It was the largest factory under one roof in the world at 3 million square feet in size, with two halfmilelong assembly lines. Diary of a rosie saving the willow run bomber plant, one. Open spaces will be fitted with a form of plexiglas to give the bombardier a complete wideangle view. Thank you for helping us turn historic willow run into a museum. The arsenal of democracy and millions of other books are available for instant.
Regarding the building being lshaped, the wikipedia article on willow run tells the story better than i can. Willow run assembly plant demolition proceeding hemmings daily. During wwii the willow run bomber plant located near ypsilanti, michigan was the largest factory under one roof in the world. The influx of workers for the massive wartime production project gave rise to an entire community called willow run. They required constant design changes poorly suited to a standardized assembly line. But no project captured the publics imagination like.
Critics chided henry ford for declaring his willow run bomber plant could turn out a b24 liberator heavy bomber every hour. Total us aircraft production totaled 324,750, with main aircraft types as follows. Ex bomber plant and home of rosie the riveter will transform this year into an autonomous vehicle technology test site. 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. The idea that the b24 had longer range is attributed to the aircraft that were deployed in the 194041 period, when b24s did in fac. Willow run is an albert kahndesigned world war ii bomber plant near ypsilanti, michigan. We recently interviewed another original willow run employee, irene bokros. Completed in 1941, the plant was the largest factory in the world under a single roof. It covers every aspect of the aircrafts production and shows how mass production of the ford plant. Sep 25, 20 ford built special housing at willow run village for them, with everything scaled to their size.
Contributor names richie, robert yarnall, photographer created. Ben has also written a movie script about the mighty eighty air force which is in. During world war ii, the ypsilanti factory became a worldwide symbol of. Jan 19, 2016 join our special guest host and author of the new book detroit in world war ii, gregory sumner, as he visits one of those original rosies, marjorie walters of nearby ypsilanti who from wisconsin. Willow run also built the chevrolet nova 19621979, the xbodies 19801985, the gm h body, and the chevrolet caprice. Rosie the riveter world record save the willow run. If you enjoyed this story, do your part to keep it alive for future generations. The b17 carried essentially the same bomb load the same distance as the b24, based on official air force tests. Willow run airport was built as part of the bomber plant. Summary young men assembling outer wing panel of bomber.
Narrated by harry wismer, the film explains how ford manufactured and built b24 liberators under license from consolidated aircraft company. Willow run follows the journey of four of those women who migrated from all over america to find new lives at the plant. Willow run bomber plant archives this day in aviation. 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. Join facebook to connect with paul vachon and others you may know. Pbs to air documentary about ypsilantis legendary willow run. Apr 25, 2014 regarding the building being lshaped, the wikipedia article on willow run tells the story better than i can. Willow run, also known as air force plant 31, was a manufacturing complex in michigan. Made by the ford motor company during wwii, the story of willow run explains the companys role in producing the consolidated b24 liberator heavy bomber. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.
I just finished reading her book the liberators of willow run. The yankee air museum and the yankee air museum foundation are 501c3 nonprofit organizations. Join our special guest host and author of the new book detroit in world war ii, gregory sumner, as he visits one of those original rosies, marjorie. The last b24 built was this b24m30fo liberator, 4451928, at the willow run bomber plant.
Jun 16, 2018 during wwii the willow run bomber plant located near ypsilanti, michigan was the largest factory under one roof in the world. Doubters chided henry ford for declaring that his willow run bomber plant could turn. A small part of the worlds largest onestory war production plant, the giant bomber factory at willow run, michigan. Draftsmen working in the lofting division for b24 assembly. Advanced assembly includes riveting and drilling the nose of the bomber made in the giant willow run plant. The books are willow run, colossus of american industry, alaska, and the mighty eighth air force, world war ii.
The united states manufactured about 300,000 aircraft just prior to, and during, world war ii. Pbs to air documentary about ypsilantis legendary willow run b24 bomber factory posted on march 9, 20 posted in aviation news the story of willow run was a black and white documentary produced by the ford motor company in 1945. Oct 23, 20 detroit the public will get the chance to visit the former willow run bomber plant in ypsilanti township, mich. Fords bomber plant at willow run, chryslers tank center, and hudsons bomber plant were located in detroit suburbs not serviced by public transportation. 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. 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 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. Diary of a rosie is written by jeannette gutierrez, a founder of save the bomber plants willow run rosies. Sorensen, fords director of production during wwii conceived the idea of manufacturing the giant b24 bomber at the unbelievable rate of one per hour. Pictured here is the willow run bomber plant and its adjacent airfield in 1945. Exbomber plant and home of rosie the riveter will transform this year into an autonomous vehicle technology test site.
This book is the story of the run up to the war, how the ford family handled. Motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator military aircraft. 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. The ford motor companys willow run bomber plant began production in 1942 and continued until june 28, 1945. The willow run bomber plant near ypsilanti, michigan was built in 1941, and produced over 8,600 b24 liberator bombers during wwii. September 25, 20 march 16, 2019 jeannette gutierrez. At willow run, ford motor company built b24 bomber planes for world war ii using automobile mass production techniques. The bomber plant adjacent to the airport produced the famed world war ii bombers in a plant built by henry ford. Ford overcame these difficulties and, at the plants peak, willow run crews produced an average of one bomber every 63 minutes. Some 40,000 employees, mostly women, turned out b24 bombers at the rate of one every 55 minutes. 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. Your donation today will help us turn the historic willow run bomber plant into the future home of the yankee air museum. Willow run is the legendary b24 bomber plant near ypsilanti, michigan, which was a focal point of the arsenal of democracy during wwii.
