P-40s made in St Louis?

[OldGeezer]

I'm trying to confirm something that was said in the paperwork that was submitted to get the old Curtiss-Wright plant in St Louis (later McDonnell-Douglas and finally Boeing) onto the National Register of Historic Places, about P-40 production, that directly contradicts what various other sources say. Here's what the application says: "On April 27, 1939, the United States War Department announced a $12,872,898 contract awarded to C-W for 524 Curtiss P-40 planes—the largest single contract since the end of World War I. Of the 84 American plants making planes, only 23 (including Curtiss-Wright) produced military models. In order to expedite production, the Allies advanced funds to a handful of companies including Curtiss, Douglas, Bell, Lockheed, Martin, Boeing, and others. At this time C-W managed two other factories in Buffalo, New York, and Columbus, Ohio (Louisville, Kentucky would open in 1942); the work was split among the three. Then in May of 1940, at the original St. Louis factory, the first P-40s left the production line with 200 delivered to the United States Army by September; the remaining 324 were deferred so that C-W could complete 140 H81As (export P-40s) for Allied Forces in France. With the subsequent German invasion of France during the summer of 1940, those planes were sent to England to help the Allied cause."

Other sources say that all P-40s were made in Buffalo. Photos of the St Louis plant during WW2 show AT-9s and A-25s and CW-22s and the XP-55 but no P-40s. Does anybody know for sure whether the statement in that application is accurate or not?

 

[Vincenzo]

For the Statistical Digest, as you wrote, the P-40 were accepted only from Buffalo, it report AT-9, C-46, A-25, not specified Navy trainer built a St Louis and 36 Others for the Army.
Columbus built only recce and light bombers for the navy

 

[OldGeezer]

For the Statistical Digest, as you wrote, the P-40 were accepted only from Buffalo, it report AT-9, C-46, A-25, not specified Navy trainer built a St Louis and 36 Others for the Army.
Columbus built only recce and light bombers for the navy

I tracked down the source of the info and it turned out to be a book published nearly 50 years ago, so I ordered a copy and I'll see what it says. But I'm sure you're right. Thanks!

 

[Conslaw]

One of the interesting things about how the US geared up its arms industry is how flexible it was in arrangements for the construction of the plant. Sometimes the government owned the plant. Sometimes the company owned the plant and leased it to the government. There were all kinds of variations, all of them designed to provide the capitol to build huge facilities in ridiculously short periods of time. Today's policy makers need to study this to find out what possibilities are there to put capital to work in solving problems immediately.

 

[OldGeezer]

One of the interesting things about how the US geared up its arms industry is how flexible it was in arrangements for the construction of the plant. Sometimes the government owned the plant. Sometimes the company owned the plant and leased it to the government. There were all kinds of variations, all of them designed to provide the capitol to build huge facilities in ridiculously short periods of time. Today's policy makers need to study this to find out what possibilities are there to put capital to work in solving problems immediately.

The building where I started my time at McDonnell Douglas / Boeing in 1979, and ended it 37 years later, has been vacated by the Company now and is listed with a property management company for leasing. If that doesn't pan out, I hear that it's going to be bulldozed. It's the building where the F-101 and F-4 and F-15 were designed, and it's a shame to think about it being gone forever.

 

[Jack Kellbach]

The building where I started my time at McDonnell Douglas / Boeing in 1979, and ended it 37 years later, has been vacated by the Company now and is listed with a property management company for leasing. If that doesn't pan out, I hear that it's going to be bulldozed. It's the building where the F-101 and F-4 and F-15 were designed, and it's a shame to think about it being gone forever.

For the Statistical Digest, as you wrote, the P-40 were accepted only from Buffalo, it report AT-9, C-46, A-25, not specified Navy trainer built a St Louis and 36 Others for the Army.
Columbus built only recce and light bombers for the navy

The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was built in Columbus. Wouldn't exactly call that a 'light' bomber!

 

[Vincenzo]

probably is so called in the Statistical Digest, if you known the location of others factory that built those called from the Navy Scout Bomber i can check

 

[XBe02Drvr]

The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was built in Columbus. Wouldn't exactly call that a 'light' bomber!

Well it sure isn't in a class with a PB4Y or PBJ1.

 

[MiTasol]

At this time C-W managed two other factories in Buffalo, New York, and Columbus, Ohio (Louisville, Kentucky would open in 1942);

Curtiss actually had two factories in Buffalo at that stage. The main factory and the Kenmore Road factory. Each had its own inspection department and inspection stamps.

Source The Hawk's Nest - An Online Resource for the P-40 Warhawk

 

[OldGeezer]

Bought the 1974 book, read it, and it doesn't say anything about any P-40s being built in St Louis. So the proposal for the National Register of Historic Places just got it wrong, but I got to read an interesting book, so that's good too!