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   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 Traile    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  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  
   

Nash-Kelvinator Lansing Michigan World War Two Propeller Plants
Nash-Kelvinator in World War Two
Detroit, MI
1937-1954
(1916-1937 as Nash Motors)
Rest in Peace

 This page last updated 12-25-2022.

Nash-Kelvinator came into being in 1937, when Nash Motors, an automobile manufacturer in Kenosha, WI since 1916, merged with Kelvinator Appliance, a maker of home appliances in Detroit, MI.   Even though Nash was the senior partner in the merger, company headquarters were in Detroit rather than Kenosha, because the CEO was from Kelvinator and wanted to remain there.  In 1954, Nash-Kelvinator merged with Hudson to became American Motors.


This 1924 Nash touring car was photographed at the former Kokomo Automotive Museum in Kokomo, IN.  Author's photo.


Author's photo.


A Nash Statesman Super police car.  Author's photo added 8-30-2018.

With the exception of one-ton truck trailers, Nash-Kelvinator did not manufacture products related to its pre-war product lines during World War Two.  In fact, it was one of only three American automobile manufacturers to build complete aircraft, in this case the Sikorsky R-6A helicopter.  In fact, Nash-Kelvinator built more helicopters during World War Two than Sikorsky and the rest of the aviation industry combined.
Nash-Kelvinator was the largest producer of American helicopters during World War Two.  It built the most advanced Sikorsky helicopter design of the war, the R-6A Hoverfly II, which is shown above at the Air Force Museum in Riverside, OH.  Author's photo.


The Nash-Kelvinator Plant in Lansing, MI won the Army-Navy "E" Award on September 17, 1943.
The Nash-Kelvinator Ranco Division in Columbus, OH won the Army-Navy "E" Award in January 1943.

Nash-Kelvinator World War Two Production:  650,000 bomb fuzes, 204,000 rocket motors, 200,000 M3 6x30 binoculars and cases.  There was also an unknown quantity of M13 Nash-Kelvinator-built 6X30 type binoculars.  The company also produced 44,628 one-ton two-wheel cargo trailers.  Other products included aviation fuel pressure gauges.

Nash-Kelvinator was 27th among United States corporations in the value of World War Two production contracts.

Table 1 - Summary of Nash-Kelvinator Company's Major World War Two Contracts
The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945."  This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division.  Table added 4-10-2022.
Plant Total Contract Amounts
Detroit, MI $26,945,000
Kenosha, WI $402,017,000
Lansing, MI $539,433,000
Racine, WI $10,388,000
Ranco Division, Columbus, OH $32,512,000
Total $1,011,295,000

 
Table 2 - Nash-Kelvinator Company Detroit, MI Plant's Major World War Two Contracts
The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945."  This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division.  Table added 4-10-2022.
Product - Customer Contract Amount Contract Awarded Completion Date
Ordnance Material - Navy $8,089,000 6-1941 8-1943
Refrigerators - Army $221,000 7-1942 7-1942
Refrigerators - Army $220,000 9-1942 1-1943
Bomb Fuzes - Navy $4,812,000 3-1943 5-1944
Helicopters R6 - Army $12,560,000 6-1943 10-1945
Refrigerators - Army $185,000 10-1943 2-1944
Rocket Motors - Navy $535,000 2-1944 9-1944
Rocket Motors MK9 - Navy $123,000 8-1944 12-1944
Total $26,945,000    

 

Table 3 - Nash-Kelvinator Company Kenosha, WI Plant's Major World War Two Contracts
The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945."  This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division.  Table added 4-10-2022.
Product - Customer Contract Amount Contract Awarded Completion Date
Airplane Engines R2800 - Navy $15,311,000 3-1942 3-1943
Drop Forgings - Treasury Dept. $58,000 3-1942 6-1942
Forgings - Treasury Dept. $62,000 8-1942 1-1943
Airplane Engines R2800 - Navy $179,253,000 12-1942 3-1944
Airplane Engines R2800 - Navy $135,326,000 7-1943 3-1945
Airplane Engines R2800 - Navy $1,734,000 6-1944 10-1944
Airplane Engs R2800 - Navy $33,916,000 8-1944 6-1945
Airplane Engs R2800 - Navy $36,357,000 12-1944 8-1945
Total $402,017,000    

 

