The American Automobile Industry in World War Two
An American Auto Industry Heritage Tribute by David D Jackson

 Overview      Lansing Michigan in World War Two   The U.S. Auto Industry at the Normandy Invasion, June 6, 1944    The U.S. Auto Industry and the B-29 Bomber   U.S. Auto Industry Army-Navy "E" Award Winners   The Complete listing of All Army-Navy "E" Award Winners   Sherman Tanks of the American Auto Industry   Tank Destroyers of the American Auto Industry    M26 Pershing Tanks of the American Auto Industry   M36 Tank Destroyers of the American Auto Industry   Serial Numbers for WWII Tanks built by the American Auto Industry   Surviving LCVP Landing Craft    WWII Landing Craft Hull Numbers   Airborne Extra-Light Jeep Photos  The American Auto Industry vs. the German V-1 in WWII   American Auto Industry-Built Anti-Aircraft Guns in WWII   VT Proximity Manufacturers of WWII   World War One Era Motor Vehicles   National Museum of Military Vehicles   Revisions   Links

 Automobile and Body Manufacturers:  American Bantam Car Company   Briggs Manufacturing Company   Checker Car Company   Chrysler Corporation   Crosley Corporation   Ford Motor Car Company   General Motors Corporation   Graham-Paige Motors Corporation   Hudson Motor Car Company   Murray Corporation of America   Nash-Kelvinator   Packard Motor Car Company      Studebaker    Willys-Overland Motors

General Motors Divisions:  AC Spark Plug   Aeroproducts   Allison   Brown-Lipe-Chapin   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Cleveland Diesel   Delco Appliance   Delco Products   Delco Radio   Delco-Remy   Detroit Diesel   Detroit Transmission   Electro-Motive   Fisher Body   Frigidaire   GM Proving Grounds   GM of Canada   GMC   GMI   Guide Lamp   Harrison Radiator   Hyatt Bearings   Inland   Moraine Products   New Departure   Oldsmobile   Packard Electric   Pontiac   Saginaw Malleable Iron   Saginaw Steering Gear   Southern California Division   Rochester Products   Ternstedt Manufacturing Division   United Motors Service   Vauxhall Motors

 Indiana Companies:  Bailey Products Corporation   Chrysler Kokomo Plant   Continental Steel Corporation  Converto Manufacturing    Cummins Engine Company   Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company   Delta Electric Company   Durham Manufacturing Company   Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation   General Electric Kokomo Plant   Haynes Stellite Company   Hercules Body Company   Horton Manufacturing Company   Howe Fire Apparatus   International Machine Tool Company   J.D. Adams Company   Kokomo Spring Company   Magnavox   Muncie Gear Works   Pierce Governor Company   Portland Forge and Foundry   Reliance Manufacturing Company-Kokomo Plant   Reliance Manufacturing Company-Washington Plant   Republic Aviation Corporation - Indiana Division   Ross Gear and Tool Company   S.F. Bowser & Co.   Sherrill Research Corporation   Tokheim Oil Tank and Pump Company   Warner Gear   Wayne Pump Company   Wayne Works

Commercial Truck and Fire Apparatus Manufacturers:  American LaFrance   Autocar   Biederman Motors Corporation   Brockway Motor Company   Detroit General   Diamond T   Duplex Truck Company   Federal Motor Truck   Four Wheel Drive Auto Company(FWD)   International Harvester   John Bean   Mack Truck   Marmon-Herrington Company   Michigan Power Shovel Company   Oshkosh Motor Truck Corporation   Pacific Car and Foundry   "Quick-Way" Truck Shovel Company  Reo Motor Car Company  Seagrave Fire Apparatus   Sterling Motor Truck Company    Ward LaFrance Truck Corporation   White Motor Company

Aviation Companies:  Abrams Instrument Corporation    Frankfort Sailplane Company   Hughes Aircraft Company   Kellett Aviation Corporation   Laister-Kauffman Aircraft Corporation   Naval Aircraft Factory   P-V Engineering Forum, Inc.    Rudolf Wurlitzer Company-DeKalb Division  Schweizer Aircraft Corporation   Sikorsky Division of United Aircraft Corporation   St. Louis Aircraft Corporation   Timm Aircraft Corporation

