My "Spruce Goose" phobia is purely a personal thing, didn't mean it as a put-down. I'm almost alone in feeling the same way about "Connie" for Constellation. Ever since flying the thing, I haven't been able to call it anything by a Constellation.
That's interesting that your friends weren't aware the Hercules got off the water. I think the two photos of it that most people have seen are Hughes in the left seat, turning toward the camera and wearing a fedora. and the three-quarters front view of it "flying."