B-24 Liberator Willow Run Assembly Plant

[MrFattyfatfatboy]

B-24 the box the B-17 came in

[spfreeman]

@cynsmi: You have it backwards, mate. Strict government airworthiness regulations and skilled union labor are what made U. S. war materiel the best in the world. You don't have to imagine what the U. S. is like now, with de-regulation and union-busting, because you're living in it, bucko, and what trickles down is thin and brown and doesn't smell so good.

[Pandabonium]

My father was an engineer for Consolidated and did extensive work on the B-24. He told me that Ford, used to building cars, had originally decided to drill elliptical (oval) holes for the rivets in the plane as they did for cars - it made assembly of cars go faster, since parts didn't need to line up perfectly. They didn't realize that aircraft construction had to be done to very tight tolerances! A major goof that was thankfully caught before construction began.

[batfreak1970]

My grandfather from Kansas who was serving in the Army met my grandmother who was working on the line at the WR plant. Ive heard many stories about the place from them. Not to mention the inspiration of Rosie came from there.

[shadowhunter388]

Amazing to see how these things were put together by man and so many of them as well.

[chaghar]

so did the liberators fly directly from the us to england or they were assembled i england?

[TJDOZIER1]

@chaghar

The aircraft were combat ready when the exited the factory door.

Whenever possible, newly formed aircrews delivered the new aircraft,

the remaining aircraft were flown by ferry crews to England from the US.

[ignaciojork]

this is my first plasti model kit 1:72 scale that I assemble

[cynsmi]

Imagine what America was before unions and now government regulations.

[pjezierski]

Willow Run Air Port is STILL in operation today, (Not the B24 assembly plant, though). This is the home of the Yankee Air Force, and Museum, and the home of the B17, 'Yankee Lady'. Seen it several times. Sweeeeeeeeet! haven't seen a B24 though, but, I'm sure it is impressive.

[travieboyxxx2001]

I live about 15 miles from the factory that built these beauties! The building is still there and operational, but GM owns it now...

[UCFCamaroSS]

My Grandfather's B24 was built there. The Lilli Marlene, 44th bomb group, 67th squadron. My 91 Buick Roadmaster was also built there, 50 years apart to the week. The automatic transmissions in 5 cars I have owned have been built there also.

[Auggie56]

The museum at W R is collecting parts, in hopes to assemble one for display. So far they have a tail section of the fuselage, a cockpit and a bird cage nose section. There was talk of converting the PBY they have, but it's to frail to make it worthy.

My step mom worked at W R, unpacking parts for the assembly line in 42'.

[TJDOZIER1]

Auggie,

I think you mean the PB4Y Privateer. That was the maritime patrol version of the B-24.

The PBY was the Catalina.

You got me all excited as Planes of Fame is looking for a PBY Catalina for static display.

[Auggie56]

Whoops !

Your right Privateer.

I recall seeing where dozens of Cats where sent to South America, post war. There is an intact wreck on a coastal area somewhere off the Middle East I saw recently. It was left there in the fifties, by a family who was touring the world in it. The locals thought they were Israeli commandos and shot the plane up, wounding the father and his secretary. Several hours latter they released the family.