Other World War Two Manufacturers:  Air King Products   Allis-Chalmers   American Car and Foundry   American Locomotive   American Stove Company   Annapolis Yacht Yard   Andover Motors Company   Badger Meter Manufacturing Company   B.F. Goodrich   Baker War Industries   Baldwin Locomotive Works   Blood Brothers Machine Company   Boyertown Auto Body Works   Briggs & Stratton   Burke Electric Company   Caterpillar   Cheney Bigelow Wire Works   Centrifugal Fusing   Chris-Craft   Clark Equipment Company   Cleaver-Brooks Company   Cleveland Tractor Company   Continental Motors   Cushman Motor Works   Crocker-Wheeler   Dail Steel Products   Detroit Wax Paper Company   Detrola   Engineering & Research Corporation   Farrand Optical Company   Federal Telephone and Radio Corp.   Firestone Tire and Rubber Company   Fruehauf Trailer Company   Fuller Manufacturing   Galvin Manufacturing   Gemmer Manufacturing Company   General Railway Signal Company   Gerstenslager Company   Gibson Guitar   Gibson Refrigerator Company   Goodyear   Hall-Scott   Hanson Clutch and Machinery Company   Harley-Davidson   Harris-Seybold-Potter   Herreshoff Manufacturing Company   Higgins Industries    Highway Trailer Corporation  Hill Diesel Company   Holland Hitch Company   Homelite Company   Horace E. Dodge Boat and Plane Corporation   Huffman Manufacturing   Indian Motorcycle   Ingersoll Steel and Disk   Iron Fireman Manufacturing Company   John Deere   Johnson Automatics Manufacturing Company   Kimberly-Clark   Kohler Company   Kold-Hold Company   Landers, Frary & Clark   Le Roi Company  Lima Locomotive Works   Lundberg Screw Products   MacKenzie Muffler Company   Massey-Harris   Matthews Company   McCord Radiator & Mfg. Company   Metal Mouldings Corporation   Miller Printing Machinery Company   Morse Instrument Company   Motor Products Corporation   Motor Wheel Corporation   National Cash Resgister Company   Novo Engine Company   O'Keefe & Merritt Company   Olofsson Tool and Die Company   Oneida Ltd   Otis Elevator   Owens Yacht   Pressed Steel Car Company   Pressed Steel Tank Company   Queen City Manufacturing Company   R.G. LeTourneau   Richardson Boat Company   R.L. Drake Company   St. Clair Rubber Company   Samson United Corporation   Shakespeare Company   Sight Feed Generator Company   Simplex Manufacturing Company   Steel Products Engineering Company   St. Louis Car Company   Twin Disc Company   Victor Adding Machine Company   Vilter Manufacturing Company   Wells-Gardner   W.L. Maxson Corporation   W.W. Boes Company   Westfield Manufacturing Company   York-Hoover Body Company   York-Shipley, Inc.   Youngstown Steel Door Company  
   

Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors in World War Two
Detroit, MI
1902-Current
This page updated on 1-20-2022.


The Cadillac Motor Car Company originally began as Henry Ford's second attempt to start a car company.  However, when investors hired Henry Leland to come in as a consultant, Ford left the company.  Under Leland's leadership, it became Cadillac.   This 1903 Cadillac is on display at the Gilmore Car Museum.  Author's Photo.

Cadillac Motor Car in World War One:  Cadillac built 2,500 Model 57s for the U.S. Army during World War One.  Of the 2,500, 2,100 were sent to Europe for use by officers.  The one shown below was giving to the Louisiana National Guard after the war and was used until the early 1930s.  It is now on display at the Jackson Barracks Museum in New Orleans, LA.


Author's photo added 12-26-2021. 


Author's photo added 12-26-2021. 


Author's photo added 12-26-2021. 

Cadillac Motor Car Division World War Two Production Statistics:  (1,470) M5 Stuart tanks, (3,530) M5A1 Stuart tanks, (1,778) M8 75mm howitzer motor carriages, (3,592) M24 Chaffee tanks, (300) M19 Twin 40mm anti-aircraft carriages, (175) different parts for the Allison V-1710 aircraft engine including crankshafts, camshafts, connecting rods and piston pins, supercharger rotator vanes and gear reduction assemblies, at least (12,880) V-8 engines to other manufacturers of armored vehicles. 

Author's Note:  Some sources credit the M5 and M5A1 Stuart tanks built by the Southern California Division of General Motors at South Gate, CA to the Cadillac Division of GM.  The Southern California Division of GM was its own entity within the GM corporate family.  For more information see my Southern California's War Division webpage.  The Southern California Division built 354 M5 and 1,196 M5A1 light Stuart tanks.  These have Cadillac data plates on them as Army Ordnance considered Cadillac as the prime contractor.  Combined the two GM divisions built (1,824) M5s and 4,726 M5A1 Stuart tanks.

