Building The B-24 Bomber During WWII "Story of Willow Run"

[Tony Smith]

While Henry Ford lent his immense mass production skills to the war effort, he relied on assistance from Charles Lindbergh for Aviation expertise.

Despite the undoubted contribution these two made to the war effort, both were viewed at the time as suspected Nazi Sympathisers. They were prominent in the pre-war (Dec '41 in the US) movement to keep the US out of the European war, and both were highly regarded by the Nazi regime. Significantly, both too had been the subject of scandals for apparent anti-semitic views.

[Lynn Eades]

I read somewhere that Henry built more vehicles for the Axis (not by choice, but because his factories were over run) than for the Allies. How true is this?

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

I read somewhere that Henry built more vehicles for the Axis (not by choice, but because his factories were over run) than for the Allies. How true is this?

Both Ford and GM built axis vehicles once they had been taken over by the enemy.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Both Ford and GM built axis vehicles once they had been taken over by the enemy.

There's more to it than merely bring taken over, see http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...nazicars30.htm for example....

Indeed, who knew?

[Lynn Eades]

A very interesting article Hanno. Not quite my schoolboy image of Ford or G.M.
It seems at least, of the big three, Chrysler had a lot less egg on its face.
You have somewhat damaged my heroic picture of Henry Ford. Interesting that it said Hitler could not have considered invading Czechoslovakia, without G.M.
Thanks for posting.

[motto (RIP)]

Seems they weren't fussy about who's pie they had their fingers in either.

David

[bill m]

There are a couple of good reads on Ford and the B-24 project,

My Forty years with Ford. by Charles E Sorenson.
(Covers the years 1905 - 1944)
ISBN 0-8143-3279-X Originally pub. 1956.Reprinted 2006.
Sorensen was the prime mover of the Willow Run B-24 plant.

Ford In The Service of America. by Timothy J O'Callaghan. Pub. 2009.
ISBN 978-0-7864-4485-4

cheers
Bill.