Studebaker and the Memphis Belle

[Mark L]

I saw "Sentimental Journey" at Indianapolis - Eagle Creek airport about 20 years ago, and it had a couple of Studebaker-made engines then.

[JBOYLE]

Likewise the EAA's "Aluminum overcast". Two or Three stude engines last time I saw it.

With all due respect to Col. Morgan...he may have just been playing the snob.
If you didn't have a Studebaker car, I could see how one might be prejudiced against the Stude-made engines based on the name alone.
After all...if your life depended on the engines....would you rather have them made by a famous aircraft motor company (the outfit that made Lindbergh's Wright J-5) or a small (compared to Ford, GM and Chrysler) car company?

Let's play make-belive for a minute...if I was a B-1B pilot and had the choice of 4 jets made by either GE (the designer) or Chevy...I'd go with GE. I'm not a Chevy fan.

[Welcome]

I think a lot of parts were supplied to Studebaker by Curtiss Wright, but not all. I believe that just about everything that needed to be machined or finished machine work was done by Studebaker; however I'm not sure if rough castings were done by Studebaker or CW. When the Chippewa Plant was built the entire basement was intended to be just a giant machine shop while the upper level was the assembly floor. The factory movie "Answer to the Axis" shows all this stuff in detail.

What 'entire basement'???

I worked in that former Studebaker Aviation Plant for nearly 20 years and explored pretty much every inch of it. The only what could be called a 'basement' is under the Test Cells on the north end. However, AM General did use that 'basement' to weld together and then machine control arms for the M151 "Jeeps" we were building throughout the 70's.

[Chris_Dresbach]

What 'entire basement'???

I worked in that former Studebaker Aviation Plant for nearly 20 years and explored pretty much every inch of it. The only what could be called a 'basement' is under the Test Cells on the north end. However, AM General did use that 'basement' to weld together and then machine control arms for the M151 "Jeeps" we were building throughout the 70's.

Well, yeah. I know the plant does not have a "complete" basement but for what it was in Studebaker's time, it was a machine shop. Nothing goes on down there now. The loading docks are still there but the outside access stair wells have been filled in with gravel. The other access points in the test cell hall are still there.

Jim, was there a tunnel there at one time that connected the basement/aviation to plant 8?

[SN-60]

I wonder how many of those engine changes were due to flak or errors on the part of the pilot/crew?

I'm sure the only 'changes' the pilot and crew made concerned their underwear!!!!

[Welcome]

>>>Jim, was there a tunnel there at one time that connected the basement/aviation to plant 8?

Yes there was.

That tunnel ran the 200 or so yards from the far northeast corner of the Aviation Plant to the southwest corner of Plant 8. It was similar in size to those you'll find under the Aviation Plant and like those tunnels; its purpose was to run steam pipes, electrical cables, etc.

[Deaf Mute]

The B-17 at Boeing Field in Seattle has at least one Studebaker radial in it. The one at the museum between Omaha and Lincoln does not.

[StudeDave57]

I'm sure the only 'changes' the pilot and crew made concerned their underwear!!!!

My comment went so far over your head- I think it may have set an altitude record!!!!

The point I was trying to make is this--
I wanna know how many engines were changed due to damage by the crew or flak. A number that high may very well have been because of stuff other then the engines themselves. Anyone who has ever maintained an aircraft would know that there are many many reasons to change an engine. They'd also know that in most cases- the pilots and crew don't do the maintenance and as such don't usually treat their aircraft very well. They aren't the ones who have to fix them if they break.
Nor would the folks shooting at the BIG BAD B-17s...

but that is a completly different topic for another day and Forum.




StudeDave '57

[SN-60]

To: Stude Dave,-----COME ON WILL YOU??? That was a JOKE Dave. Can You say J-O-K-E?????? Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzz!!

[StudeDave57]

The B-17 at Boeing Field in Seattle has at least one Studebaker radial in it.

I'll have to get down there before that one rots away...

http://warbirdinformationexchange.or...it=seattle+mof



StudeDave '57

[StudeDave57]

To: Stude Dave,-----COME ON WILL YOU??? That was a JOKE Dave. Can You say J-O-K-E?????? Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzz!!

There are a few things I rarely joke about- one of them is aviation maintenance.

I was not joking- I was asking a serious question.





StudeDave '57

[SN-60]

To: StudeDave57,--- Oh!..I get it now....You probably work/worked for Boeing......A relative of Mine works for them now....He helped design the new 'composite' wing for the new 777 (?) airplane.

[StudeDave57]

To: StudeDave57,--- Oh!..I get it now....You probably work/worked for Boeing......

Nope- Dad worked for the 'Lazy B' not me. yet.
However I did spend 20 years in the NAVY.
About 19 of those years saw me being the guy fixing broke birds...




StudeDave '57

[SN-60]

To: StudeDave57,------I complement You for Your Military Service!!

[studeski]

Likewise the EAA's "Aluminum overcast". Two or Three stude engines last time I saw it.

With all due respect to Col. Morgan...he may have just been playing the snob.
If you didn't have a Studebaker car, I could see how one might be prejudiced against the Stude-made engines based on the name alone.
After all...if your life depended on the engines....would you rather have them made by a famous aircraft motor company (the outfit that made Lindbergh's Wright J-5) or a small (compared to Ford, GM and Chrysler) car company?

Let's play make-belive for a minute...if I was a B-1B pilot and had the choice of 4 jets made by either GE (the designer) or Chevy...I'd go with GE. I'm not a Chevy fan.

I was gonna chime in on this a while back but forgot. I flew on the Aluminum Overcast in 2001, but, sad to say, it is no more.

http://www.standard.net/topics/plane...ashes-illinois