It was constructed in 1941 by the ford motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator military aircraft. On the home front, the wars impact was felt through fuel and clothing rations, as well as food rations and meat shortages. The yankee air museum is proud to present this documentary, produced by stone bridge productions, to preserve the memory of those heroic women and men workers, visionaries, and innovators who served there at the home front. With the construction of the willow run bomber plant in 194143, the community was transformed rapidly, bringing new people and culture to the area. Dennis norton, founder of the yankee air museum, and randy hotton, the museums former director, talk about the history of the willow run bomber plant, and. Some books can lift us up in a time of darkness and remind us how strong we are to have gotten where we are. It is the place where meggie and her family move to help america win the war ww ii.
How detroit went from motor city to the arsenal of democracy. Story willow run abebooks abebooks shop for books, art. The willow run bomber plant in ypsilanti, michigan was the most important defense plant the u. B24 liberator willow run assembly plant in michigan run. Willow run at purple rose so much more than a sentimental. Martin is one of those books, and reading it right now reminds us of the giant strides all women have made to take control of their lives, that lesbians have made in fighting to be open. Willow run bomber plant ann arbor district library. He built the willow run assembly plant and proved it. Subjects world war ii willow run airport aviation willow run bomber plant old news ann arbor news eck stanger willow run airport. Apr 29, 2016 lets celebrate all things rosie and lets save a small piece of her willow run bomber plant as a new home for the yankee air museum. Jun 24, 2018 the willow run bomber plant in ypsilanti, michigan was the most important defense plant the u. Willow run assembly plant demolition proceeding hemmings. By the end of the war, ford had pushed 8,865 b24 heavy bombers out the willow run doors for the army.
Willow run part of detroits arsenal of democracy was considered one of the finest and most ambitious american production miracles. There she meets patches and harlan, other kids like her whose parents have come here to do their part in the war. War weary bombers, willow run, june 1945 ann arbor. Albert kahn, a prominent industrial architect translated sorensens sketches into bricks and mortar.
By the spring of 1944, willow run was producing a fourengine b24 bomber each hour on an assembly line. By the end of the war, willow run had produced more than 8,600 b24 bombers, writes, and the plants massproduction techniques were hailed as a symbol of american ingenuity. I toured the rouge river plant and they produced mustangs at about one. At the same time it appeared to be the opening gun in a. Willow run b24 liberator military history of the upper. I just finished reading her book the liberators of willow run. Saving the willow run bomber plant dptv documents the work to save the factory that was part of the massive willow run complex in ypsilanti that turned out a b24 bomber every hour in wwii. Workers came from all over to work at the plant in willow run, and so he created willow run village for them to live. The arsenal of democracy and millions of other books are available for instant access. Originally 975 acres of farmland owned by henry ford, the site was developed by the ford motor company into. The willow run bomber plant is a piece of history in its own right.
Willow run reference book third edition compiled by members of plant guide staff february 1, 1945 extract from espionage act the enclosed information is strictly confidential and should be regarded as such. How detroit factories retooled during wwii to defeat. The willow run airport history, b24 bomber plant and. Jun 25, 2015 architect albert kahn designed the main structure of the willow run bomber plant, which had 3,500,000 square feet 330,000 m2 of factory space, and an aircraft assembly line over a mile long. The willow run plant was so large, it threatened to extend. His family sacrificed their home and farm at willow run for construction of the plant and airfield. These women work in the largest onestory building in the works, the giant bomber plant at willow run, michigan. Willow run is an albert kahndesigned world war ii bomber plant near ypsilanti, michigan. Frances, who is 91, worked at the plant during wwii, making b24 liberator bombers on the assembly line. Willow runs ability to produce aircraft quickly was critical to winning wwii. Willow run is the legendary b24 bomber plant near ypsilanti, michigan, which was a focal point of the arsenal of democracy during wwii. Shes left her home in kentucky to do her bit, and buys all the war bonds she can.
An absolutely riveting read from cover to cover, the liberators of willow run clearly showcases author marianne k. Shes left her home in kentucky to do her bit, and buys all the war bonds she can affordshe has a plan for her life. Despite how smoothly the plant ran, putting out a bomber an hour still wasnt an easy feat. Sorensen, fords director of production during ww2, conceived the idea of manufacturing the giant b24 liberator bomber at the unbelievable rate of one an hour. Willow run assembly was to the south of the former willow run transmission, the site of the bomber plant built by ford in 1941. Dennis norton, founder of the yankee air museum, and randy hotton, the museums former director, talk about the history of the willow run bomber plant, and why the museum is trying to rescue this.
This video will absolutely blow you away one b24 every 55 minutes. The facility manufactured more than 8,000 b24 liberator bombers during world war ii, and was the workplace of the woman associated with the iconic rosie the riveter character. At the beginning of world war ii, henry ford was given the task of creating the largest b24 bomber plant in the world to make warplanes. The willow run airport history, b24 bomber plant and airport. Willow run reference book third edition compiled by members of plant guide staff. The books are willow run, colossus of american industry, alaska, and the mighty eighth air force, world war ii. After world war ii, he was employed as assistant division manager of production engineering at willow run by the kaiserfrazer corporation, when kaiser manufactured the c119 and c123 cargo planes for the air force. Peterson skillfully weaves a narrative from the ad hoc, disjointed and participatory efforts which included housing for newcomers in an. Willow run airport aviation willow run bomber plant. The willow run plant was famous to americans as part of the arsenal of democracy that helped us win world war 2.
