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Old 03-29-2020, 09:02 AM   #1
DavidG
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Default Ford Willow Run documentary

Interesting documentary regarding the creation of the Ford Willow Run plant at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2zukteYbGQ
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Old 03-29-2020, 09:38 AM   #2
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Just watched it yesterday and amazing how they got this plant up and running in such a short amount of time. Ford ingenuity in times of need. One bomber every 55 minutes!
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Old 03-29-2020, 10:16 AM   #3
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Thanks David! That is absolutely amazing!
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Old 03-29-2020, 10:32 AM   #4
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

It's a great film.
Ol' Cast Iron Charlie had a lot to do with that plant be built.
Ford had great people working for him.
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Old 03-29-2020, 10:32 AM   #5
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Amazing!!!
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Old 03-29-2020, 10:41 AM   #6
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That's fantastic, up to 42,000 people employed, did I hear that correctly?
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Old 03-29-2020, 10:50 AM   #7
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Edsel Ford's greatest legacy in industry. Not enough good things could ever be said about the man to equal how good he really was at what he did. Charles Sorensen did have a lot to do with the design. They set up a huge model so that they could set up the work stations while Albert Cahn was designing the structure for it all. It took a lot out of those two men. Edsel dies of cancer before it was completely cranked up and Charles Sorensen retired not long after he died. I think Henry Ford II felt like he was abandoned after he took over Ford operations. He didn't have a lot of good things to say about Charlie. He had to take over after those two were gone so it put him into a huge responsibility before he was really ready for it. It worked out though. One bomber every 63 minutes lived up to Edsel's promise to the government.

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Old 03-29-2020, 10:52 AM   #8
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Yes, thanks David. Very interesting.

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Old 03-29-2020, 12:30 PM   #9
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

It was really a great video production. I tell all my non Ford friends that Edsel, (whos name is synonymous with failure due to the car) had more to do with all the favorite Ford cars then people realize, as he was artistic and helped design and set the lines and colors of the early cars. He died almost 2 decades before the Edsel car was developed by the Whiz Kids.
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Old 03-29-2020, 12:33 PM   #10
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Ford built far more B-24s than Consolidated (the original designing company) did. I'll just keep my mouth shut as to how un-pretty, and how fragile B-24s were....no reflection on Ford! DD


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Old 03-29-2020, 12:50 PM   #11
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

DD,
I'm glad the video you posted doesn't show the LH inboard propeller slicing up the cockpit.
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Old 03-29-2020, 12:56 PM   #12
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Just imagine, all done with no CNC. Just a slide rule.

Every student studying engineering should watch that documentary
and then say,
THANK YOU".
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Old 03-29-2020, 01:33 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by deuce_roadster View Post
DD,
I'm glad the video you posted doesn't show the LH inboard propeller slicing up the cockpit.

Gruesome thought, but either way it was not a pleasant trip! Dick D
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Old 03-29-2020, 02:46 PM   #14
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

I have to agree, Edsel is not given enough credit at all.
Many great things he accomplished.
On the design of the cars, with Bob Gregorie along with many things.
The road wasn't easy for him either.
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Old 03-29-2020, 03:21 PM   #15
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobR'35 View Post
I have to agree, Edsel is not given enough credit at all.
Many great things he accomplished.
On the design of the cars, with Bob Gregorie along with many things.
The road wasn't easy for him either.

His dad could certainly be a seemingly un-caring jerk toward his family, not to mention that he thought of his employees as "tools" of necessity most of the time. He didn't pay them $5 bucks a day out of the kindness of his heart. And Henry really didn't want to be bothered with that war production stuff. It was Edsel and "Deuce" that promoted the war effort activities. DD
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Old 03-29-2020, 05:53 PM   #16
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

There,s one of those crashed in ww2 in the hills where I live,
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Old 03-30-2020, 01:36 PM   #17
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

Pop was glad he was in the B-17s. The B17 crews would see the B24s taking off for a mission about the same time as they did but they would also see them as they passed them on their way back after the 24s had beat them to the targets. The 24s were faster than the 17s but they were more vulnerable to battle damage. They had to rely on their higher airspeed which didn't always work out.
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Old 03-30-2020, 04:06 PM   #18
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Default Re: Ford Willow Run documentary

A very good friend of mine was a gunner on a B24. He liked to tell a story about how, on the way back from a mission, that he would open up the 50 BMG, until it got so hot, that it would chain fire, until the belt ran out.

I met him in about 1980, before that, I knew of the B17 & the B29 but, didn't remember hearing of the B24's.
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