It also required the installation of two turntables to turn airplane fuselages 90 degrees near the end of the assembly line. Although Willow Run is synonymous with the Liberator bomber, B-24s were not the only planes manufactured at Willow Run. In addition to complete airplanes, Willow Run produced "knock-down kits" that were shipped to Douglas Aircraft's plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Consolidated Aircraft's plant in Fort Worth, Texas, for final assembly. By mid-1944, the Willow Run assembly plant Workers at the Willow Run Bomber Plant take lunch on the fuselage, February 8, 1943. The B-24H differed from earlier B-24s by having a second turret placed in the nose of the aircraft to increase defensive firepower. Also constructed at this time was the Parkridge Community Center. Production steadily increased, reaching the magical plane-per-hour pinnacle in mid-1944 while accounting for half of all B-24s assembled that year. Remote assembly proved problematic, however, and by October 1941 Ford received permission to produce complete Liberators. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Feeding the thousands of workers at Willow Run was no small task. DETROIT -- The public will get the chance to visit the former Willow Run bomber plant in Ypsilanti Township, Mich., one last time Saturday before the factory is demolished. Working with a scale model, they shifted equipment and work stations for maximum efficiency. For those unable to endure a long commute, the federal government constructed housing on nearby farmland purchased from Henry Ford. The errant flush caused Lewis grief as he tried to find the source of the sound. The Ford Motor Company's Willow Run Bomber Plant began production in 1942 and continued until June 28, 1945. Willow Run Airport has remained active as a cargo and general aviation airfield. Willow Run Bomber Plant IPMS - USA. The water is treated in a modern treatment plant completed in 1939. [3][41], The B-24H was the first variant produced by Ford at Willow Run in large numbers that went into combat. As American involvement in the war seemed more likely, the U.S. government approached Ford Motor Company about making parts and subassemblies for B-24 bombers. Only 56 airplanes were built in all of 1942. Ultimately, more than seven million square feet of floor space were completed for B-24 production at Willow Run. Employee training was a constant process at Willow Run. As the problems continued into 1943, critics took to calling the plant "Will it Run.". Although officially retired, Henry Ford still had a say in the company's affairs and refused government financing for Willow Run, preferring to have his company build the factory and sell it to the government, which would lease it back to the company for the duration of the war. The Yankee Air Museum resides on the airport grounds, occupying as of April 2013 a 47,000-square-foot (4,400m2) hangar and other properties. Henry Ford's bomber plant being torn down - USA Today Specialized employees -- riveters, for example -- received training in these classrooms as well. By the end of the war, Ford had pushed 8,865 B-24 heavy bombers out the Willow Run doors for the Army . Although the jumping of an automotive company into aircraft production posed these quality problems, it also brought remarkable production rates. 80, Squadron/Signal Publications Inc. Johnson, Fredrick A (1996) Consolidated B-24 Liberator - Warbird Tech Vol. Early example of Lean. generations. She was part of that migration, part of the 40,000 employees at the Ford-run Willow Run B-24 bomber plant and part of the great Arsenal of Democracy that Detroit and the Southeastern Michigan region became, cranking out airplanes, tanks, trucks, and weapons. Production. Willow Run bomber plant. Inspection of more than a thousand Even with people driving 100 miles or renting every spare room between Ann Arbor and Grosse Pointe, the sheer size of Willow Run led inevitably to a housing shortage. In early 1941 the Federal government established the Liberator Production Pool Program to meet the projected demand for the B-24, and the Ford company, joined the program shortly thereafter. The average daily pumpage in million gallons was about 1.68 in 1942, 1.70 in 1943, and 1.66 in 1944. There was no sequence or orderly flow of materials, no sense of forward motion, no reliance on machined parts, he said. Easements were acquired from landowners across the county line in Ypsilanti Township where the Liberator plant (and eventually the airport terminal) would be built. Every available room within miles was rented, including those with eight-hour shifts called hot beds. After Ford declined to purchase the plant, it was sold to the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation, a partnership of construction and shipbuilding magnate Henry J. Kaiser and Graham-Paige executive Joseph W. Frazer. It was the company that perfected the moving assembly line in the 1910s and, as a privately owned firm, it could move faster than publicly traded corporations. A rough-hewn, hard-charging martinet, Cast Iron Charlie played a principal role in conceiving and designing the worlds first moving assembly line at Fords Highland Park plant bordering Detroit. Despite how smoothly the plant ran, putting out a bomber an hour still wasn't an easy feat. >> the willow run plant is in the process right now of being demolished. Blacks and other minorities were welcomed