Spruce Goose progress

Air Classics, Jun 2001

The Hughes HK.1 Hercules had its eight Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines reattached on 23 February at the aircraft's new home - the Evergreen Aviation Museum and The Captain Michael King Smith Evergreen Aviation Educational Institute near McMinnville, Oregon. It took six crew members working on lifts and four men on the ground to carefully hoist the engines into place and then attach them to the wings.

Mike Wright, vintage aircraft maintenance and restoration manager for the Evergreen Aviation Museum, said the aircraft was about two-thirds restored after the engines were attached. Wright said the restoration crew depends upon donated equipment much of the time for the expensive mechanical work. For the engine attachment project, Liberty Steel Erectors of Gresham, Oregon, supplied an estimated 20 hours for its erector and Sunbelt Rental of Salem contributed man lift at reduced rental rates. In addition to the donated equipment, Wright said more than 30 volunteers have donated 20,000 hours to the overall five-year restoration process. The museum will be opening during the summer of 2001.