Book of willow run ww11 ford plane factory

Although willow run had been finished for a year at the time of edsels death, it still wasnt turning out many b24s, which had washington worried. The books are willow run, colossus of american industry, alaska, and the mighty eighth air force, world war ii. Fordwillow run produced its first b24j in april of 1944, with douglastulsa and north americandallas following in may. The willow run manufacturing plant, located between ypsilanti and belleville, michigan, was constructed during world war ii by the ford motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator in december 1940, the federal government asked the ford motor company to build 1,200 b24 bombers. When willow run was completed and operational in september 1942, it was the largest factory in the world 11 at 3. At peak production, willow employed 42,000 workers save the willow run plant. The airport and its crew could accommodate up to 20 takeoffs an hour. May 11, 2016 the willow run manufacturing complex, located between ypsilanti and belleville, michigan, was constructed in the early years of world war ii by ford motor company for the mass production of war. Women riveters at willow run bomber plant, michigan, 1944. The bugs were eventually worked out of the manufacturing processes, and by 1944, ford was rolling a liberator off the willow run production line every 63 minutes, 24 hours a day,7 days a week. Oct 12, 2015 henry ford, the founder of willow run from on december 29, 1940, roughly one year before the attack on pearl harbor, franklin d. It is the place where meggie and her family move to help america win the war ww ii. Women at ford plants built jeeps, b24 aircraft, and tractors.

Ford produced half of the 18,000 total b24s at willow run, and the b24 holds the distinction of being the most produced heavy bomber in history. Ground was broken at the tulsa airport for what was designated as air force plant no. Roughly half of those bombers came from fords willow run factory. The war department asked ford to put its production knowhow and formidable abilities to the task of producing planes at an unprecedented rate, essentially to build them faster than they were being destroyed.

By november 1941, all the airplane factories had been builtwith willow runs final. Ford was building the b24s at willow run, but consolidated was still in charge and it had no blueprints for ford to work fromjust sketches, drawings and tem plates. The story about the destruction of willow run caught my eye because of the reference to it in the book titled freedoms forge by authur herman. By 1945, ford produced 70% of the b24s in two 9hour shifts. For detailed info on the kansas city plant, find a copy of the book fairfax ghosts. A website visitor sent me a link to this video on the fly by night videos website of fords willow run airplane plant for the b24 liberator. It was constructed in 1941 by the ford motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator military aircraft. This paragraph quoted directly from joe baughers b24 page. Willow run was the largest factory under one roof in the world. Fords plane was built in 1942, according to federal aviation administration records the year he was born. B24 bombers production line at the ford willow run bomber plant.

Willow run is what albert kahn described as the most enormous room in the history of man. Originally 975 acres of farmland owned by henry ford, the site was. B24 liberator units of the united states army air forces. Willow run plant layout circa 1944 full size version. Here was a custommade plane, put together as a tailor would cut and fit a suit.

The book quickly became a bestseller now with 500,000 copies in print and frankly startled us with its success. Women did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. At its peak in 1944, the factory produced one plane every 63 minutes. Constructing the plant, finding and training the required people, and acquiring the tooling and equipment to build the aircraft consumed a considerable amount of ford s resources and time during the. A small part of the worlds largest onestory war production plant, the giant bomber factory at willow run, michigan. And at its vast willow run plant in ypsilanti, michigan, the ford motor company performed something like a miracle 24hours a day. Before willow run, it was deemed impossible to build an aircraft on an assembly line. Building the b24 bomber during wwii story of willow run. The arsenal of democracy and millions of other books are available for instant. Perhaps only the rollsroyce merlin engine can claim both distinctions.

By the spring of 1944, willow run was producing a fourengine b24 bomber each hour on an assembly line. Women made up approximately onethird of the workers at ford motor companys willow run plant during world war ii. B24 liberator production at fords willow run airplane plant. With over 120 aircraft of wwii, from the bf109, fw190, p51, dc3 or c47 as it was known during the war years, spitfire, mosquito, bf110, he111, ju88 and a lot more. And they operated drill presses, welding tools, heavy casting machinery and riveting guns. Apr 25, 2014 the story about the destruction of willow run caught my eye because of the reference to it in the book titled freedoms forge by authur herman. The willow run manufacturing complex, located between ypsilanti and belleville, michigan, was constructed in the early years of world war ii by ford motor company for the mass production of war. The architect was albert kahn, who worked along side ford designer charles sorensen. Sorensen, fords director of production during wwii conceived the idea of. Henry ford and the world wars military history of the upper.

