BUILDING A TANK WWII M-3 MEDIUM TANK PRODUCTION DETROIT TANK ARSENAL & FORT KNOX

[Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] a cornfield in 1940 today the world's greatest tank Arsenal with more than 10,000 workers on this track one mile long and built in the figure-eight the products of the Arsenal are tested the Panzer onslaught against the Low Countries in France saw the great French army ill-equipped to deal with such an attack paralyzed and slashed to ribbons by a new and terrible instrument the tank the rapid tactical move the deep envelopment then pursuit the exploitation of the breakthrough old words with a new import the tanks moved 150 miles a day deep into enemy territory to the very heart of enemy resistance repeated the process day after day the speed of the tank makes defense against it difficult anti-tank guns cannot be moved into position fast enough to be abuse the guns must be mounted on tanks of the same mobility and having the same protection as those attacking them to make an invincible army we need machines trucks planes and tanks tens even hundreds of thousands for these we must go to the assembly lines of the nation with the lessons of warfare in Europe plain to see a tremendous expansion of tank building capacity has taken place here in the Detroit tank Arsenal the world's first great tank Arsenal devoted entirely to the mass production of the tank we forged the armaments of victory to wage a desperate war the immense resources of our industrial plant and the incomparable skill of the American worker have mobilized to meet a supreme test under this vast roof we create the rolling ports of armored steel the fighting tank with great firepower fitting the American policy of aggressive mobile warfare production in Factory and Arsenal begins far behind the assembly lines it starts with the machine from drafting board and planning room come models charts drawings blueprints and designs designs for the lathe to machine the rotor ring of the cupola for easy rotation giving the tank complete all-round firing range designs for calipers and micrometers instruments to test require tolerances for the greatest precision is demanded here is the housing for the powerful 75 s a mini at your forked having its own artillery to smash resistance as it blasts its way to the enemy rear the tank with its force and scope is capable of carrying on a small war all alone here the planers rough cut the wheel suspension on which the tank will be suspended the heat of the tool against the armored steel hard tough steel requiring good machine tools tougher than the material they mill a thousand heavy automatic machines 8,000 tools gauges and fixtures had to be designed built installed to get the tanks rolling and thousands of workers had to retrain for exacting skills all paying willing tribute to a great tradition to the long recorded achievement of American gun Smith's artisans mechanics to the tool builders of New England New York Philadelphia Cleveland Cincinnati Detroit Milwaukee in the West from 1920 to 1935 around 30 tanks were built in the United States these were all development or pilot tanks made for experimental purposes the sudden creation of a vast citizen army and the lessons of warfare in Europe brought a great expansion of tank building capacity but largest initial plans and orders were these have been doubled and quadrupled in the face of world conflict today the most advanced methods of industrial production the most modern in tool and machinery design are joined together in an epic struggle to determine the destiny of free people everywhere again precision is the watchword an error of a hairsbreadth may mean the difference between life and death for seven soldiers will be called upon to man this giant of destruction teeth are cut into the cupola rotary ring motor driven the turret of which this forms the base will turn a complete circle a complete arc of withering fire can be shot from the 37 millimeter gun soon to be mounted in it teeth - for the master gear cut into hard strong steel the mesh and drive the tank forward these lends speed in bite to the attack the modern tank is a complex mechanical marvel making of it involves the utmost ingenuity and correlation of manufacturing effort we're building uncounted numbers of these machines putting them to work the labor with free men fighting for what they cherish men and machines are the backbone of the crusade to rid the world of tyranny the hope and promise of the future before actual manufacturing could begin plant layouts had to be made the necessary building space provided the proper tools and other equipment brought together materials requisitioned procured assembled all for the single purpose of making tanks giant multiple drills of sufficient weight and size to machine the heavy parts boring dozens of holes in one downward motion had to be designed and built here are the gears and flywheels of the punch press in one of dozens of departments making parts which flow to the main assembly into the finished tank the oxygen pantograph torch cutting out the sprocket gears that will guide the caterpillar tracks these are cut in triplicate from spring 1942 the 1941 Battle of Livia was only 18 months but it was long enough for American mass production to fill our Army's first tank requirements and have some left for our allies now the waste metal sheet is removed the material will be reclaimed melted down used again the tips of the sprockets are flame hardened minimum weight is essential it increases speed gives additional mobility and difficult terrain high alloy Steel's are used which are heat treated to develop their full strength the standard of workmanship required is high a vehicle must be built whose ultimate employment is the roughest usage a tank is expected to traverse rutted fields and tangled woods splash across an bridged streams have its full weight flown upon itself 28 tons of steel hitting solid earth that is speed in excess of 25 miles an hour and come through solid and steady and asking for more strength is the key note and to guarantee that strength the master gear is oil quenched another oil bath fissures the hardness of the white suspension arms unlike the average industrial plant evolved as changing requirements are met the tank Arsenal had to be planned down to the smallest detail but