There were another 2,074 M5A1 Stuart tanks built by Massey-Harris and American Car and Foundry.  Cadillac supplied the 4,148 V-8 engines for these.  Cadillac also supplied 500 engines for the 250 Massey-Harris built M5s.  It also furnished 2,278 V-8 engines to Massey-Harris for the 1,139 M24 Chaffees it built.  For the Borg-Warner and Gramm-Paige-built LVT(3), it supplied 5,924 V-8 engines.  It also supplied 60 engines to GMC for its construction of the T18E2 Boarhound Armored Car.

Cadillac was located at an original 47 acres complex at Clark and Scotten Streets in Detroit and was known as the Clark Street Plant.  Construction began in 1919 on the four story 2.7 million square foot assembly and administration buildings.  Construction at the complex was completed in 1927 with a foundry added in 1923.  When complete, it was considered to be the world's most modern car plant.  Bodies were supplied by the Fleetwood Plant of Fisher Body, which was three miles away.  The complex was closed in March of 1994.  Today all of the buildings are gone.


Cadillac won the Army-Navy "E" award on January 13, 1943.  It later added three stars for a total of four awards.

This 1938 Series 75 Cadillac Limousine has the distinction of being the car that General George S. Patton was in when he had his fatal accident.  Built in Detroit and then sent to France before the start of hostilities, it was used by the Gestapo during the occupation of France.  Liberated in 1945 by American troops of the 5th Army , it was presented to General Patton to use as his staff car.  Today it can be seen at the Patton Museum at Fort Knox, KY.  Author's photo.


After the accident, the vehicle was rebuilt using a Cadillac V-8 engine from a M24 tank to replace the original damaged power plant.  After continued use as a staff car in Europe, it came to the Patton Museum in 1951.  Author's photo.


This 1930 Cadillac V-16 engine was a predecessor to the V-8 engine that would power the M5 Stuart Series and M26 Chaffee tanks in World War Two.  It displaced 452 cubic inches and produced 165 hp.  Author's photo from the Gilmore Car Museum.

Cadillac Detroit MI Plant Armored Vehicles Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army
The information below comes from "Summary Report of Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945."
Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and Progress Branch
January 21, 1946.

Type 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 Total
Tank, Light, M5     1,470       1,470
Tank, Light, M5A1     704 1,772 1,054   3,530
Tank, Light, M24         1,740 1,852 3,592
Carriage, Motor, 75mm Howitzer, M8     373 1,330 75   1,778
Carriage, Motor, Twin 40mm Gun, M19           300 300
Total Armored Vehicles     2,547 3,102 2,869 2,152 10,670

 


M5 Serial Number 378 was built by Cadillac in August 1942.  It is seen here on outside display at the 2018 MVPA Convention in Louisville, KY.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


This M5 was built by Cadillac in Detroit, MI in September 1942.  It was one of 382 M5s Cadillac built that month and is serial number 671.  The first 800 M5 Stuart tanks built by Cadillac did not have an escape hatch in the floor. Today it is on display at the Gas City, IN city hall.  Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


This is Cadillac built M5 Serial Number 755 with Registration number 305138.  It was also built in September 1944. Author's photo from the AAF Tank Museum in Danville, VA added 11-15-2017.


This M5 Stuart tank was built by Cadillac in October 1942.  Serial Number 961 is on display at the Sam Werner Military Museum in Monteagle, TN.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


M5 Serial Number 1243 is owned and operated by Roberts Armory in Rochelle, IL.  It was built by Cadillac in November 1942.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


This Cadillac built M5A1 is serial number 2121 and was came off the assembly line in December 1942.  Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


Today it can be seen on display at Camp Perry at Port Clinton, OH.  Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


 The M5A1 was powered by two Cadillac V-8 engines of 110 hp each and two GM Hydra-Matic Transmissions.  Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


M5A1 Serial Number 3858 was built by Cadillac in January 1943.  It is seen here on outside display at the 2018 MVPA Convention in Louisville, KY.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


 Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


M5A1 Serial Number 4213 was built by Cadillac in March 1943.  It is seen here on outside display at the 2018 MVPA Convention in Louisville, KY.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


 M5A1 Serial Number 5085 was built by Cadillac in October 1943 and can be viewed at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


M5A1 Serial Number 5242 was built by Cadillac in November 1943.  It is seen here on outside display at the 2018 MVPA Convention in Louisville, KY.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


M5A1 Serial Number 6297 was built by Cadillac in April 1944.  It is seen here on outside display at the 2018 MVPA Convention in Louisville, KY.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.
The table below provides Cadillac Division of General Motors production information on the M5/M5A1 series tanks produced during WWII.  This information has been painstakingly researched and gathered by Joe DeMarco.  We thank Joe for allowing this website to use this information.