A good example of the problem was willow run, located twenty miles from detroit at ypsilanti, mich. Apr 30, 2014 the willow run manufacturing plant, located between ypsilanti and belleville, michigan, was constructed during world war ii by the ford motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator. At the height of production, the willow run factory produced a b24 bomber every hour. Jun 25, 2015 the bugs were eventually worked out of the manufacturing processes, and by 1944, ford was rolling a liberator off the willow run production line every 63 minutes, 24 hours a day,7 days a week. Mar 19, 2020 construction on the willow run bomber plant began that spring and it soon became the largest factory under one roof in the world. B24 liberator willow run assembly plant in michigan run by. It covers every aspect of the aircrafts production and shows how mass production of the ford. Willow run assembly plant demolition proceeding hemmings daily.

By the end of the war, he had built the biggest, most efficient bomber plant the world had ever seen. At its peak, willow run produced 650 b24s per month. Watch fords willow run plant churn out a b24 every 55 minutes. Ford plant willow run ypsilanti michigan, detroit michigan, american war, american history.

Construction of the willow run bomber plant began in 1940 and was completed in 1942. It was certified as airworthy through october of this year. Some brandnew lateproduction b24ms from convairsan diego and fordwillow run were flown directly from the factory to various reclamation sites such as the scrapyard at rfc kingman, arizona in 1945, as the war in europe had ended and b29s were doing most of the longrange bombing work in. A 1,878acre tract of land near ypsilanti, mi, was selected for the facility, which henry ford dubbed willow run in honor of a creek that ran through the property. Fewer still can share credit for the rescue of an entire nation. It was constructed in 1941 by the ford motor company for the mass production of. The bomber builders and others who made a difference. This book is about the willow run manufacturing plant for the b24 liberators in the pastoral countryside east of ypsilanti, michigan, near the village of denton just outside of detroit ben kidder was the last person to live on the willow run property before ford motor company built the famous b24 bomber plant. Willow run factory the b24 that my dad was shot down in was one of 8,685 liberators manufactured at ford s willow run plant in michigan. The subtitle is also misleading, in that it seems to imply the book will be about fdr, which it is between the arsenal of democracy and go like hell, a.

Follow us twitter facebook rss during world war ii, the army corps of engineers needed. Jul 25, 2012 with over 120 aircraft of wwii, from the bf109, fw190, p51, dc3 or c47 as it was known during the war years, spitfire, mosquito, bf110, he111, ju88 and a lot more. This book tells of the pitiful state of military preperations that the us found itself in at the start of ww11 and what us buisiness and leadership did to produce the materials to wage a world war. During that time, the ford motor company produced almost half of the b24s built8,685 out of 19,256.

Willow run, also known as air force plant 31, was a manufacturing complex in michigan, located between ypsilanti township and belleville, constructed by the ford motor company for the mass production of aircraft, especially the b24 liberator heavy bomber. Construction on the willow run bomber plant began that spring and it soon became the largest factory under one roof in the world. Ford got postwar production underway on july 3, 1945, the first automaker to do so. Ben has also written a movie script about the mighty eighty air force which is in production as of 422012. The first ford built liberator rolled off the willow run line in september 1942. Wwii airplane factory camouflaged as residential neighborhood. Nov 20, 20 henry ford receiving the grand cross of the german eagle from nazi officials, 1938. Construction on the bomber plant began in march, 1941. Mar 09, 20 b24 liberators line the airfield at willow run airport in this june 1945 photo. The influx of workers for the massive wartime production project gave rise to an entire community called willow run. B24 liberator history, specs, and photos of ww2 bomber. The materials were nothing ford could use in his efficient assembly line, so he had 200 engineers work in shifts around the clock, seven days a week. Ford s chief engineer, charles sorensen, quickly devised a thenuntried scheme of massproducing. But no project captured the publics imagination like willow run, where ford motor company built one b24 liberator airplane every 63 minutes.

Willow run factory the b24 that my dad was shot down in was one of 8,685 liberators manufactured at fords willow run plant in michigan. Its goal was to apply automaking massproduction principles to. Willow run airplane plant archives this day in aviation. Willow run, also known as air force plant 31, was a manufacturing complex in michigan, located between ypsilanti township and belleville, constructed by the ford motor company for the mass production of aircraft. How detroit factories retooled during wwii to defeat hitler. In august, young henry ford ii was released from his duties as a naval ensign to help his grandfather, who was.

Most of the bombers left willow run under their own power, requiring an onsite airport. The willow run book covers the building of the willow run b24 liberator factory near detroit. Few engines throughout history have achieved a near mythical status among its admirers. Willow run is also the name of this book, which is part 2 to the story lilys crossing. How detroit factories retooled during wwii to defeat.

The plant turned out nearly 9,000 planes during the war. The workers turned out one plane every 55 minutes at the height of production, including 1,225,000 parts. The b24 bomber, officially known as the b24 liberator, was designed by consolidated aircraft co. Europe and ford began construction of the worlds largest factory, sited at willow run, to manufacture b24 liberators.

