Willow Run is an Albert Kahn-designed World War II bomber plant near Ypsilanti, Michigan. ", Demolition of the majority of the Willow Run facility began in December 2013. Davis, Larry, (1987), B-24 Liberator in Action - Aircraft No. The worksite Sorensen chose was a 1,875-acre Ford-owned tract that had been a farm camp for boys whose fathers were killed or disabled in World War I. Kahn had designed the Rouge and hundreds of other manufacturing facilities over a long and storied career. [21], By the end of 1943 there were six different temporary projects in the vicinity of Willow Run: two dormitory projects, two trailer projects (one renting trailers, and another for privately owned trailers; each with community laundry, shower, and toilet facilities), and two projects with apartments for couples or families, West Court and the Village. All Rights Reserved BNP Media. President Franklin D. Roosevelt referred to American industrys war production efforts as the Arsenal of Democracy. Willow Run perfectly symbolized Roosevelts memorable phrase. The remaining four hours were used to restock parts and change tooling. The skilled women who accomplished this work -- at Willow Run and elsewhere -- inspired the symbolic "Rosie the Riveter" character. Specialized employees -- riveters, for example -- received training in these classrooms as well. Kaiser-Frazer produced some 739,000 cars at Willow Run between 1947 and 1953, when the company acquired Willys-Overland and moved all operations to the Willys factory in Toledo, Ohio. FDRs goal exceeded the total of all planes built in the U.S. since the Wright brothers 1903 flight at Kitty Hawk, NC, and he challenged the aviation industry to match that number in succeeding years. Sorensen stayed up all night formulating a B-24 assembly process on the backs of Coronado Hotel placemats. we intend to restore a piece of the building, about 175,000 square feet. Access the "best of" at The Henry Ford and other great visit planning resources. Willow Run Bomber Plant - The Henry Ford This covered 90 parcels of land[20] totaling 2,641 acres (1,069ha).

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