Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinnville, Oregon, USA
Evergreen Aviation Museum is famous for many reasons. However, the main reason is that it houses a famous aircraft - Howard Hughes' SPRUCE GOOSE. And what an amazing aircraft it is. Huge doesn't come close. Completed in 1947 and flown only once, the Spruce Goose has finally got it's home. The aircraft dwarfs everything else in the museum and is without a doubt, the centre piece of the museum. As large as a Boeing 747 or an Airbus A380, it is hard to believe that this aircraft was designed and built some 60 years ago.
The museum has some really interesting aircraft on display. The museum was originally the vision of Michael Smith, then a young man with a dream. Michael was the son of Delford Smith who is the founder of Evergreen Aviation and started with two helicopters and built the business into a huge empire. Michael's vision was for children to come and learn about flight and aviation. The museum now boasts an educational centre for young kids. I might add that the museum give us adults a kick as well but that is beside the point... Unfortunately, Michael was killed in a motor vehicle accident before his dream was fulfilled but his legacy lives on.
Situated in a most beautiful part of the USA, the museum buildings are art pieces in themselves! I just love the way the Americans do things. They have a way of displaying old aircraft to the full.
If you ever find yourself in Oregon, do yourself a favour and pop into MvMinnville and find the museum, you will not be sorry!
