Aircraft Building Has Come Out of the Woods

Timber holds a special place as the primordial material in airplane construction.

Tuesday, January 02, 2024 at 12:57 PM ET

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American aviator Howard Hughes (in hat) atop his flying boat the Spruce Goose (a Hughes H-4 Hercules), directing operations for the launch at Long Beach, California, on November 6, 1947. Here the aircraft is towed away from its dry dock on Terminal Island. [Library of Congress]

Key Takeaways:

Historically, wood was a primary aircraft construction material, offering advantages like cost-effectiveness, easy repair, and smooth aerodynamic surfaces, but its use declined as metal gained favor.
Cultural biases significantly influenced the perception and success of wooden aircraft; the U.S. largely viewed wood as antiquated and inferior to modern metal, while Britain was more accepting, leading to successes like the De Havilland Mosquito.
The contrasting attitudes towards wood reflected differing industrial cultures: American mass production favored interchangeable metal parts, whereas British artisan traditions accommodated the material's peculiarities.

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Among the volumes crumbling on my bookshelves is one entitled American Combat Planes, by the late historian Ray Wagner. Originally published in 1960, it presents trading card-sized photos of countless airplanes, together with their specifications and a running narrative of the history of American military aviation, beginning with World War I. From time to time, when leafing through it in search of something else, I have happened upon a sweet-looking little airplane incongruously wedged between the school bus-sized Republic XP-72 and General Motors XP-75.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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