On November 2, 1947, the largest aircraft ever built–the “Spruce Goose”—flew on its first and only flight. The plane was commissioned by the U.S. government for the war effort, but it was not completed until 1946. Designed by Howard Hughes and made of spruce and birch wood, the aircraft had a wingspan longer than a football field and was intended to carry more than 700 men to battle.