Table 4 - Nash-Kelvinator Company Lansing, MI Plant's Major World War Two Contracts
The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945."  This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division.  Table added 4-10-2022.
Product - Customer Contract Amount Contract Awarded Completion Date
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $11,738,000 6-1941 8-1942
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $19,599,000 10-1941 2-1943
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $66,679,000 1-1942 8-1943
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $26,922,000 7-1942 9-1943
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $27,104,000 7-1942 7-1943
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $20,548,000 8-1942 10-1943
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $86,375,000 10-1942 7-1945
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $47,-78,000 12-1942 8-1944
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $18,430,000 9-1943 2-1944
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $73,068,000 5-1943 1-1945
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $6,401,000 6-1943 10-1944
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $12,550,000 8-1943 8-1944
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $23,871,000 12-1943 3-1946
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $65,049,000 3-1944 8-1945
Airplane Prop Assys - Army Air Force $34,021,000 6-1944 6-1945
Total $539,433,000    

 

Table 5 - Nash-Kelvinator Company Racine, WI Plant's Major World War Two Contracts
The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945."  This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division.  Table added 4-10-2022.
Product - Customer Contract Amount Contract Awarded Completion Date
Trailers - Army $4,174,000 12-1940 10-1941
Trailers - Army $212,000 10-1941 3-1942
Trailers - Army $453,000 11-1941 4-1942
Trailers - Army $5,549,000 1-1942 8-1942
Total $10,388,000    

 

Table 6 - Ranco Division of Nash-Kelvinator Company Columbus, OH Plant's Major World War Two Contracts
The information below comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945."  This was published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial Statistics Division.  Table added 4-8-2022.
Product - Customer Contract Amount Contract Awarded Completion Date
Optical Equipment - Army $8,817,000 10-1941 4-1943
Optical Equipment - Army $2,631,000 10-1941 4-1943
Gages - Army $823,000 4-1942 2-1943
Optical Equipment - Army $1,425,000 8-1942 2-1944
Airplane Instruments - Army $4,890,000 9-1942 5-1945
Binocular Parts - Army $433,000 9-1943 2-1944
Binocular Assemblies  - Army $378,000 2-1943 5-1944
Binoculars - Army $494,000 5-1943 12-1943
Binoculars - Army $1,540,000 8-1943 6-1944
Binoculars - Army $3,546,000 11-1943 6-1944
Binocular Parts M3 - Army $51,000 3-1944 3-1944
Pressure Gages - Army $275,000 5-1944 5-1945
Binocular Parts M7 - Army $86,000 8-1944 1-1945
Binoculars M13 - Army $5,300,000 10-1944 4-1945
Pressure Gages - Army $604,000 10-1944 7-1945
Binocular Parts M7 - Army $234,000 11-1944 12-1944
Binoculars M13 - Army $4,350,000 11-1944 12-1945
Binocular Parts M6 - Army $64,000 12-1944 1-1945
Binocular Parts M3 - Army $1,586,000 1-1945 6-1945
Pressure Gages - Army $258,000 2-1945 9-1945
Pressure Gages TO2 - Army $143,000 3-1945 9-1945
Pressure Gages - Army $372,000 4-1945 2-1946
Fuel Pressure Gages - Army $98,000 5-1945 6-1946
Pressure Gages - Army $114,000 5-1945 10-1945
Total $32,512,000    

18,082 R-2800 Pratt & Whitney Radial Aircraft Engines:   These included the R-2800-8 for the Vought F4U Corsair, the R-2800-10 for the Grumman F6F Hellcat, and the R-2800-65 for the Northrop P-61 Black Widow.  Production of the R-2800 actually began in late 1941 in the former Reo Truck plant at Mt. Hope Ave. and Washington Street in Lansing, MI.  Due to increased production demand for both the R-2800 and Hamilton-Standard propellers being built by Nash-Kelvinator in Lansing, the engine manufacturing was transferred to Kenosha, WI.  Lansing concentrated on propeller production.  The Defense Plant Corporation spent $31.4 million in Kenosha on a new 204,800 square foot plant and equipment to produce the Double Wasp engine.  An average of 9,125 employees worked at the plant during the war, with peak employment reaching 11,500.

158,134 Hamilton Standard Propellers:  Original production began in the former Reo plant on South Cedar Street, to the east of the main Reo complex.  After the war, the plant became John Bean.  Production later expanded to another former Reo Truck plant at Mt. Hope and Washington.  This plant became propeller manufacturing and final assembly for Nash-Kelvinator during World War Two.    Motor Wheel used it for a while after the war.  Then about 1960, it became the site of the first big box discount store in Lansing. 