and so were immigrants. Before the first employee was hired, the factory stood as a national symbol of Americas fearsome production prowess. [3][4], Also, Henry Ford was cantankerous and rigid in his ways. Charles Sorensen, seen here earlier in his career, traveled to Consolidated's San Diego plant with Ford president Edsel Ford. Sorensen reviewed his concept at breakfast with Edsel, who responded enthusiastically to its vision and boldness and initialed it on the spot, as did Henry II and Benson, his two sons accompanying him on the trip. This was done at Willow Run by 1st Concentration Command (1st CC). It was an attempt to reverse the trend toward ever-increasing weight of the Liberator as more and more armament, equipment, and armor had been added, with no corresponding increase in engine power. The company resumed automobile production within a week. The story of Willow run and the production miracle that produced as many as 25 B-24 bombers every day. . [21], In addition to the Willow Run Lodge and Village housing projects, another community named Parkridge Homes was also built in 1943 to house African-American Willow Run employees. With so many young men drafted into the armed forces, Willow Run's workforce was unusually diverse for its time: African Americans, whites, older people, younger men unable to serve in the military, and -- most notably -- women. [34] The B-24 holds the distinction of being the most produced heavy bomber in history. How Detroit Factories Retooled During WWII to Defeat Hitler - History >> the willow run plant is in the process now of being demolished. restore a piece of the building, about 175,000 square feet. Willow Run ran two nine hour shifts. A parcel of land to the south of Powertrain was set aside for assembly operations that began in 1959, with a Fisher Body plant that built bodies for the Chevrolet models assembled there, including the Corvair and Nova. [21], Also in the Willow Run Village were the West Court[24] buildings, with peaked rooftops and space for couples or three adults. Designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California, the B-24 Liberator served in every branch of the armed forces during World War II. In 1972, the University spun off WRL into the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, which eventually left Willow Run for offices in Ann Arbor. The plant initially built components. Ford built 6,972 of the 18,482 total B-24s and produced kits for 1,893 more to be assembled by the other manufacturers. During this reduction, there was rumor that Ford would repurchase the plant from the government . Well build the whole plane or nothing, Sorensen barked, accompanied by the audacious claim that Ford would assemble new B-24s every hour. In November 2016, RACER Trust sold Willow Run to an entity created by the State of Michigan, which leases the property to the American Center for Mobility (AMC).[9]. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. For government officials, Ford offered significant advantages. Cafeterias provided meals to administrative workers in the plant's offices. He succumbed to cancer, but the enormous stress of the B-24 project undoubtedly affected his health as well. The campaign to save a portion of Willow Run for the Yankee Air Museum was called SaveTheBomberPlant.org, and is centered on a fundraising website by the same name. [1][35], After their manufacture, the next step in the process was the delivery of the aircraft to the operational squadrons. Kaiser-Frazer produced some 739,000 cars at Willow Run between 1947 and 1953, when the company acquired Willys-Overland and moved all operations to the Willys factory in Toledo, Ohio. That April, employees in two nine-hour shifts, working six days a week, produced 453 airplanes in 468 hours -- a production rate equal to one finished B-24 Liberator every 63 minutes. Established aircraft manufacturers, used to a much slower rate, considered the claim preposterous. Search our website to find what youre looking for. It also provided a final inspection of the aircraft and made any appropriate final changes; i.e., install long-range fuel tanks, remove unnecessary equipment, and give it a final flight safety test. Rivet gun operator Rosemary Will from Pulaski County, KY, appeared in a Ford promotional film, personifying thousands of women in the nations defense industry, collectively known as Rosie the Riveter. Willow Run, also known as Air Force Plant 31, was a manufacturing complex in Michigan, United States, located between Ypsilanti Township and Belleville, built by the Ford Motor Company to manufacture aircraft, especially the B-24 Liberator heavy bomber. By 1945, Ford produced 70% of the B-24s in two 9-hour shifts. Contact Us Foxconn Technology Group ", 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Sales Brochure, "The Prestige Car in Its Class". [1] Construction of the Willow Run Bomber Plant began in 1940[2] and was completed in 1942. 1, Specialty Press. In the meantime, visitors to the Yankee Air Museum at the airport can see how the blacksmith made a watch and helped win a war. At its peak monthly production (August 1944), Willow Run produced 428 B-24s with highest production listed as 100 completed Bombers flying away from Willow Run between April 24 and April 26, 1944. plant, each paid the same 85 cents an hour as their Up to 8,000 students per week completed training and reported for work. A ghostly, decaying reminder of the industrial and military history echoing within its cavernous expanse, Willow Run was demolished in 2014. Starting with 2,600 acres of Henry Ford's bare farmland, ground was broken on the 3.5 million sq.