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October 1942. The Consolidated Aircraft Corp. plant in Fort Worth, Texas. "Production. Halfway down the final line of a Western aircraft plant at which B-24 bombers and C-87 transports are made. This new transport, an adaptation of the B-24 bomber, is known as the C-87 and carries one of the greatest human or cargo loads of any plane now in mass production. It is built in a plant equipped with one of the best air conditioning and fluorescent lighting systems in the country." Photo by Howard Hollem for the Office of War Information. View full size.
I seem to remember that Earnest K Gann wrote that while they looked much the same, the B-24 was a fine plane, but the C-87 was a cow ... wildly underpowered for its rated payload.
The C-87?!? I'm befuddled. And I thought I knew every US aircraft of WWII. The lesson is: Never think you know enough.
It appears that something (a number?) has been scratched out or retouched on the first, third and fourth plane's noses, but is partly visible on the second (31?). An odd thing to be secretive about if you're showing the entire assembly process.
Wow, a whole two story office platform booth for each airplane? And file drawers full of paperwork... That's pretty amazing. Also seeing the partial aircraft with half wings is not what I'd expect to see in such a factory. I'd like to see more of this plant!
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