from blueprints to finished plant the job was accomplished in seven months not only that in this brief space of time the first completely assembled tank was delivered to army officials from hundreds of suppliers come steel rubber aluminum and tin hub forgings heavy gear driveshaft pinion gas oil and electric gauges helical Springs electrical panels fuse boxes and meters from these vast stockpiles materials flow to scores of sub assemblies reaching their proper places each at the proper time 10,000 parts 20,000 parts 30,000 parts 30,000 parts to make one engine of destruction it begins to take form sidewall and rear panel are mounted on the whole the tank has no chassis no frame only armor plate plate that furnishes protection from enemy fire and serves as structural frame as well overhead cranes support the great hydraulic riveters that meld the pieces by pressure alone dozens of tanks go together at one time rolling from stage to stage on three production lines the shield before part of the tank heavier plate armors are made of a destroyer to make a land battleship a roaring plunging vehicle of death a weapon come of age taking its proper place besides the airplane and the naval vessel and here is the turret for the 75 millimeter cannon the wheel suspension later come the insolation the operating levers transmissions oil and gas tanks electric wiring and piping instruments the crane hoists the completed hull moving it along the line where it will gather strength power drive the final drive built to withstand the shock of enemy fire smash whatever obstacles it meets the greatest precision is necessary to meet required tolerances there can be no shims in fitting the engine supports no mechanisms attached to the armor plate the powerplant a radial type air-cooled airplane engine the force of flying horses hitched to the earth so that this weapon can run swiftly to the attack again the final drive an instrument of terrible punishment but wars are not won by absorbing punishment they're won by giving it to the opposing forces the engine fits in to the rear of the machine taking up surprisingly little room here is the pent-up force that will plunge the monster headlong into battle to deliver its staggering blows the 37-millimeter motor-driven revolving turret a fortress swinging a complete circle of raking fire destined soon to shelter men steel and shrapnel to hurl at the tyrant pole here the claws of Steel uncoiled the caterpillar track rubber treads vulcanized on steel plates the development of the caterpillar track is one of the essential mechanical advances that made the modern tank possible it lies open on the Assembly floor waiting to draw on the huge body it will supply sufficient traction to enable the machine to operate over the roughest terrain the Giants legs the bogie wheels alignment on the final assembly line is maintained by letting these wheels run in a groove crack on the floor of the shop the wheels run onto the twins a machine full-grown at last ready to roll off the front of the line under its own power ready to pull the next tank into place without a moment's pause thirty thousand separate parts covered by nearly six thousand drawings go into the making of this backbone of the Army's spiking power an American concept an American accomplishment representing the best integrated experience ability and intelligence of American industry and the American army the 75 millimeter cannon adds to the tank weapon capable of firing high-explosive shells shrapnel and smoke shells it furnishes direct light artillery support for tank and other mechanized units making a fearful dreadnought of destruction a rolling fork to challenge the aggressors massive steel turrets Mada 37 millimeter gun curling armor-piercing projectiles adding still more for deadly on the ground deadly in the air when used for anti-aircraft work the final inspection line here the working parks are tested for faulty application there's no room for mistakes picked up in the air and started toward its final destination the lives of men and the fates of nations suspended in the balance the Arsenal's task is done the tanks are combat ready production now is not a promise but effect gigantic real a solemn answer and a pledge the pledge of minds and hands of men who have a special kinship with machines production is a line of battle and productions battle line must drive ahead [Music] to make certain there's no faltering along this line every civilian plant that can is being converted for the production of war materiel and more and more factories are scheduled for production the tank is folded down covered with a tarpaulin ready for shipment shipment to Asia to Africa to the Middle East to the ancient fields of Europe to the far-flung shores on which embattled allies stand [Music] when the final piece has been applied the tank goes through a 65-mile operation tests made by inspectors of long experienced men who can detect unusual noises even above the normal Rumble inside the machine an ordnance test of 10 miles follows before the tank is finally accepted night and day this work goes on here as in thousands of other factories throughout the country toiling ceaselessly to produce the instruments of destruction for a nation in the grip of total war the Detroit tank Arsenal is only one of many great plants turning out the medium tank a series of transformations from cornfields Knowles mighdal factories - humming production lines has been going on more and more factories are scheduled for construction as the vast plants and experience of the automobile industry are converted from peacetime manufacture to the pressing needs of these grim hours what knucks headquarters of the armored forces of the nation on practice field simulating actual battle conditions these fighting tanks charge through their paces here thousands of soldiers learn gonna raise our troops train for action in new equipment rolled off the production line each day new strength is added to democracy on this great range our tanks are spitting steel [Music] his tanks go there soon the earth will tremble [Music]

Channel: PeriscopeFilm

Views: 164,918

Keywords: Periscope Film, Stock Footage, 4K, HD, 2K

Id: y8c6_ih2zF4

Length: 19min 46sec (1186 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 24 2019

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