[Stu Norman]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hamlin

I don't think it would have been good buisness not to.....

They didn't have a choice. The government was able to order GM (and everyone else) to stop civilian production and only produce wartime products. They also told the various companies what to build.

As the story goes, the government wanted GM to participate in the B-29 consortium. GM really didn't want to, arguing that they were already at 100% capacity with the other stuff they were making. GM got the bright idea that if they had a project that was just as important to the war effort as the B-29 maybe they could convince the government they shouldn't be in the B-29 program.

Enter the Fisher P-75 Eagle. (Body by Fisher)

After searching around a bit, they decided to build a fighter plane. Since GM didn't have a lot of experience building fighters, they decided that using existing parts would help. They took 2 Allison V-12s and mated them together, placed the engine behind the pilot (much like a P-39), and added counter-rotating propellers. They used the P-40 wings, F4U landing gear and an A-24 tail.

The resulting plane was a miserable failure and the program was canceled late 1944.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/fac...et.asp?id=2221

[citydesk175]

When I started at GM in the 70's, I met a millwright who had started his apprenticeship in 45, just in time to enjoy the transition to peace time manufacturing.

His first job at the plant was to destroy, torch and bury more than half the Starrett, Browne & Sharpe, and Lufkin precision tools in the entire plant with special emphasis for the stuff new in the box. I was stunned at this cause I knew how much precision tools cost. "Why?" I asked.

It was because the precision tool manufacturers had surged their production at the War Department's request and since no one could predict how long WWII would last, the manufacturers made about a 50 year supply in 3 years with the stipulation that when Peace came the excess would be destroyed and not stockpiled otherwise the companies would go bankrupt for lack of a market and their highly skilled workers would be cast adrift.

The lesson from this is that the above listed production was the result of a large population of skilled workers, and general purpose machines and lines at the plants.

Once the plants acquired more specialized equipment and became more economic in their production facilities, they lost the ability to surge by converting to other products.

And the lack of skilledtrades of all kinds impedes the ability to convert from cars to tanks.

GM is short on the skills that are necessary. China prolly has plenty so watch out.

Regards
Citydesk175

[citydesk175]

http://www.hill.af.mil/library/facts...et.asp?id=5700

[cuz68]

The best post that I have seen in the loby in a long time, Thanks for the info.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Stu Norman

They didn't have a choice. The government was able to order GM (and everyone else) to stop civilian production and only produce wartime products. They also told the various companies what to build.

As the story goes, the government wanted GM to participate in the B-29 consortium. GM really didn't want to, arguing that they were already at 100% capacity with the other stuff they were making. GM got the bright idea that if they had a project that was just as important to the war effort as the B-29 maybe they could convince the government they shouldn't be in the B-29 program.

Enter the Fisher P-75 Eagle. (Body by Fisher)

After searching around a bit, they decided to build a fighter plane. Since GM didn't have a lot of experience building fighters, they decided that using existing parts would help. They took 2 Allison V-12s and mated them together, placed the engine behind the pilot (much like a P-39), and added counter-rotating propellers. They used the P-40 wings, F4U landing gear and an A-24 tail.

The resulting plane was a miserable failure and the program was canceled late 1944.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/fac...et.asp?id=2221

This is very interesting. This plane could have been faster and addressed a few problems the Corsair had inherent in its design, like landing!