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- Edsel Ford, P.E. Martin, and Charles Sorensen Breaking Ground at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Bomber Plant, September 17, 1940 - Ford Motor Company president Edsel Ford joined production managers P.E. Martin and Charles Sorensen in a September 1940 groundbreaking ceremony for the company's Willow Run bomber plant, 35 miles west of Detroit. When finished, the complex employed more than 42,000 people and included more than seven million square feet of floor space. Workers there built one B-24 bomber every 63 minutes.
- September 17, 1940
- Collections - Artifact
Edsel Ford, P.E. Martin, and Charles Sorensen Breaking Ground at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Bomber Plant, September 17, 1940
Ford Motor Company president Edsel Ford joined production managers P.E. Martin and Charles Sorensen in a September 1940 groundbreaking ceremony for the company's Willow Run bomber plant, 35 miles west of Detroit. When finished, the complex employed more than 42,000 people and included more than seven million square feet of floor space. Workers there built one B-24 bomber every 63 minutes.
- Ford Tri-Motor Airplane Being Constructed at the Stout Factory, Dearborn, Michigan, February 1929 - Ford Motor Company's Tri-Motor, built from 1926-1933, flew in many early American airline fleets. The all-metal airplane was rugged, dependable, and equally adaptable to passenger and freight service. Tri-Motors were built with some of the same mass production techniques used in Ford's automobile plants. In this photo, the propellers are being connected to the fuselage or the main body of the airplane.
- February 19, 1929
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Tri-Motor Airplane Being Constructed at the Stout Factory, Dearborn, Michigan, February 1929
Ford Motor Company's Tri-Motor, built from 1926-1933, flew in many early American airline fleets. The all-metal airplane was rugged, dependable, and equally adaptable to passenger and freight service. Tri-Motors were built with some of the same mass production techniques used in Ford's automobile plants. In this photo, the propellers are being connected to the fuselage or the main body of the airplane.
- Two Trophies Awarded as Part of the Willow Run Tool Breakage Campaign, July 1943 - At Willow Run's peak, the plant's more than 42,000 employees built one B-24 bomber airplane every 63 minutes. Ford encouraged workers with special productivity awards. This star-shaped trophy went to the department with the largest decrease in tool breakage during June 1943. The eight-ball prize went to the department with the largest increase in breakage.
- July 08, 1943
- Collections - Artifact
Two Trophies Awarded as Part of the Willow Run Tool Breakage Campaign, July 1943
At Willow Run's peak, the plant's more than 42,000 employees built one B-24 bomber airplane every 63 minutes. Ford encouraged workers with special productivity awards. This star-shaped trophy went to the department with the largest decrease in tool breakage during June 1943. The eight-ball prize went to the department with the largest increase in breakage.
- Woman Using Stamping Machine, Willow Run Bomber Plant, November 1943 - Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- November 05, 1943
- Collections - Artifact
Woman Using Stamping Machine, Willow Run Bomber Plant, November 1943
Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- Woman Delivering Parts at Willow Run Bomber Plant, April 1944 - Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- April 26, 1944
- Collections - Artifact
Woman Delivering Parts at Willow Run Bomber Plant, April 1944
Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- Women Riveting Bottom Panel of B-24 Bomber, Willow Run Plant, June 1944 - Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- June 22, 1944
- Collections - Artifact
Women Riveting Bottom Panel of B-24 Bomber, Willow Run Plant, June 1944
Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- Inspector of Front Section of B-24 Bomber, Willow Run Plant, September 1944 - Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- September 14, 1944
- Collections - Artifact
Inspector of Front Section of B-24 Bomber, Willow Run Plant, September 1944
Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- Women Training for Work at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Bomber Plant, 1942 - Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- February 25, 1942
- Collections - Artifact
Women Training for Work at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Bomber Plant, 1942
Women represented approximately one-third of the workers at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant, where they did everything from clerical work in the offices to riveting and welding on the assembly line. During World War II, women joined the workforce in record numbers to take on essential jobs traditionally held by men who had joined the armed forces.
- Charles Sorensen and Others Viewing a Scale Model of the Willow Run Bomber Plant, July 1941 - Ford Motor Company's ambitious proposal to build B-24 bomber airplanes, for the Allied effort in World War II, required meticulous planning. Ford production head Charles Sorensen and his team laid out the Willow Run plant's machinery with the aid of a 1:98-scale model. Careful placement of equipment and work stations along the twin assembly lines ensured maximum efficiency.
- July 01, 1941
- Collections - Artifact
Charles Sorensen and Others Viewing a Scale Model of the Willow Run Bomber Plant, July 1941
Ford Motor Company's ambitious proposal to build B-24 bomber airplanes, for the Allied effort in World War II, required meticulous planning. Ford production head Charles Sorensen and his team laid out the Willow Run plant's machinery with the aid of a 1:98-scale model. Careful placement of equipment and work stations along the twin assembly lines ensured maximum efficiency.
- B-24 Bombers on Assembly Line at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Bomber Plant, January 1943 - At Willow Run, Ford Motor Company built B-24 bomber planes for World War II using automobile mass production techniques. Airplanes were much more complex than cars. They required constant design changes poorly suited to a standardized assembly line. Ford overcame these difficulties and, at the plant's peak, Willow Run crews produced an average of one bomber every 63 minutes.
- January 13, 1943
- Collections - Artifact
B-24 Bombers on Assembly Line at Ford Motor Company Willow Run Bomber Plant, January 1943
At Willow Run, Ford Motor Company built B-24 bomber planes for World War II using automobile mass production techniques. Airplanes were much more complex than cars. They required constant design changes poorly suited to a standardized assembly line. Ford overcame these difficulties and, at the plant's peak, Willow Run crews produced an average of one bomber every 63 minutes.