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. The willow run airport history, b24 bomber plant and airport. Detroit the public will get the chance to visit the former willow run bomber plant in ypsilanti township, mich. The l shaped building in the center was the main factory, enclosing 2. The total number of b24s built at willow run was 8,685 and during peak production in. The remaining four hours were used to restock parts and change tooling. During wwii the willow run bomber plant located near ypsilanti, michigan was the largest factory under one roof in the world. The ford family at willow run military history of the. It was constructed in 1941 by the ford motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator military aircraft. Historic plane rides yankee air museum southeast michigan. During that time, the ford motor company produced almost half of the b24s built8,685 out of 19,256. The 449th bombardment group heavy was initially formed in may of 1943 as part of the 15th air force, 47th bombardment wing.
World war one aviator eddie rickenbacker meeting with little people at ford motor companys willow run bomber plant during wwii. Henry ford and president franklin roosevelt touring willow run bomber. The book had an avid audience in germany, and among the biggest fans was a young adolf hitler who kept a copy of the book in his office, as. Following a tour of the willow run bomber plant, the president returned to his train and more stops on the way west. Apr 25, 2014 regarding the building being lshaped, the wikipedia article on willow run tells the story better than i can. Willow run is a book that was written by my friend warren benjamin kidder about the b24 liberator, ww2 bomber production plant and airport near detroit michigan. Yankee air museum and the michigan aerospace foundation held a fundraising kickoff event thursday evening at willow run airport for its effort to raise funds to buy approximately 150,000 square feet of for former the willow run bomber plant. A portion of the eastern end of the willow run plant would be preserved, and along with part of willow run airport s hangar building, become the new home of the yankee air museum. 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 developed by the ford motor company into. This book is the story of the run up to the war, how the ford family handled requests for.
So read lilys crossing first before you read willow run. The willow run airport history, b24 bomber plant and. Willow run follows the journey of four of those women who migrated from all over america to find new lives at the plant. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.
Little people at the willow run bomber plant diary of a. Historic world war ii factory that built over 8,600 b24 liberator bombers between 1941 and 1945, and employed over. From liberator bombers to sherman tanks, massive battleships to machine gunner cranks, bullets by the millions and bombs by the ton. Many historians believe the ubiquitous icon of rosie the riveter began at the willow run bomber plant, where rose will monroe worked as a riveter. Womens march inspires rosie the riveter book for young readers. Architect albert kahn designed the main structure of the willow run bomber plant, which had 3,500,000 square feet of factory space, and an aircraft assembly line over a mile long. The ford family at willow run military history of the upper. Pictured here is the willow run bomber plant and its adjacent airfield in 1945. Results of that visit opened kaisers eyes to the advantages of welding over riveting. A woman marks a bombardier enclosure for a b24 liberator bomber at the ford willow run plant. By the spring of 1944, willow run was producing a fourengine b24 bomber each hour on an assembly line. Henry fords bomber plant being torn down usa today. Your donation today will help us turn the historic willow run bomber plant into the future home of the yankee air museum. Willow run assembly plant demolition proceeding hemmings daily.
The following pages tells about this great factory and production plant where the ww2 b24 liberator was built which uses many references from this book. The total number of b24s built at willow run was 8,685 and during peak production in early 1944, one bomber per hour was produced. Jul 01, 20 for more views of the willow run bomber plant, check out this slideshow. By the end of the war, ford had pushed 8,865 b24 heavy bombers out the willow run doors for the army. Henry ford at willow run bomber plant construction site, 1941. Willow run, more than any other factory in the world, allowed the allies to win world war two. Library of congress this was the situation that greeted lindbergh, the. Willow run, colossus of american industry, written by warren benjamin kidder. A portion of the eastern end of the willow run plant would be preserved, and along with part of willow run airports hangar building, become the new home of the yankee air museum. 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. To learn more about the history and role of women in the willow run bomber plant, watch ford motor companys productions women on the warpath and the story of willow run.
Apr 30, 2014 ford plant willow run willowrun aircraft plant. To care for the plant s workforce, willow run maintained an onsite hospital with eight doctors, 40 nurses, and a dentist. 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. All public programs, tours, meetings and special uses of the buildings between. Fixtures in background hold bomber wings during assembly at fords vast willow run plant during world war ii. Ford motor company willow run bomber plant the arsenal of democracy detroit. In a recently published book, richard overy describes how allied airforce. At its peak in 1944, the factory produced one plane every 63 minutes. See 3 photos and 1 tip from 8 visitors to willow run bomber plant. The books are willow run, colossus of american industry, alaska, and the mighty eighth air force, world war ii. Construction of the willow run bomber plant began in 1940 and was completed in 1942.
Willow run, also known as air force plant 31, was a manufacturing complex in michigan. Willow run was the physical embodiment of the ford production system which was later transformed by toyota into just in time and lean manufacturing. These women work in the largest onestory building in the works, the giant bomber plant at willow run, michigan. Over the course of the war, the hospital handled more than two million medical cases. Whether you are planning a family outing or an educational field trip, our southeastern michigan air museum is the perfect destination. A true story of the production of the b24 liberator and the building of the willow run airport bomber plant. Oct 12, 2015 the enrollment of american manufacturing in the second world war was filled with the idea of mass production, a concept made popular by henry ford. Ford motor company built 8,685 b24 bomber airplanes at its willow run, michigan, plant during world war ii. Completed in 1941, the plant was the largest factory in the world under a single roof. The final design was lshaped because of some problems with easements for adjacent property.
