B24 Liberator/Willow Run

[Steve M]

The way we were..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKlt6rNciTo

[Steve M]

I wonder though, one Liberator every 55 minutes may have come out the door but they could not have been assembled in 55 minutes as the exuberant reporter implies. These may have been on the assembly line for weeks inside the plant, as long as you start a new one every 55 minutes, a finished one should pop out the door every 55 minutes but weeks later.    

[Groundbound1]

Ford had it right though. His manufacturing process gave him a distinct advantage over the "compation". If the gov wanted to make a change to a design, Ford was able to do it in a matter of days-weeks, instead of weeks-months like the others. Yeah, you're probably right about the weeks in assembly, but you have to admit, it would have been impressive to stand by those back doors and watch 'em roll out! And some lucky folks (mostly women I think) had the cool job of flying them outta there!

My grandmother was a "Rosie" that worked at that very plant. In fact, my uncle still has an unused rivet from one of those birds.

Shame about the fire at the Yankee Air Museum a few years ago. A lot of history was lost.