As far as airplanes come, there is nothing quite like the Hughes Flying Boat. Built to carry 700 troops across the Atlantic ocean to avoid German U-boats during World War II, the plane, which is made from wood and has a 320-foot wingspan — only completed one flight, in 1947.
Now, the “Spruce Goose,” as it was labeled by the media and others who considered the venture a failure, is the subject of a documentary co-produced by University journalism Professor Dan Miller and narrated by famed journalist Walter Cronkite. Cronkite was at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville on Wednesday and Thursday to record the narration.
“The flying boat was one of the largest accomplishments in aviation history,” Miller explained.
Under Miller’s guidance, several University students produced two films about the Flying Boat in 2002. One was an 18-minute documentary and the other a time-lapse film that showed how the giant flying arc was disassembled in its former California home, transported along the West coast to Portland and then ferried down several rivers to McMinnville and finally put back together. Both films were produced and edited by former University student Michael Bex and are distributed by the museum.
Museum assistant curator and film co-producer Katherine Huit said the addition of Cronkite will give more authority to the film’s message about the aircraft.
“Many feel it was a failure — we plan to show otherwise,” Huit said.
Huit said Cronkite has become an authority on virtually every subject in his 60 years in journalism and has a particular interest in aviation because he covered the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942 and B-17 raids over Germany from the air.
“Mr. Cronkite is one of the most trusted people in America,” Huit said. “He was there.”
Miller said three University students and one former student are assisting him in various aspects of production of the film. Alysia McLain, a graduate student of interdisciplinary studies in folklore, said the production will provide her necessary field experience and a chance to meet a legend.
“Walter Cronkite is an icon in the news world — it’s going to be an honor to meet him,” she said.
Michael Bendixen, a University senior majoring in English and environmental studies, who is an assistant at the film shoot, also said he is excited to meet Cronkite, but is looking forward to making a piece of Oregon history with the documentary.
“(The film) will put Oregon on the map,” Bendixen said.
The currently untitled film will include interviews with the original crew and officials at The Boeing Co., who are working on their own gigantic flying machine. The airplane manufacturing company is currently working on a new prototype airplane, made out of composite materials, that would have a longer wingspan than the Flying Boat.
“It’s a real-world high-intensity production,” Miller said.
In its lone journey, the Flying Boat flew 70 feet above the water at 80 miles per hour. Miller and Huit said it led to many innovations in aviation, and that the stories of those who took part in the building and flying of the plane need to be preserved.
“The plane has been through a lot since its inception,” Huit said.