Albert kahn, a prominent industrial architect translated sorensens sketches into bricks and mortar. Willow run is also the name of this book, which is part 2 to the story lilys crossing. Willow run b24 liberator military history of the upper. Aviation is a part of all of us, and the yankee air museum offers something for everyone. It is the place where meggie and her family move to help america win the war ww ii. The airport and its crew could accommodate up to 20 takeoffs an hour. To advance the program click on the continue located on each page. Serving michigans jackson, lenawee, livingston, macomb, and washtenaw counties. 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. During this time he was a pioneer of american production. Jan 24, 2019 despite how smoothly the plant ran, putting out a bomber an hour still wasnt an easy feat. President franklin roosevelt, on a secret tour of national. The historic willow run plant produced b24 bombers at the staggering rate of one per hour proving that america could get the job done.
This remarkable 10minute color documentary produced by ford during the war praises the work of women in the huge willow run b24 liberator plant. Welcome to our web based program covering bomber city the story of willow run. Historic world war ii factory that built over 8,600 b24 liberator bombers between 1941 and 1945, and employed over 42,000 workers, at least of which were women. Thank you for helping us turn historic willow run into a museum. Yankee air force museum officials announced today it will change its name and expand its mission and into new space, the former bomber plant at. Willow run is the legendary b24 bomber plant near ypsilanti, michigan, which was a focal point of the arsenal of democracy during wwii. Our aircraft fly from may to october so act now to check off that bucket list item.
He laughed when an m4 sherman tank drove toward the car and made a dramatic stop 10 feet from it. Michigan air museum yankee air museum southeast michigan. By the end of the war, ford had pushed 8,865 b24 heavy bombers out the willow run doors for the army air force. Michigan united states washtenaw county willow run willow run, 1942. September 25, 20 march 16, 2019 jeannette gutierrez. The willow run airport history, b24 bomber plant and airport construction. The willow run bomber plant was the largest factory in the world under a single. Women on the warpath ford b24 film on women in the. How detroit went from motor city to the arsenal of democracy.
However, his secret service agents were not amused. A great place to touch, feel, and interact with some of the most amazing aircraft throughout aviation history. Willow run is an albert kahndesigned world war ii bomber plant near ypsilanti, michigan. To care for the plants workforce, willow run maintained an onsite hospital with eight doctors, 40 nurses, and a dentist.
They built nearly 10,000 in just a couple years at willow run. Working with skill and precision, these women operate a spot welding machine in the largest single story building in the world, fords giant bomber plant at willow run, michigan. Some 40,000 employees, mostly women, turned out b24 bombers at the rate of one every 55 minutes. Careers blog about amazon press center investor relations amazon devices amazon tours. Henry ford and his crew of industrial engineers showed the world how to build b24 bombers literally twenty five time faster than it was thought possible. Oct 11, 2015 8,685 b24s were built in willow run bomber plant story of willow run, p. All formats, books, video, music, audiobooks, magazines, downloads, tools. 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.
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. 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. During world war ii, the ypsilanti factory became a worldwide symbol of. Jun 06, 2018 a shining example of the importance of the willow run bomber plant to americas war effort in world war ii is the legacy of the 449th bomb group, nicknamed the flying horsemen. World war ii was a time when all americans pulled together to join with their allies and literally save the world. Yankee air museums historic plane rides feature the b17 yankee lady and b25 yankee warrior bombers, the c47 hairless joe skytrain, the uh1 huey, and the openair cockpit waco biplane. Detroit, a herstory is a powerful, captivating children. Most of the bombers left willow run under their own power, requiring an onsite airport. Part of the tour lead them to a hidden room within the facility. Yankee air museum kicks off fundraising for willow run. Rosie the riveter book schools young readers on feminist icon. Yankee air museum where history takes flight willow run.
B24 liberator bombers story of the worlds largest factory in ww2. Here is his description of the visit and how he conceived the willow run bomber plant that eventually manufactured 8,800 of these aircraft. Spot welding parts for the nacelle of an aircraft engine. Book an air adventure on one of our five historic aircraft and take a ride into history. Oct 23, 20 detroit the public will get the chance to visit the former willow run bomber plant in ypsilanti township, mich. Aug 05, 2018 womens march inspires rosie the riveter book for young readers. Ben has also written a movie script about the mighty eighty air force which is in production as of 422012. Willow run bomber plant air traffic control tower, 1943 the. Willow run assembly plant demolition proceeding hemmings. The arsenal of democracy and millions of other books are available for instant access. Despite how smoothly the plant ran, putting out a bomber an hour still wasnt an easy feat. Regarding the building being lshaped, the wikipedia article on willow run tells the story better than i can. This was the first aircraft manufacturing complex to use fords automotive mass production technique, a. The willow run book covers the building of the willow run b24 liberator factory near detroit.
One of the most prominent factories that used the idea of mass production was b. This was the first aircraft manufacturing complex to use fords automotive mass production technique, a leading technological innovation of the time. Mar 28, 2017 how detroit went from motor city to the arsenal of democracy. The yankee air museum and the yankee air museum foundation are 501c3 nonprofit organizations. A shining example of the importance of the willow run bomber plant to americas war effort in world war ii is the legacy of the 449th bomb group, nicknamed the flying horsemen. Join facebook to connect with paul vachon and others you may know. 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 ford motor companys willow run bomber plant began production in 1942 and continued until june 28, 1945. Willow run airport was built as part of the bomber plant. Willow run bomber plant air traffic control tower, 1943. The b24 bomber, officially known as the b24 liberator, was designed by consolidated aircraft co. Book a seat on one of our 5 historical aircraft for an experience of a lifetime. In january 1941, ford executives were invited to visit consolidated aircraft in.
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