-ft. facility in April of 1941, and the first B-24 Liberator four-engine bomber flew off the giant Willow Run airfield in September of 1942. Still, aviation industry leaders scoffed when the War Department chose Ford Motor Co. to mass-produce Liberators. Sociologist and professor Lowell Juilliard Carr and James Edson Stermer of the University of Michigan studied the sociological conditions at Willow Run arising from the wartime surge in the worker population in their book of 1952. The team developed the B-24's build sequence from these divisions. Since 1992, it has been home to the Yankee Air Museum. Not given to understatement, he proclaimed that the one-level superstructure would be the most enormous room in the history of man.. General Motors took over and produced transmissions until 2010, when the company declared bankruptcy and moved out. The Willow Run bomber plant, the world's largest factory and one of America's most-publicized plants, is on the outskirts of Ypsilanti, . Twelve thousand women stepped in to fill the void, each paid the same 85 cents an hour as their male counterparts for nine-hour morning or afternoon shifts. Company Description: Pegatron offers a wide range of electronics products in computing, communications and consumer electronics segment, including notebook PCs, desktop PCs, motherboards, cable modems, smartphones, set-top boxes, and automotive electronics, among others. The Willow Run Expressway also connected with the Detroit Industrial Expressway, built at the same time. Numbers climbed steadily throughout the year. [47], Building owner RACER Trust extended the original fundraising deadline (August 1, 2013) a total of three times since the Yankee Air Museum launched its SaveTheBomberPlant.org campaign. Davis, Larry, (1987), B-24 Liberator in Action - Aircraft No. The plant was the embodiment of America's "Arsenal of Democracy" -- the enormous manufacturing capacity so vital to the Allies' victory. Employees at Willow Run celebrated the completion of their 6,000th airplane in September 1944. The company also develops, designs, and manufactures peripherals and components for its products. Perhaps the most impressive breakthrough at Willow Run was Ford's technique for assembling the B-24's center wing section. Video: Inside the Ford Willow Run Bomber Plant - Mac's Motor City Garage According to legend, this arrangement allowed the company to pay taxes on the entire plant (and its equipment) to Washtenaw County, and avoid the higher taxes of Wayne County where the airfield is located; overhead views suggest that avoiding encroachment on the airfield's taxiways was also a motivation.[18]. Five main contractors hurried the project along, and parts of the plant began production in September 1941. UAW Local 898, 8975 Textile Rd, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. wrbpipms@gmail.com. How Ford's Willow Run Assembly Plant Helped Win World War II With so many young men drafted into the armed forces, Willow Run's workforce was unusually diverse for its time: African Americans, whites, older people, younger men unable to serve in the military, and -- most notably -- women. [40], The B-24E was the first variant of the B-24 that underwent primary manufacture by Ford at Willow Run. The Fisher Body division also operated at Willow Run Assembly until its operations were assumed by the GM Assembly Division in the 1970s. Work Experience of Willow Run Workers 1075 - Jstor Employees Assembling Bomber at Willow Run Plant, March 1943, Employees Assembling Bomber at Willow Run Plant, March 1943 / back. Sorensen blamed delays on doing business with the government, treading through a maze of conflicting priorities and regulations, rancorous labor relations and wildcat strikes, housing shortages and erratic delivery of essential materials. The government's constant design changes to the B-24 were particularly troubling. It seems like a production miracle that the people working at Willow Run bomber plant were able to produce the B-24 Liberator at such tremendous speed. Ford created a permanent jig into which wings could be moved in and out by overhead crane. Because of the urgent need for shelter, the Federal Public Housing Administration took action and built temporary housing. Ford struggled to get Willow Run running at full potential. But when we send the 24's out, most of them don't. They were producing a custom-made plane put together as a tailor would cut and fit a suit of clothes. Each completed B-24 contained more than 300,000 rivets in more than 500 sizes. Ford recruited workers throughout the Midwest and South. [36][37], While the planes were being serviced and made ready for overseas movement, personnel for these planes were also being processed. The standard workweek for all hourly employees was 54 hours, with time-and-a-half pay for each hour over 40. He went on to oversee operations at the companys River Rouge complex where 100,000 workers could produce 10,000 cars a day, from raw materials to finished products. The first of these apartments were ready for occupancy in August 1943. The center includes a proving ground where smart cars react instantly to all manner of potentially dangerous and problematic situations. Apart from a new tail turret, the