In the process of reading the book:
The Wartime Journals of Charles A. Lindbergh, much time is devoted to Lindbergh's friendship to Henry Ford and his subsequent employment by Ford to help "kick start" the
FO WR Facility as it lagged behind its aggressive timeline to produce its first A/C. (Keep in mind that the very first B-24E which came out the hangar door in May 1942 was actually a kit from
CO assembled at
FO WR.) Lindbergh saw the need early on for many changes in the design of the Lib from the point of view of those who would fly in it. I have attached one such selection which I have included from another Thread. He also saw the extreme weakness in firepower especially from the nose as well as armour plating improvement, strengthening the nose wheel, removing the in-flight shimmy, improving hydraulics, etc. As production increased, engineering blocks became a way of life. Best Regards! Steven
In the book:
Wartime Journals of Charles A. Lindbergh (Harcourt-Brace, 1970), in speaking about concerns with the initial design of many facets of the B-24 Liberator, Lindbergh speaks on pp. 641-642 about the automatic deployment of life rafts. (Keep in mind that Lindbergh, a close friend and associate of Henry Ford, was hired by Ford in early 1942 as a "Consultant" to the
FO WR Facility in order to expedite the start of production for the B-24E. As an aviator unfamiliar with the mass production techniques of Ford, he was in a "learning curve" during which he found many engineering and design changes that needed to be incorporated into the A/C).
"Found that no break cord or sea anchor is attached to the B-24 life rafts. When the emergency life-raft release is pulled, the carbon-dioxide inflation bottle is turned on, and the raft is catapulted away from the fuselage. The slightest wind would blow it over the water faster than the crew could swim after it; and since there is almost always a wind at sea, it is most likely that the crew would ever reach their life raft after they were catapulted. The idea of the catapult is that the B-24 would sink so fast after landing on water that the only hope of getting to a life raft would be to catapult it away from the ship immediately upon striking the water." This is just one of many recommendations that Lindbergh had made to the AAF early on. In the attached B-24E photo, taken at
FO WR almost a year later than the above quote (12MY42), you can see an employee on the right working on the "life-raft hatch" at the Final Assembly "K" Line just after the "Tax Turn."
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Attachment (1) _____________________________