The M5 and M5A1 Stuart tank information provided by Joe includes monthly production figures, serial and registration numbers, and the purchase order numbers.  This information is almost non-existent in the literature or on websites

The Cadillac Division of General Motors M5/M5A1 Production Information
Courtesy of Joe DeMarco
This section added 11-15-2017.
Model Date Monthly Production Serial numbers USA Registration Numbers Purchase Order

M5

 12-42 1 1 3046702  T-3013
           
M5 4-1942 3 2 - 4 3043436 - 3043438 T-3159-1
  5-1942 16 5 - 20 3043439 - 3043454  
  6-1942 60 21 - 80 3043555 - 3043514  
  7-1942 123 81 - 203 3043515 - 3043637  
  8-1942 240 204 - 443 3043638 - 3043877  
  9-1942 382 444 - 825 3043878 - 3044259  
  10-1942 465 826 - 1290 3044260 - 3044724  
  11-1942 180 1291 - 1470 3044725 - 3044904  
Total M5   1,470      
           
M5A1 11-1942 236 1471 - 1706 3044905 - 3045140 T-3159-1
  12-1942 294 1707 - 2000 3045141 - 3045434  
  2-1943 1 2001 3045435  
           
  12-1942 174 2002 - 2175 3045436 - 3045609 T-3110
  1-1943 92 2176 - 2267 3045610 - 3045701  
  1-1943 123 3768 - 3890 3046880 - 3047002  T-3578
  2-1943 189 3891 - 4079 3047003 - 3047191  
  3-1943 190 4080 - 4269 3047192 - 3047381  
  4-1943 110 4270 - 4379 3047382 - 3047491  
  5-1943 100 4380 - 4479 3047492 - 3047591  
  6-1943 100 4480 - 4579 3047592 - 3047691  
  7-1943 106 4580 - 4685 3047692 - 3047797  
  8-1943 146 4686 - 4831 3047798 - 3047943  
  9-1943 138 4832 - 4969 3047944 - 3048081  
  10-1943 146 4970 - 5115 3048082 - 3048227  
  11-1943 138 5116 - 5253 3048228 - 3048365  
  12-1943 193 5254 - 5446 3048366 - 3048558  
  1-1944 230 5447 - 5676 3048559 - 3048788  
  2-1944 230 5677 - 5906 3048789 - 3049018  
  3-1944 270 5907 - 6176 3049019 - 3049288  
  4-1944 250 6177 - 6426  3049289 - 3049538  T-7067 starts with SN 6324
  5-1944 74 6427 - 6500 3049539 - 3049612  
Total M5A1   3,530      


The Cadillac World War Two body shop as an M5 hull is welded together.


Here one of the Cadillac V-8s is installed in an M5.  Note that the transmission faced forward as the tank treads are powered from the front axle.


This looks to be towards the end of the assembly line, as the M5s look complete.


This Cadillac-built M8 75mm Howitzer Gun Carriage is on display at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA.  There are only five left in the United States, of which only three are at museums where they can be viewed.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Serial Number 1270 was built by Cadillac in June 1943.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Author's photo added 10-17-2019.


Cadillac also built the M7 mounts for the howitzer.  It is Serial Number 1008 dated 1943.  Author's photo added 10-17-2019.

Cadillac Division of General Motors M8 75mm Motor Carriage Production Information

This section added 10-17-2019.
Date Monthly Production Serial numbers USA Registration Numbers
9-1942 1 1 4051234
10-1942 24 2-25           4051235-4051258           
11-1942 101 26-126 4051259-4051359
12-1942 247 127-373 4051360-4051606
1-1943 160 374-533 4051607-4051766
2-1943 160 534-693 4051767-4051927
3-1943 160 694-853 4051928-4052086
4-1943 160 854-1013 4052087-4052246
5-1943 160 1014-1173 4052247-4052406
6-1943 160 1174-1333 4052407-4052566
7-1943 62 1334-1395 4052567-4052628
8-1943 62 1396-1457 4052629-4052690
9-1943 62 1458-1519 4052691-4052752
10-1943 62 1520-1581 4052753-4052814
11-1943 62 1582-1643 4052815-4052876
12-1943 60 1644-1703 4052877-4052938
1-1944 75 1704-1778 4052939-4053011
Total 1,778    


Three Cadillac built M8s prepare to fire an artillery barrage from their 75mm howitzers.


