Thanks Steven..........maybe we should just appreciate these photos for the valuable records they are . But they usually bring up more items of interest---like the pre-May 1942 fuselage insignia here with the red centre ( unless I'm hallucinating ). Also noticed the 2 " ghosts " under the tailplane......                   Nick

Steven         these "ghosts" are not unique, there are a few others; this is the Lancaster final assembly at Woodford, note the figures on the left and right platforms. I imagine something to do with the exposure, though your 2 figures don't seem to be moving.
Your photo above is a good example of WR's wavy division , Tulsa's was wavy but flatter.  Thanks    Nick

In searching into records that might be available through the Henry Ford Museum Archives, I came across this one about  the FO WR Bomber Plant and its "lean manufacturing" for that period in history.  I found the link interesting both from a construction point of view as well as from the manufacturing   and assembly aspect of a bomber based on automotive "assembly line technology."  Also on this link, are references to other facets of the FO WR facility.  Also referenced at the end of the article (page 4) is Warren B. Kidder's Book:  Willow Run: Colossus of American Industry.  This is an excellent book on the construction of the Willow Run Facility, but very hard to come by today.  Best Regards!   Steven
 
http://www.strategosinc.com/willow_run.htm
 

Nick, Steven:

I found this photo of a Liberator being painted at Willow Run. From this picture, it appears that the olive drab paint was applied first over a primer and then the neutral gray sprayed on. I would hazard a guess that the primer was gray and not zinc chromate, much like automotive primer. Note the green house and cockpit were masked off and probably pre-painted before being attached to the fuselage. I seem to remember seeing a photo of greenhouses stacked up before being fitted to fuselages somewhere.

From "Consolidated B-24 Liberator—Production Line to Frontline" by MIchael O'Leary
Caption: A liberator is painted at Ford's Willow Run plant. The B-24 could be completely camouflaged in Olive Drab and Neutral Gray by a skilled spray crew in just half an hour. Each of the painters wears respirators to protect against the effects of fumes. Also note how leading edges, engines and Plexiglas areas were covered in masking paper. The paint went on glossy but would dry to a dull finish.

I'll bet that half-hour time didn't include the masking off of the windows, engines, superchargers, etc.

Ken

I found this photo of a Liberator being painted at Willow Run. From this picture, it appears that the olive drab paint was applied first over a primer and then the neutral gray sprayed on. I would hazard a guess that the primer was gray and not zinc chromate, much like automotive primer.

    I thought the same about the grey undercoat; there was a medium grey product ( a surfacer rather than primer ) applied to external surfaces. A Technical Order ( 01-60HB-2 ) in the Erection and Maintenance Manual (actually referring to laminar flow wings on P-51s) says
(this is over the one coat of zinc chromate primer) 


Good Evening Ken and Nick,   In snooping around in my copious pile of notes, I came upon this  "one-liner" from 13DE43 which stated ""Shop Coat" of zinc chromate on skin sections discontinued....."  Further on, 12FE44, "First A/|C at Willow Run completed without camouflage paint."  To me, it seems that in general "Shop Coat" pertains to the "general assembly process" of the A/C's from the "E's" thru the "H's" wherein z/c was used.  However, Ken's posted photo and the few that I have would appear to contradict this.  I'm digging a bit deeper to see what else might surface.  Also, Ken is right about the "time element" for "masking off" and prepping for the painting.  Not to disagree with Mr. O'Leary, but I believe that calculation was taken from an "on-average" figure similar to the FO WR number of "a bomber an hour" at peak production in the spring/summer of 1944.  Best Regards!   Steven

Nick,   Thanks for the post.  Paints (and painting) was (is) not one of my areas of expertise from the FO WR Facility.  To me, it was "simply" a transition from OD to "clean skin."  In one of my "interviews" and having a "Rosie the Riveter" in our plant in 2004, she had made the comment that "during lunch time, she enjoyed walking throught the final assembly area and see the huge, shiney airplanes all lined up and ready to fly off somewhere."  That line of  clean skins was indeed impressive!  Attached is a typical photo.     Best Regards!  Steven
 

Steven,

What's the date on the "shiny" picture? (Does your file name indicate September 44?)  and can you hazard a guess at the AAF serial on the leading machine (ending in 545)

Rob

Having just posted a photo and nostalgic look at the FO WR Facility, now GM WR, I pulled up this post from the Thread: Tranversing the Bomb Bay at Altitude.  I was curious, due to my flight on the Collings foundation B-24, about the "limited space."  However, the attached copy speaks more to WR and The Witchcraft.  What follows is an excerpt from our plant newspaper, The Hydra-Life.
 
