollar. Mr. Smith found some of the guys that built the plane and asked if they would be interested in working on the restoreing it. The jumped at the offer.
Took seven years to take it apart and sand it down. Not much metal in the structure. A few metal straps and the motor mounts.

[Greg McCoy]

This posting motivated me to upload an album of my trip to McMinnville last month. I would like to share a few shots of the museum.

http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l158/sprintrider22/Evergreen%20Museum%20Spruce%20Goose/