Coffee and donuts video: how Chrysler built a tank factory before or during WW2, and used a steam locomotive to heat it... which was a clever, fast, and portable heating unit.
During that same period there were shortages of engines capable of powering a heavy tank. This led to one of the most creative and complicated engines of the era, the Chrysler A57 Multibank, which was five 6-cylinder flatheads connected via sun-gear to a common shaft and jammed into early M3 and M4 tanks. Imagine the tune-up hassle on that 30-cylinder nightmare.
Jesse This was a really kool video. I retired from General Dynamics about 8 years ago. When I hired in (1977) it was Chrysler Defense Engineering but in about 1981 General Dynamics bought us out to help save the car division ( a Lee Iacocca decision I think). I did not work at the tank plant but I worked at a manufacturing building about 5 miles away. We manufactured most of the electrical parts for the tank at our building. I have many memories of delivering parts to the tank plant and I actually worked there on a couple of Saturdays for over time lol. Let me tell you —- that place was massive! I usually entered the building through a large back door that was used for the trains to enter the building which is clearly visible in the video . That in itself was a very impressive site to me. The magnitude of the machinery was what caught my eye the first time I entered the building. They also had a small test track on the side of the building where they tested the M60 which went into production around 1960 I think. I also got to witness the development of the M1 which went into production around 1980. I actually saw the first wooden mock-up of it as they wheeled it by the tool crib that I was in charge of. It was built in a secret room , so the day they brought it out of the room for all of us to see was pretty amazing. I was just a material handler so I didn’t have anything to do with building the vehicles but I felt good about my contribution anyway. Later in my career I transferred to a logistics center and traveled to various military sites and assisted the “driver mechanics” in doing modifications on the tanks. Driver mechanics are actually highly trained employees who are certified to drive the tank and also do repairs or modifications on the vehicles. It was on one of these trips that I actually got to ride in a tank. I sat in the gunners seat. Let me say this — wow it was quite the experience. Our family is now a third generation employee of tank builders. My father worked there when the war started, I hired in there in 1977 and 15 years ago I was able to get my son a job there (nepotism ? Maybe) lol but we’re all proud of what we do. Thanks again for posing this. Oh by the way— the plant closed in about 1996 and is now gone. They have replaced it with a large industrial complex. They still build the tanks in the Lima Ohio plant which I believe started as a depot during the war. On a side note my son is going to the Lima plant today to check out a wooden crate he designed and built for some experimental parts. Ok I babbeled on long enough. I just wanted to share some info you might not have already, Ray
During that same period there were shortages of engines capable of powering a heavy tank. This led to one of the most creative and complicated engines of the era, the Chrysler A57 Multibank, which was five 6-cylinder flatheads connected via sun-gear to a common shaft and jammed into early M3 and M4 tanks. Imagine the tune-up hassle on that 30-cylinder nightmare.
ReplyDeleteJesse
ReplyDeleteThis was a really kool video. I retired from General Dynamics about 8 years ago. When I hired in (1977) it was Chrysler Defense Engineering but in about 1981 General Dynamics bought us out to help save the car division ( a Lee Iacocca decision I think).
I did not work at the tank plant but I worked at a manufacturing building about 5 miles away. We manufactured most of the electrical parts for the tank at our building. I have many memories of delivering parts to the tank plant and I actually worked there on a couple of Saturdays for over time lol. Let me tell you —- that place was massive! I usually entered the building through a large back door that was used for the trains to enter the building which is clearly visible in the video . That in itself was a very impressive site to me. The magnitude of the machinery was what caught my eye the first time I entered the building. They also had a small test track on the side of the building where they tested the M60 which went into production around 1960 I think. I also got to witness the development of the M1 which went into production around 1980. I actually saw the first wooden mock-up of it as they wheeled it by the tool crib that I was in charge of. It was built in a secret room , so the day they brought it out of the room for all of us to see was pretty amazing.
I was just a material handler so I didn’t have anything to do with building the vehicles but I felt good about my contribution anyway.
Later in my career I transferred to a logistics center and traveled to various military sites and assisted the “driver mechanics” in doing modifications on the tanks. Driver mechanics are actually highly trained employees who are certified to drive the tank and also do repairs or modifications on the vehicles.
It was on one of these trips that I actually got to ride in a tank. I sat in the gunners seat. Let me say this — wow it was quite the experience.
Our family is now a third generation employee of tank builders. My father worked there when the war started, I hired in there in 1977 and 15 years ago I was able to get my son a job there (nepotism ? Maybe) lol but we’re all proud of what we do.
Thanks again for posing this.
Oh by the way— the plant closed in about 1996 and is now gone. They have replaced it with a large industrial complex. They still build the tanks in the Lima Ohio plant which I believe started as a depot during the war. On a side note my son is going to the Lima plant today to check out a wooden crate he designed and built for some experimental parts. Ok I babbeled on long enough. I just wanted to share some info you might not have already,
Ray
Wow! Great family history! Do you have any photos of your dad, or you working with the tanks, or cars, etc?
DeleteThanks, Ray.
ReplyDelete