Help Wanted: Making Airplanes in DeKalb, Illinois, in 1945

From the April 15, 2020, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1945, 75 Years Ago.

"PART TIME AND FULL TIME WORKERS WANTED IMMEDIATELY:

"Help an urgent war need and help yourself!  Whether or not you have ever had factory experience makes no difference.

"Here's your opportunity to to participate in the thrills of building aircraft and its components.  Even if you can just spend 4-5 fours a day let us have your name.

"Every man hour will help us keep ahead  of schedule.

"The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company."

I certainly was not aware of airplanes of any shape being made in DeKalb County during the war.

--GreGen

What World War II Can Teach Us About Fighting the Coronavirus-- Part 2: Scale, Speed and Success

The coronavirus calls for a different set of needed vital weapons to fight it than what was needed against the Axis.  World War II, however, played out over many years, the virus has really transformed lives across the world in just a matter of weeks.

American factories are not shut down because they are crippled.  They are shut down because workers need to keep their distance.  In 1941, most of the materials needed for the war effort were available right at home.  Now, those materials come from around the world.

Still, the way American industry mobilized for World War II was remarkable for its scale, speed and success.  This can likely be repeated in today's crisis.

--GreGen

What World War II Can Teach Us About Fighting the Coronavirus-- Part 1

From March 26, 2020, Wired  by Alex Davies.

With the fast spread of the virus, Ford has announced it won't be resuming production  of its trucks and SUVs.  However, they have started several projects  aimed at fighting the pandemic.  That means collaborating with 3M  on a new respirator design using stockpiled fans.  They are also working with GE Healthcare to increase production of ventilators.

In addition, Ford designers are producing  new sorts of transparent face shields to protect medical workers and first responders.  It hopes to soon be making  100,000 a week at a subsidiary
plant.

Tesla and GM are also helping.

This is similar to what the big companies did to battle the Axis.  They quickly switched from peace time production to war footing.  New factories were built.  Ford made aircraft (at its peak, turning out a B-24 bomber every  63 minutes at its Willow Run plant west of Detroit), Frigidaire made machine guns, lingerie factories churned out camouflage netting and parts made for vacuum cleaners went into gas masks.

Getting Big Business On Board.  --GreGen

Explosive Bits of Past Found in North Carolina

From the October 24, 2011, Charlotte (NC) Observer "Gaston search turns up explosive bits of history" by David Perlmutt and Cleve R. Wootson, Jr.

To bombs were found in Gaston County woods, possibly training devices left over from a World War II plant in Ranlo, 20 miles west of Charlotte.  One was found Friday and was turned over to Fort Bragg for detonation.

They are believed to be inactive and filled with sand or concrete and probably were used as practice bombs and likely made by the now-closed Cocker Machinery and Foundry Company.  A local resident has said that he worked at the factory during the war and they made devices used for training.

Some War Leftovers.  --GreGen