This M24 Chaffee was built by Cadillac in March 1945 and is serial number 2812.  Author's photo from the First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL added 11-15-2017.


The M24 was also powered by twin Cadillac V-8 engines and Detroit Transmission Division Hydra-Matic transmissions.  Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


M24 serial number 965 came off the Cadillac assembly line in November 1944.  Today it is owned by the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles.  Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


Author's photo added 11-15-2017.


Author's photo added 11-15-2017.

The table below provides Cadillac Division of General Motors production information on the M24 series tanks produced during WWII.  This information has been painstakingly researched and gathered by Joe DeMarco.  We thank Joe for allowing this website to use this information.

The M24 Chaffee tank information provided by Joe includes monthly production figures, serial and registration numbers, and the purchase order numbers.  This information is almost non-existent in the literature or on websites.

Cadillac Division of General Motors M24 Production Information
Courtesy of Joe DeMarco
This section added 11-25-2017.
Model Date Monthly Production Serial numbers USA Registration Numbers Purchase Order
M24 4-44 1 1 30112594 T-11120
  5-44 24 2 - 25 30112595 - 30112618  
  6-44 50 26 - 75 30112619 – 30112668  
  7-44 100 76 - 17 30112669 – 30112768  
  8-44 200 176 - 375 30112769 – 30112968  
  9-44 212 376 – 587 30112969 – 30113180  
  10-44 277 588 – 864 30113181 – 30113457  
  11-44 136 865 – 1000 30113458 – 30113593  
  11-44 241 1251 – 1491 30119270 – 30119510  T-12368
  12-44 309 1492 – 1800 30119511 – 30119819  
  12-44 190 1801 – 1990 30120329 – 30120518 T-13780-1
  1-45 200 1991 – 2190 30120519 – 30120718  
  2-45 300 2191 – 2490 30120719 – 30121018  
  3-45 350 2491 – 2840 30121019 – 30121368  
  4-45 205 2841 – 3045 30121369 – 30121573  
  5-45 303 3046 – 3348 30121574 – 30121876  
  5-45 47 3709 – 3755 30137268 – 30137314  T-13780-2
  6-45 280 3756 – 4035 30137315 – 30137594  
  7-45 86 4036 – 4121 30137595 – 30137680  
  8-45 81 4122 – 4202 30137681 – 30137761  
Total Cadillac M24s 3,592      

 


At the end of World War Two Cadillac produced 300 M19 twin 40mm anti-aircraft gun carriages which were built on theM24 Chaffee chassis. While these were too late to see combat in World War Two, they did serve with distinction in the Korean Conflict.  Of the 300 built, there are thirteen still in existence on display or in operating condition by private owners.  This M19 is part of the collection of the Virginia Museum of Military Vehilces in Nokesville, VA.  Author's photo added 11-30-2016.


This M19 is on display at the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby, MS.  Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


This M19 is on display at Louisiana Maneuvers and Military Museum at Camp Beauregard, LA.  Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


This M19 is on display at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans, LA.  It is serial number 218.  Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


Author's photo added 8-3-2020.


This M19 is part of a military vehicle display at Fort Wayne in Detroit, MI.  It is three miles from where it was built at the former Cadillac Clark Street Assembly plant.  Author's photo added 8-3-2020.

Cadillac-built M19 Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage Serial and USA Registration Numbers
Serial Numbers Registration Numbers
3 - 261 40190124 - 40190382
262 - 302 40190642 - 40190682


Here is a Series 42 Cadillac V-8 346 cubic inch tank engine.  At 4,000 rpm it could produce 110 hp and at 1,200 rpm could produce 244 ft-lbs. of torque.  Two each were used in the M5 and M26 Series tanks. Author's photo at the Ropkey Armor Museum in Crawfordsville, IN.  


Author's photo.


This LVT(3) (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) was one of 2,962 built during the Second World War for the US Marine Corps.  Each of the series was powered by two Cadillac V-8 engines.   Author's photo at the National Military Historical Center, Auburn, IN.

Author's note:  This is no longer at the National Military Historical Center, which as of June 2020, is now completely closed.  DDJ  4-3-2020.


One can see the panels are off on the right side where one of the Cadillac engines is located.  Author's photo.


 Author's photo of the right side Cadillac engine in the LVT(3).


