Shift change traffic near Connecticut’s United Aircraft Plant, 1941Pre-World War II Aircraft Production1
In 1939, U.S. military aircraft production was less than 3,000 planes. Earlier in the year, President Roosevelt appealed to Congress for funding to procure aircraft for the Army Air Corps which, at that time, only had about 1,700 planes. Congress authorized the procurement of 3,251 aircraft.
The Neutrality Act of 1939 allowed for arms trade with belligerent nations (Great Britain and France) on a cash-and-carry basis. By 1940, the British had ordered $1,200,000,000 worth of aircraft.
The American aircraft industry quickly adapted to the demands of war. In 1939 contracts assumed single shift production, but the factories soon moved to two- and then three-shift schedules.
Photograph information at the Library of Congress
Title: Congestion outside United Aircraft plant at afternoon change of shift. East Hartford Connecticut
Creator(s): Wolcott, Marion Post, 1910-1990, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1941 May-June.
Medium: 1 negative : nitrate ; 35 mm.
Reproduction Number: LC-USF33-031221-M5 (b&w film nitrate neg.) LC-DIG-fsa-8a44116 (digital file from original neg.)
Rights Advisory: No known restrictions. For information, see U.S. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black & White Photographs
Call Number: LC-USF33- 031221-M5 [P&P] LOT 1285 (corresponding photographic print)
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, DC 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Notes:
….Title and other information from caption card.
….Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944.
….More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.fsaowi
Library of Congress item permalink
Mike’s notes:
Image restoration note – This image has been digitally adjusted for one or more of the following:
– fade correction,
– color, contrast, and/or saturation enhancement
– selected spot and/or scratch removal
– cropped for composition and/or to accentuate subject matter
– straighten image
Image restoration is the process of using digital restoration tools to create new digital versions of the images while also improving their quality and repairing damage.