On Sunday, August 7, I had the experience of a lifetime, which not only further satisfied my passion for the history of the Willow Run built B-24 Liberator, but also showed me the meaning and value of “Preventative Maintenance.” This year’s Willow Run air show featured WWII era bombers of which one was the meticulously restored B-24J Liberator belonging to the Collings Foundation. It is the only true air-worthy Liberator remaining in the world today. Although this particular bomber was not originally built here, the “nose art” motif current for this year’s “air show” season was that of the most famous Willow Run built bomber, Witchcraft. I flew in this historic B-24 in the same air space through which the “greatest generation” took off for combat more than 60 years ago. Banking over the “Mother Plant” at 1000 ft. was one of the thrills of my life! This B-24H Liberator was built by Ford at Willow Run and eventually assigned to the 8th Air Force, 467th BG, 790 BS based in England. It was here that the Liberator took on its identity as Witchcraft. It holds the record among all B-24’s built during WWII for the most missions flown, 130, and for never having had an aircrew casualty or an aborted mission! Over time, it was flown by three different crews. This speaks volumes not only to the skill and “luck” of the airmen in combat, but also to the skill and dedication of the maintenance crews on the ground.
While waiting for my turn to fly in the B-24, I had the privilege to talk with one of the mechanics who serviced the actual plane in England. He related several stories, which he could remember, to our flight group, but two things stood out from his conversation: the importance of preventative maintenance as opposed to reactive (the record of non-aborts proves this), and the ability to have “available parts.” He smiled when he mentioned the latter because “available parts” under wartime conditions often meant, in his words, “appropriating parts from less fortunate planes (cannibalization).” He took pride in what he did to keep the young airmen safe and in the air.
Today in the 21st Century, Willow Run also has the opportunity to continue this tradition of maintenance excellence. This Plant has the ability to improve upon machine uptime and thus contribute to increased productivity. This requires planning, attention to detail, tenacity and good communication. From Witchcraft of the 1940’s to improved machine maintenance of today, Willow Run still has the “can do” attitude of its employees to accomplish great tasks on a daily basis. In peacetime as in wartime, the thread of history continues to flow through the Willow Run Plant.
 

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Came across an article tonight by Richard Grudens in an old copy of WWII History magazine entitled:  Henry Ford: Helped Lead American WWII Production Efforts.  It is a rather lengthy article, and will include only a paragraph about the FO WR Facility.  What I noticed about the paragraph was the Ford Final Production number of 86, 865.  In re-reading this, I really became confused as I wasn't sure what this number was.  The FO WR facility had a final number of 8,685 which included the KD's.  What else would this have included outside of WR or was this just a "fat-fingered" typo?
Best Regards!  Steven
 
'It was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that inspired Ford to begin a tremendous, all-out manufacturing effort. To the west of Dearborn, the giant Willow Run plant was built to produce B-24 Liberator bombers on an assembly line that was a mile long. The first bomber rolled off the line in May 1942, beginning the effective production of several hundred aircraft a month. Bombers were produced at the rate of one plane per hour, thereby confounding Ford's critics, who had called the plant undertaking "Willit Run." By the end of the war, Ford had built 86,865 complete aircraft, plus 57,851 airplane engines, thousands of engine superchargers and generators, and 4,291 military gliders."
 
 

Although the attachment is specific to a particular FO WR Lib, I'm also attaching it here in the event that those who may frequent only specific Threads may pick up on it and maybe have some recollection or background.  Thanks!  Best Regards!  Steven
 
On this sub-zero morning in AA, I was going though FO WR photos and  came across this one which I had seen before, but really never "looked at it."  I've attached the information listed on the "alpha-listing" page from the B24 Best Web, but still have a question  (blue) based on the photo and the specific text highlighted below in burgundy.
 
Based on the last statement,  Would I assume that this photo was taken at FO WR when it returned to the facility as a "war weary" for a P/R visit prior to going to Wrigh Field?  The mere fact that the background is FO WR and the photo OP layout is simil.  ar to others that I have, this would be a good assumption.  Also I do have other photos of "war wearies,"  but this one truly exibits it (note bomb bay roller doors).   I've scanned through a few more of my books, but didn't see any thing that jumped out at me.  The origial A/C was 165th into the Block build and was nothing out of the ordinary.  If anyone has any info, I'd appreciate it, but will continue looking in the meantime!  Best Regards!  Steven
 
 
 



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