The willow run bomber plant was a true production miracle, one that contributed greatly to allied victory in world war ii, and is a testament to the determination and fortitude of the greatest generation. Building the b24 bomber during wwii story of willow run 74182. Ive had many adventures and heard many wonderful stories in the course of my work to help to save, preserve and renovate rosies famed willow run bomber plant to be the future new home of the yankee air. 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. A good example of the problem was willow run, located twenty miles from detroit at ypsilanti, mich. They built nearly 10,000 in just a couple years at willow run. Yankee air museum where history takes flight willow run. The b24 was not much cheaper and possibly more expensive. Willow run assembly was to the south of the former willow run transmission, the site of the bomber plant built by ford in 1941. Willow run plant layout circa 1944 full size version. Little people at the willow run bomber plant diary of a rosie. Help us preserve willow runs amazing legacy by turning it into a museum click the big, red donate button on this page and give generously. It had 60,000 workers that used private transportation to get to work.
Riveter florence nightingale working at willow run bomber. Michigan united states washtenaw county willow run willow run, 1942. A small part of the worlds largest one story war production plant, the giant ford bomber factory at willow run, michigan. Selfdriving vehicle test pad at willow run inks deal.
Construction of the willow run bomber plant began in 1940 and was completed in 1942. World war one aviator eddie rickenbacker meeting with little people at ford motor companys willow run bomber plant during wwii. Jun 28, 2019 ford built 6,972 b24s in 776 days and produced kits for 1,893 more to be assembled by the other manufacturers. By the spring of 1944, willow run was producing a fourengine b24 bomber each hour on an assembly line. Serving michigans jackson, lenawee, livingston, macomb, and washtenaw counties. This was the first aircraft manufacturing complex to use fords automotive mass production technique, a leading technological innovation of the time.
The story of willow run and the production miracle that produced as many as 25. All formats, books, video, music, audiobooks, magazines, downloads, tools, art prints. Willow run, more than any other factory in the world, allowed the allies to win world war two. 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 and equal. Willow run, a world premiere by jeff duncan june 14 september 1, 2018 during wwii the willow run bomber plant located near ypsilanti, michigan was the largest factory under one roof in the world. It was thought to be the largest factory under one roof anywhere in the world. With tremendous assistance from the yankee air museum, this book presents a pictorial history of willow run during world war ii. Detroit the public will get the chance to visit the former willow run bomber plant in ypsilanti township, mich. Full online access to this resource is only available at the library of congress. 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. Little people at the willow run bomber plant diary of a. 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. Theyd called him crazy in 1896, too, but ford ignored the naysayers, pushing past obstacles and failures until his gasolinepowered horseless carriage rolled down the streets of detroit. Mar 09, 20 pbs to air documentary about ypsilantis legendary willow run b24 bomber factory posted on march 9, 20 posted in aviation news the story of willow run was a black and white documentary produced by the ford motor company in 1945.
Ford overcame these difficulties and, at the plant s peak, willow run crews produced an average of one bomber every 63 minutes. Detroit defied reality to help win world war ii united. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Sep, 2017 the willow run bomber plant was a true production miracle, one that contributed greatly to allied victory in world war ii, and is a testament to the determination and fortitude of the greatest generation. To kick off the latest phase of their efforts, they moved three classic planes back inside the plant. Rosie the riveter world record save the willow run bomber plant. It was constructed in 1941 by the ford motor company for the mass production of the b24 liberator military aircraft. The willow run plant completed a b24 every 63 minutes.
Fixtures in background hold bomber wings during assembly. Pbs to air documentary about ypsilantis legendary willow run b24 bomber factory. Jun 07, 2016 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. Ford built 6,972 b24s in 776 days and produced kits for 1,893 more to be assembled by the other manufacturers.
The purple rose theatre announces 20172018 season the. The rate of production throughout 1943 would continually increase until april of 1944, when the mighty factory was producing an astonishing bombereveryhour. 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. 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. Run arising from the wartime surge in the worker population in their book of 1952. And at its vast willow run plant in ypsilanti, michigan, the ford motor company performed something like a miracle 24hours a day. The yankee air museum aims to open an amazing new national aviation attraction in the old willow run bomber plant in ypsilanti township, mi. The total number of b24s built at willow run was 8,685 and during peak production in. Henry fords bomber plant being torn down usa today. Pbs to air documentary about ypsilantis legendary willow.
Willow run is what albert kahn described as the most enormous room in the history of man. 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. Originally 975 acres of farmland owned by henry ford, the site was developed by the ford motor company into. During that time, the ford motor company produced almost half of the b24s built8,685 out of 19,256. She was employed soon after graduating high school, as the bomber plant began hiring in 1942, and drove all the way from pinkney, michigan, every day. The b24 bomber, officially known as the b24 liberator, was designed by consolidated aircraft co. Willow run is an albert kahndesigned world war ii bomber plant near ypsilanti. Photo, print, drawing willow run bomber plant, mich. Willow run bomber plant of air force plant 31 was een vliegtuigfabriek van. Building the b24 bomber during wwii story of willow run.
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. Donate to the yankee air museums campaign to save the willow run bomber plant at. Photograph by ann rosener for the office of war information. The ford team had bungled the project in the worst way, and productions fell way behind schedule. A documentary about the ypsilanti willow run airports legendary b24 bomber plant will air sunday on pbs. Mar 09, 20 b24 liberators line the airfield at willow run airport in this june 1945 photo. Aircraft production began in 1941, and at its peak during the war years, willow run produced b24 liberator bombers at the astounding rate of one airplane every. 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. Willow run assembly plant demolition proceeding hemmings. Ive had many adventures and heard many wonderful stories in the course of my work to help to save, preserve and renovate rosies famed willow run bomber plant to. The l shaped building in the center was the main factory, enclosing 2. Willow run bomber plant that eventually manufactured 8,800 of these aircraft.