  Peachlaser Member Username: Peachlaser Post Number: 12 Registered: 08-2006 Posted From: 66.32.194.150 |
My father used to tell a lot of stories about working in the automobile plants during the 1930's, 1940's and early 1950's. He referred to Henry Ford as 'Old Man Ford'. In one of his stories (as I remember it) my father recounted seeing Old Man Ford giving a tour of the plant to Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart. I have been unable to determine if all three were together. Not that I discount my father's story, but I am trying to verify my memory. Anyone have any comments on this? My father's first job for Ford was building a part for the Ford Tri-motor aircraft. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 554 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 205.188.116.137 |
I know Lindberg was at Ford Airport (just outside of Greenfield Village). Not sure about Earhart or if they were there at the same time. You may want to contact the Benson Ford Research Center at Greenfield Village: http://www.hfmgv.org/research/ photo/default.asp If anyone can find the answer, they can. if they were there at the same time, the research center probably has pictures, too. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 238 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 69.136.155.244 |
Lindbergh visited Detroit and Shelby Township on August 15, 1929. [source] Even though that Aug. 16, 1929 Detroit News article only mentions him visiting Packard facilities, this could possibly be a data point for your search. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 170 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 66.184.3.44 |
Lindberg worked as an aviation specialist at Willow Run during WWII and was living in Bloomfield Hills at the time. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1525 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 66.2.148.108 |
Amelia Earhart had an endorsement deal with Hudon Motors, so she probably visited Detroit a few times for that.  Here she is posing with her new 1932 Hudson Terraplane. Lindbergh's mother lived in Detroit, so he was here many times. For many photos of Ford and Lindbergh together go to this link and do a search for Lindbergh, about 40 images. No photos of all three. Virtual Motor City (Message edited by Hornwrecker on August 29, 2006) | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1905 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.228.57.79 |
Detroitej72, Willow Run was built after production of the Tri-motor airplane stopped. However that does bring up an interesting convergence in Ypsilanti: Ypsi is/was home to the last Hudson dealer in the country. Ypsi is also the nearest city to the Willow Run plant and airport. Maybe they met at Willow Run? That still doesn't answer the problem of the Tri-motor ceasing production before the Willow Run plant. Peachlaser, did your father work at the Tri-motor plant (likely in Dearborn near the Ford Airport [incidentally it predates City Airport by 5 years and was the Detroit area's first commercial airport until City Airport]) when this meeting happened, or could it have happened at Willow Run? This is starting to become like an episode of the History Detectives! | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1527 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 66.2.148.108 |
I found this mention of Amelia Earhart in Detroit:
http://www.aviation-history.co m/airmen/earhart-Autogiro.htm | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2720 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.81.74 |
Lest we forget.... Lindberg was born in Detroit... not sure if it was in a hospital or at his family home, which has since been razed. | ||
Peachlaser Member Username: Peachlaser Post Number: 13 Registered: 08-2006 Posted From: 66.245.115.9 |
I know that my father worked at Willow Run sometime but I do not know exactly when. My mother also worked for a brief time building the tail sections of B-29s during WWII. Were those built at Willow Run? My father used to say that he worked at the "bummer plant". He also said that all the bright metal with lights reflecting off of it is what "ruined" his eyes. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 240 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 69.136.155.244 |
bummer plant = bomber plant, ie. Willow Run Plant, which built the B-24 Liberty Bomber (also known as the Liberator Bomber). Groundbreaking for the Willow Run bomber plant took place in April of 1941 and the last B-24 was built there in June 1945. By September [1941], the Ford Willow Run B-24 Liberty Bomber plant had been completed, with 3.5 million square feet of factory space, the largest in the world. Charles Lindbergh called it the Grand Canyon of the mechanized world. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1542 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 140.244.107.151 |
Charles Lindbergh was indeed born in Detroit.... Lucky Lindy and his ties to Detroit "... Charles was born Feb. 4, 1902, in his uncle Edwin's three story brownstone at 1220 West Forest. ..." http://info.detnews.com/histor y/story/index.cfm?id=153&categ ory=people | ||
Peachlaser Member Username: Peachlaser Post Number: 14 Registered: 08-2006 Posted From: 66.32.175.129 |
All of this is very intersting. Thank you everyone. Yes, Mikeg, I realized that 'bummer' was bomber. Have a funny story about a friend who called police about a 'bum' hanging out on his front porch. The police sent the bomb squad! Seeing the Spirit of St. Louis hanging from the ceiling of the Ford Museum at Greenfiled Village makes a lot of sense now. Back in my sportscar photojournalism/web days, I made a visit to the museum. The website is focused on Ford's racing history as the audience was meant for fans of sportscar racing. The statements about Panoz, another Atlanta name, were meant to show their place in this history. Here's the link... http://members.aol.com/cybermo tor/ford_museum.html I am not a pilot (yet) but have always liked aviation. Once worked on a project where we were working on a prototype wind-powered electrical generator that had blades designed and built by Burt Rutan back in the mid-late 70's. So when Rutan was headed for space, I built a page... http://www.lasersol.com/air_wa ter/rutan/rutan_space.html | ||
31ford Member Username: 31ford Post Number: 278 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 65.35.101.203 |
William Stout & Ford got together and built the Tri-Motor around 1927-30. Production facilities were at the old Ford airport, now the proving grounds(well since about 1929) Lindbergh was an 'advisor' at the Willow Run plant as stated above. Rumor has it no one would hire him, he was purported to be a Nazi sympathizer. Lindbergh drove Franklins. One of which was/is on display at the Henry Ford Museum. On a related note- Henry Ford's 'man' Harry Bennett also drove a Franklin. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 584 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 205.188.116.137 |
Ford was also a Nazi sympathizer, as proven in his newspaper. Ford was a huge anti-semitic and didn't hide it. He also sent Hitler a birthday gift...the thank you note from Hitler is part of Henry Ford Museum collection, although it isn't on display. | ||
Renf Member Username: Renf Post Number: 44 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.43.197.95 |
It is interesting that there is no historical marker at 1220 West Forest in Detroit to commemorate the birthplace of Charles Lindberg. I wonder if there are reasons for that apparent ommission? Isn't the airport in San Diego named for him? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2737 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.105.198 |
OK, now I'm confused... isn't the Spirit of St. Louis hanging in the Washington D.C. Smithsonian Space & Aeronautics Museum? | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1924 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 134.215.223.211 |
The original is in the Smithsonian. There are several replicas of the plane. The one at the Henry Ford is likely one. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 2792 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
The Tri-motor was built from 1926-1933. Lindbergh wasn't famous until 1927. Earhart disappeared in 1937. Does that help narrow it down? | ||
Wkl Member Username: Wkl Post Number: 82 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 204.180.211.40 |
The Spirt of St Louis replica in the Henry Ford was one of the ones used in the movie with Jimmy Steward. |