B-24M differed little from the B-24L. You must have JavaScript enabled to enjoy a limited number of articles over the next 30 days. General Motors produced the Chevrolet Corvair at the Willow Run plant Ford Motor Company built everything from jeeps to generators during World War II, but nothing else was on the scale of Willow Run. Ypsilanti's oldest claim to fame: a bomber plant unlike any other The twin-finned, high-winged B-24 with its dual bomb bays and tricycle landing gear debuted in 1939 as a repurposed land model of Consolidateds bulky flying boats. [13], The Willow Run chapel of Martha and Mary now stands a few miles from where it was originally constructed, on property that used to be owned by Henry Ford's Quirk Farms. In response, the federal government built Willow Run Lodge, an on-site dormitory complex that could accommodate 3,000 single women and men; and Willow Run Village, with 2,500 family housing units. Along with the B-17, the B-24 formed the backbone of the Allies' air war over Europe. [3][4] Willow Run's Liberator assembly line ran until May 1945, building almost half of all the Liberators produced. 1250 B-24L aircraft were built at Willow Run. All true, but he didnt mention the hard steel dies he authorized, the same types used to slam auto parts into shape, damaged and defaced the softer aluminum, a metal comprising 85 percent of B-24 content. [55] By mid-2014, the majority of the facility had been demolished and cleared. It still has the original pews and other furnishings; the only other set in active use belongs to the Greenfield Village chapel.[13]. Fifty variants of the aircraft were dispatched to allies throughout the world from these sites. The B-24 Bomber, officially known as the B-24 Liberator, was designed by Consolidated Aircraft Co., San Diego, California. The Willow Run bomber plant made aviation, industrial and social historyalong with new B-24s by the hour. Deemed unfit for combat, they were assigned to training bases, reconnaissance patrols and transport duties. [3], B-24Es built and fully assembled at Ford were designated B-24E-FO; those assembled at Tulsa and Fort Worth out of parts supplied by Ford were designated B-24E-DT and B-24E-CF respectively. The B-17 had a six-year history of design, development, testing and limited production. The first Ford-built Liberator rolled off the Willow Run line in September 1942; the first series of Willow Run Liberators was the B-24E. The valves that would shut the water off to different parts of the plant have been hidden in the building's entrails. After the war, these residences served students attending the nearby University of Michigan on the G.I. To care for the plant's workforce, Willow Run maintained an on-site hospital with eight doctors, 40 nurses, and a dentist. By the mid-1920s, a local family operating as Quirk Farms had bought the land in Van Buren Township that became the airport. Part of the airport complex operated at various times as a research facility affiliated with the University of Michigan, and as a secondary United States Air Force Installation. President Roosevelt stunned millions of listeners when he announced during a May 26, 1940, fireside chat that government must harness the efficient machinery of Americas manufacturers to produce 50,000 combat aircraft over the next 12 months to confront the approaching storm of global war. A never-ending stream of water gurgles through the pipes to parts unknown like an underground stream. It was an historic but ephemeral achievement. [11] The Willow Run plant featured a large turntable two-thirds of the way along the assembly line, allowing the B-24 production line to make a 90 turn before continuing to final assembly. [3], Upon the introduction of the B-24J, all three of the Liberator manufacturing plants converted to the production of this version. The iconic Rosie the Riveter may seem to be simply a fiction from the past but she has a name - and an important history. After nearly 60 years at the site, GM ended its Willow Run operations in 2010. Managing the utilities and slowly shutting them off has been Lewis' biggest challenge, as the building is hard-pressed to give up its secrets. With the pressures of wartime production schedules -- and the sense that victory itself depended on their efforts -- Willow Run's employees needed occasional relief from their burdens. It sat 35 miles west of Detroit, at a site without existing highway or streetcar connections. The residents of the Willow Run Camp planted, tended, and harvested field crops and collected maple syrup, selling their products at the farm market on the property. The Willow Run Plant had many initial startup problems, due primarily to the fact that Ford employees were used to automobile mass production and found it difficult to adapt these techniques to aircraft . These highways evolved into present-day Interstate 94. approximately 4 out of every 10 employees were women. Mr. Ford's steadfast leadership helped the company to make good on its promise. Sorensen stayed up all night formulating a B-24 assembly process on the backs of Coronado Hotel placemats. In addition, Henry Ford refused on principle to hire women. Automobiles of the era had 15,000 parts and weighed around 3,000 pounds. Despite intensive design efforts led by Ford production executive Charles E. Sorensen,[30] the opening of the plant still saw some mismanagement and bungling, and quality was uneven for some time.