Plan for a Packard factory to build Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines. Label on back: "Objective of the Packard builders was the creation of more than a million square feet of working floor space. Three new factories were to develop 553,171 square feet of the necessary space. In the interests of time, an additional 500,000 square feet was taken from existing Packard factories through consolidation of departments and other means."
Item #: na043242
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of Viscount Lord Halifax and M.M. Gilman at official inspection of the factory for the Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine. Label on back: "On November 3, 1941, Ambassador Lord Halifax arrived in Detroit for an official inspection of the Packard Rolls-Royce defense plant. Here he is greeted by President M.M. Gilman of Packard, who pins upon him the badge required for all official visitors."
Item #: na043407
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of Sir Henry Self, J.M. Reid and C.R. Fairey inspecting Packard Rolls-Royce parts at dedication ceremonies for production of Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines. Label on back: "Among distinguished guests inspecting Packard Rolls-Royce parts at the August 2nd dedication were, left to right: Sir Henry Self, Chief of the British Purchasing Commission; J.M. Reid, of the Rolls-Royce staff; and C.R. Fairey, of the British Purchasing Commission."
Item #: na043394
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of workers producing Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines. Label on back: "In the race against time, men produced while they trained. As units of the machining division were brought to productive completion, apprentices moved in with seasoned workers and the pool of reserve parts began to grow weeks ahead of actual production."
Item #: na043377
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of William S. Knudsen, M.M. Gilman, W.L. Shirer, Major General George H. Brett and Sir Henry Self at press conference during dedication ceremonies for production of Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines. Label on back: "Gathered for a press conference at the dedication were these distinguished personalities, reading left to right: W.S. Knudsen, Chief of the Office of Production Management; M.M. Gilman, host and President of the Packard Motor Car Company; W.L. Shirer, Berlin correspondent, Columbia Broadcasting System; Major General George H. Brett, Chief of the U.S. Army Air Corps; and Sir Henry Self, Chief of the British Purchasing Commission."
Item #: na043395
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of Viscount Lord Halifax in propeller test cell for Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine. Label on back: "In the vaulted dimness of the propeller test room, Lord Halifax stands in contemplation of a thundering engine. In its strength he sees the destiny of a democracy whose challenging voice is the roar of a million such machines along the front lines of American industry."
Item #: na043404
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of Viscount Lord Halifax making radio broadcast regarding production of Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines. Label on back: "From his office at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., British Ambassador Lord Halifax climaxed the international broadcast dedicating the Packard Rolls-Royce aircraft factory with these words: '... the significance of this occasion has greater import than a battle won ... less than twelve months ago your nation called upon you men of industry for a defense production miracle that is unrivalled in the history of nations. Your response was in action rather than in words ... in one short year you have woven a defense pattern almost as great as American industry itself ... Industry works better than it talks. While articulate enemies of Democracy have busied themselves with predictions of delay and failure, American industry has been quietly at work ... The record to date, the concentrated roar of a million new production machines, is more eloquent than the combined voices of all the dictators. American industry has met its challenge by the unduplicated feat of doubling itself withing a a year ... This growth is no better exemplified than at the Packard Motor Car Company where this great industrial plant today signalized the completion of facilities to manufacture Rolls-Royce fighter engines. The Packard Motor Car Company was forty years in its building. The Rolls-Royce effort, almost as large as Packard itself, was accomplished in forty weeks. Only in America could such seemingly impossible miracles be so swiftly accomplished."
Item #: na043390
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of the 50,000th built Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine. Sign displayed over engine reads: "Packard's 50,000th war engine. Packard-built Rolls-Royce airplane engine powers Mustang, Mosquito, Warhawk, Lancaster, Hurricane." On back: "Neg. no. 9292 J. Date: Oct 23, 1944. Main guide: RR. Comment: Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin airplane engine, the 50,000th built, October 1944."
Item #: na051726
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
View of guests at dedication ceremonies for production of Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines. Label on back: "More than 700 distinguished guests assembled on the floor of the Packard Rolls-Royce assembly building. They heard an international radio broadcast dedicating the first Packard-built Rolls, which was started by a voice impulse from England."
Item #: na043396
Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection and used with permission.
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