The total 220 hp provided by the twin V-8s gave the LVT(3) a top speed of 5.2 knots on the water and 25 mph on land.  The LVT(3) first saw combat at Okinawa.  Author's photo.


Author's photo of the left side Cadillac V-8 engine.


One can see the Cadillac name on the engine head.  Author's photo.


Cadillac V-8 Engines coming down the assembly line during the Second World War.


In this photo M24 Chaffee light tanks are coming down the Cadillac assembly line.


Here is a General Motors Allison V-1710 V-12 Aircraft engine that contained up to 175 parts manufactured by Cadillac in Detroit.  Cadillac began supplying parts for the Allison engine in 1939.  Author's photo at the Museum of the United States Air Force.


This T18E2 GMC built Boarhound was powered by two Cadillac V-8 engines and was photographed at the GM Proving Grounds on January 19, 1943.


Chevrolet began development on the M38 armored car in 1944 as a replacement for the M8 Greyhound.  Production did not get started until March 1945 on the new armored car, and only five pilot models were built due to the end of the war in Europe.  The M38 was powered by a Cadillac V-8 engine mated to a Detroit Transmission Hydra-Matic transmission.  Photo added 1-8-2020.


This photo at the Museum of the United States Air Force has an Allison engine in front of a Lockheed P-38.  Author's photo.


This shows the entire P-39 drive train with General Motors Divisions' components.  On the left is the Allison V-1710 engine, then the Oldsmobile built 37mm cannon, the Cadillac gear reduction unit, and then the Aeroproducts propeller.  The engine was behind the pilot and the driveshaft went between the pilot's legs, allowing the cannon to fire out center hub of the prop.  Author's photo from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.


This gives a closer look at the cannon, Cadillac gear reduction unit and prop.  Author's Photo.


Note that the cannon fires through the center hub of the Aeroproducts propeller but does not go through the center of the gear reduction unit.  Also, the brass input propeller shaft is off centered.  Author's Photo.


The Bell P-39.  Author's Photo.


Author's Photo.


This drive train unit for a Fisher Body XP-75/P-75 fighter has two Allison V-1710 married together designated as a V-3420, with two drive shafts inputting into a Cadillac rear reduction unit.  Author's Photo.


Author's Photo.


The Fisher Body Division of GM's XP-75.  Author's Photo.


This 1941 Sanborn map shows the Cadillac Clark Street complex.  Image added 1-19-2022.


Image added 1-19-2022.


Image added 1-19-2022.


Image added 1-19-2022.


On the left hand side of the ad is an M5/M5A1 tank.  On the right side is an M8 3-inch howitzer motor carriage.


This ad implies that Cadillac built its own Hydra-Matic transmissions, which is incorrect.  They were built by the Detroit Transmission Division.  See my Detroit Transmission page for more information.


This very colorful World War Two ad shows a GM Allison powered Lockheed P-38 wreaking havoc on Japan.  Cadillac made 175 different parts for the Allison aircraft engine.

Cadillac... From Peace to War
1944

 

Cadillac Military Products after World War Two

The following items were produced at the former Fisher Body Aircraft plant #2 at the Cleveland, OH airport.  This was a US government built and owned building and returned to the control of the government after World War Two.  When the Korean War broke out, the plant was opened back up and became the Cleveland Tank Arsenal under Cadillac management.  Cadillac was back in the business of making light tanks!

All of the following photos except for the M108 were taken at the 2017 MVPA Convention in Cleveland, OH. 


Starting in mid-1951 until mid-1954, Cadillac produced 3,729 Walker Bulldogs.  Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.  


Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.

 
M56 "Scorpion" anti-tank guns were also produced by Cadillac at the Cleveland tank arsenal from 1953 to 1959.  Armed with a 90mm gun, the M56s were used in Vietnam as point defense and as artillery.  There were 150 of the Scorpions built.  Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.


Cadillac started building M42 and M42A1s Dusters in 1953.  The twin 40mm tracked anti-aircraft gun carriage was based on the chassis of the M41.  Cadillac built approximately 3,700 of the Dusters.  Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.


Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.


The Cadillac built 3,710 M114s between 1962-64.  The vehicle was amphibious and air-droppable.  Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.


Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.


This is the interior of the M114 looking through the rear hatch.  Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.


This Cadillac-built 105mm M108 self-propelled gun was built in 1963 and is one of only a few built.  This rare example is on display at the New Jersey Militia Museum Annex.  Author's Photo added 4-3-2020.


 

 

 

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