Jan 24, 2019 despite how smoothly the plant ran, putting out a bomber an hour still wasnt an easy feat. By the willow run, a sleepy little creek near ypsilanti, michigan, ford motor company built the worlds most famous bomber factory, which was the ultimate manifestation of the automotive industrys role in building armaments during world war ii. Sorenson, the plants designer and builder was nominated and. Willow run will be the greatest adventure ever, meggie thinks. Martins genuine flair for creating a memorable novel that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Henry ford was determined to mass produce b24 bombers just as he had done with cars. B24 liberator willow run assembly plant in michigan run by. During this time he was a pioneer of american production.
Building bombers and communitiesat willow run by independent scholar, sarah jo peterson is a lucid account of the planning problems inherent in a world war ii defense plant. The yankee air museum is proud to present this documentary, produced by stone bridge productions, to preserve the memory of those heroic women and men workers, visionaries, and innovators who served there. It was the first aircraft manufacturing plant to build bombers on an assembly line. The final design was lshaped because of some problems with easements for adjacent property. Willow run assembly plant demolition proceeding hemmings daily. There was a huge shortage in housing for all of the workers, even stories of landlords who would rent the same room to two different people, one who would work during the day and sleep at night. We were delighted to discover real, elderly rosie the riveter frances attending the open house at the willow run bomber plant that followed the arsenal of democracy conference. Photo, print, drawing willow run bomber plant, mich. Henry ford building one b24 bomber every 55 minutes vid.
Michigan united states washtenaw county willow run, 1942. Dptv documentaries saving the willow run bomber plant pbs. Spot welding parts for the nacelle of an aircraft engine. Doubters chided henry ford for declaring that his willow run bomber plant could turn out a b24 liberator heavy bomber every hour. It is an artfully written historical fiction book that interweaves the history of the willow run bomber plant, racial issues, being pregnant and single, sexual abuse, and the budding love of 2 fragile women. Also, the willow run community schools 60th anniversary celebration program, 11 x 8. The willow run bomber plant was completed in 1941, and it was the largest factory in the world under a single roof.
Willow run also built the chevrolet nova 19621979, the xbodies 19801985, the gm h body, and the chevrolet caprice. It seems like a production miracle that the people working at willow run bomber plant were able to produce the b24 liberator at such tremendous speed. Sorensen, fords director of production during wwii conceived the idea of manufacturing the giant b24 bomber at the unbelievable rate of one per hour. Willow run reference book by willow run bomber plant. The story of the yankee air museum begins in 1941 when willow run airport was built by the ford motor company to serve as an airfield for their b24 bomber plant.
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. This book is the story of the run up to the war, how the ford family handled. Nov 15, 20 the willow run bomber plant was completed in 1941, and it was the largest factory in the world under a single roof. Nona joins audreys crew at the willow run bomber plant outside detroit. Apr 02, 2016 the willow run bomber plant is a piece of history in its own right. Summary young men assembling outer wing panel of bomber. Contributor names richie, robert yarnall, photographer created published. Ruth seizes the opportunity to create a new life for herselfa life her mother would not recognize. With a folded pictorial map of willow run 1956, reprinted for the 60th anniversary celebration of the willow run community schools may 2004.
Its goal was to apply automaking massproduction principles to. But no project captured the publics imagination like willow run, where ford motor company built one b24 liberator airplane every 63 minutes. Built by the ford motor company, it was used to build b24 liberator bombers. 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. The willow run plant was meant to employ anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 workers which was five to ten times the population of ypsilanti at the time. The willow run bomber roslin i lotniska, b24 liberator bombers story of the worlds largest factory w ww2. Hydramatic, plant was not the onlyassembly plant at willow run just a little history in 1951 my father purchased a kaiser golden dragon from the kaiser dealer in hudson, mass. Published in ann arbor news, may 23, 1946 caption bomber bogs down. Willow run is also the name of this book, which is part 2 to the story lilys crossing. Willow run airport was built as part of the bomber plant. Architect albert kahn designed the main structure of the willow run bomber plant, which had 3,500,000 square feet 330,000 m2 of factory space, and an aircraft assembly line over a mile long. And there she faces questions about courage, and what it takes to go into battle, like eddie, and how to keep hope alive on the home front. Pilots and crews slept in a dormitory with 1,300 cots, awaiting the near hourly birth of a new bomber. Henry ford building one b24 bomber every 55 minutes willow run bomber plant newsreel wwii 61411.
The remaining four hours were used to restock parts and change tooling. The willow run bomber plant og flyplassen, b24 liberator bombefly story av verdens strste fabrikk i ww2. Full online access to this resource is only available at the library of congress. Organizers want to convert the factory where rose will monroe and other workers built b24 bombers into the new home of the yankee air museum, dedicated to aviation and all the other. See more ideas about rosie the riveter, lets celebrate and ypsilanti michigan. Willow run, also known as air force plant 31, was a manufacturing complex in michigan. The willow run book covers the building of the willow run b24 liberator factory near detroit. Willow run is what albert kahn described as the most enormous room in the history of man. Construction on the willow run bomber plant began that spring and it soon became the largest factory under one roof in the world. Oct 11, 2015 8,685 b24s were built in willow run bomber plant story of willow run, p.
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