Physical characteristics of willow run the bomber plant the willow run bomber plant, the worlds largest factory and one of americas mostpublicized plants, is on the outskirts of ypsilanti, some 30 miles west of detroit. Apr 30, 2014 the willow run manufacturing plant, located between ypsilanti and belleville, michigan, was constructed during world war ii by the ford motor company for the mass production of. The book is out of print, but should be available by interlibrary loan. Oct 12, 2015 roughly half of those bombers came from fords willow run factory. Fords bomber plant at willow run, chryslers tank center, and hudsons bomber plant were located in detroit suburbs not serviced by public transportation. Aug 01, 2001 a 1,878acre tract of land near ypsilanti, mi, was selected for the facility, which henry ford dubbed willow run in honor of a creek that ran through the property. The main assembly building was 78 of a mile long and 320 feet wide and was originally constructed to assemble b24s from parts shipped in from ford s willow run facility. How detroit massproduced britains handbuilt powerhouse by terry dunn on feb. Henry ford receiving the grand cross of the german eagle from.

World war ii bomber production numbers by aircraft type and. Willow run bomber plant air traffic control tower, 1943 the. More than a half million people moved from the south to. A total of 18,493 liberators were built, more than any other aircraft in world war ii. B24 liberators line the airfield at willow run airport in this june 1945 photo. An lshaped building was designed by albert kahn, a famous industrial architect who designed numerous assembly plants for ford and other automakers, such as buick, chrysler, dodge. The result of one nights hard work, it is the true outline of willow run, which took two years to build and came through on schedule with one fourengine liberator an hour, 18 bombers a day, and by the end of the war a total of 8,800 big planes off the assembly lines and into the air. Roosevelt gave a speech vowing to aid the allies in their fight against nazi germany and imperial japan by providing military supplies while staying out of the actual conflict. The first fordbuilt liberator rolled off the willow run line in. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. Jan 01, 2014 the title to the arsenal of democracy is a bit misleading as it seems to imply that the book is about the war production effort in general, when really it focuses narrowly on ford.

Jan 21, 2012 ford willow run produced its first b24j in april of 1944, with douglastulsa and north americandallas following in may. The first fordbuilt b24 liberator long range heavy bomber came off the assembly line at the willow run airplane plant, just 160 days after the united states entered world war ii. Henry ford receiving the grand cross of the german eagle from nazi officials, 1938. We were not surprised for long, however, and now an entire line of popular willow creek press titles evokes the myriad joys of dog and cat ownership. Pbs to air documentary about ypsilantis legendary willow run. Constructing the plant, finding and training the required people, and acquiring the tooling and equipment to build the aircraft consumed a considerable amount of fords resources and time during the.

Willow run was the physical embodiment of the ford production system which. The old factory was damaged by fire and demolished sometime in the late 1980s or early 90s. B24 liberator willow run assembly plant in michigan run. Henry ford was the first american recipient of this order, an honor created in 1937 by adolf hitler. Detroits production battle to win world war ii motortrend. By the willow run, a sleepy little creek near ypsilanti, michigan, ford motor company built the world s most famous bomber factory, which was the ultimate manifestation of the automotive industry s role in building armaments during world war ii. More than a half million people moved from the south to detroit between 1940 and 1943. At a ceremony in dearborn, michigan, henry ford is presented with the grand cross of the supreme order of the german eagle on his 75th birthday. From power plant, speed, type of plane, armament and the book even compares the plane to other planes of its class. The main assembly building was 78 of a mile long and 320 feet wide and was originally constructed to assemble b24s from parts shipped in from fords willow run facility. Jan 23, 2012 the old factory was damaged by fire and demolished sometime in the late 1980s or early 90s. History of willow run bomber plant internet archive.

Ford motor company is probably best known for its production of 6,790 b24 bombers at the us government financed and owned plant at willow run, mi. The ford motor companys willow run bomber plant began production in 1942 and continued until june 28, 1945. So read lilys crossing first before you read willow run. Factory was 5 million square feet%2c had 42%2c000 workers at its peak it churned out one b24 bomber every 55 minutes now nearby yankee. It had 60,000 workers that used private transportation to get to work. The bomber plant adjacent to the airport produced the famed world war ii bombers in a plant built by henry ford. Ford motor company built 8,685 b24 bomber airplanes at its willow run, michigan, plant during world war ii. Henry ford, the founder of willow run from on december 29, 1940, roughly one year before the attack on pearl harbor, franklin d.

The historic willow run plant produced b24 bombers at the staggering rate of. World war airplane, aviation, boeing b29 assembly line, jet, black and white, old, vintage antique, photography. Motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator military aircraft. The title to the arsenal of democracy is a bit misleading as it seems to imply that the book is about the war production effort in general, when really it focuses narrowly on ford.