It was born of a critical national need to fly over the enemy submarines ravaging shipping lanes during World War II. First designated the HK-1 for the Howard Hughes and Henry Kaiser venture that responded to the government requirement, it was later called the H-4 Hercules. The Hughes Flying Boat was to be the biggest airplane ever built and probably the most prodigious aviation project of all time. Only the courage and solitary dedication of Howard Hughes and his small development group caused this project to advance what a disgruntled U.S. Senator dubbed the "flying lumberyard." Now commonly tagged the Spruce Goose, this aircraft has endured to become a popular cultural artifact, telling a remarkable story of sacrifice, determination, and technological development. The HK-1, still the biggest aircraft ever built, was decades ahead of its time in the early 1940s. It revolutionized jumbo flying bodies and large lift capability, shaping modern flight.