Beyond the 158,134 propeller assemblies completed here were another 85,656 spare blades.  My grandfather was in charge of propeller balancing at this plant, which produced the second highest quantity of American propellers during World War Two.  Both three and four blade configurations were produced, including the four bladed type for the Vought F4U-4 Corsair and Douglas A-26 Invader.

219 R-6A Sikorsky Helicopters:  Nash-Kelvinator built more helicopters than any other company built during the Second World War.

Table 7 - Nash-Kelvinator YR-6A and R-6A Helicopters built during World War Two
Type USAAF Serial Numbers Quantity  
YR-6A 43-45316 through 43-45341 26  
R-6A 43-45342 through 43-45534 193 Twenty-five were transferred to the British Army.  Four were transferred to the U.S. Navy.
Total   219  


Another view of the Nash-Kelvinator-built R-6A Hoverfly II at the Air Force Museum.  Author's photo.


Author's photo.


Eleven R-6 helicopters are under construction in this World War Two era photo of the Nash-Kelvinator Plant on Plymouth Road in Detroit, MI.  Nash-Kelvinator was the largest manufacturer of helicopters during the war, producing 219.  Sikorsky built 151 helicopters during the war.


Three Nash-Kelvinator-built Sikorsky R-6 helicopters are airborne at the same time in 1944.  Photo courtesy of Ken Schroeder added 3-14-2016.

Table 8 - Nash-Kelvinator World War Two Trailers 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
1-Ton, 2 Wheel, Cargo   20,000 24,628       44,628


This Nash-Kelvinator-built 1-ton, 2 wheel cargo trailer is part of the collection at the World War II American Experience in Gettysburg, PA.  I originally published the Nash-Kelvinator page in September 2013.  It took me nine years, until September 2022, to find a Nash-Kelvinator-built World War Two trailer.  Author's photo added 12-25-2022.


Table 8 shows that Nash-Kelvinator built 44,628 trailers in 1941 and 1942.  This one is serial number 39072 and was delivered in June 1942.  Author's photo added 12-25-2022.


Author's photo added 12-25-2022.


Author's photo added 12-25-2022.

Binoculars: 


This is a Nash-Kelvinator-built pair of M13 6X30 binoculars for the  World War Two war effort.  All of the documentation shows that Nash-Kelvinator made M3 6X30 Binoculars.  Very little information can be found on the M13, and no information can be found on the difference between the two types.  Looking at online auctions, both types were made and are for sale.  Author's photo.


This pair was on sale for $79.50.  Author's photo.


 On display at the Vermillion County War Museum is this pair of 1943 Nash-Kelvinator M3 6x50 binoculars, one of 200,000 made at the Ranco Division in Columbus, OH.  Author's photo added 11-2-2015.


Author's photo added 11-2-2015.


The Ranco Division also made the binocular cases along with aviation items, including altitude controls and pressure gauges.  Author's photo added 11-2-2015.


The binocular cases were manufactured in the Nash-Kelvinator body plant in Milwaukee, WI.  Photo courtesy of Ken Schroeder added 3-14-2016.


This worker is building one of 204,000 rocket motors manufactured by Nash-Kelvinator during World War Two.  Photo courtesy of Ken Schroeder added 3-14-2016.


 This Nash-Kelvinator publicity photo shows the warhead added to its rocket motors, ready to fire on a beach landing in the South Pacific.  Photo courtesy of Ken Schroeder added 3-14-2016.


This rocket on display at the Indiana Military Museum in Vincennes, IN has a rocket motor similar to that which Nash-Kelvinator built.  Author's photo added 1-22-2018.

Nash-Kelvinator (Mt. Hope Ave Plant) in Lansing, MI  - See the link above for a complete story on the company's Lansing propeller operation during World War Two.


Author's photo.


Author's photo.


This photo shows the American automotive industry's significant contribution to the construction of this late model B-24 (J, L, or M model).  Firstly, this is a Ford-built B-24 at the Willow Run, MI plant.  The Lansing, MI Nash-Kelvinator plant built the propellers being installed, and the 100,000th milestone was reached.  My grandfather, Frank Dominik, while not in the photo, played an important part in this.  He was the supervisor of the propeller balancing department back in Lansing.  It was his responsibility to assure that the engines on this B-24 were not affected by vibration issues due to out-of-balance blades.  The engines on this aircraft were also provided by U.S. auto companies.  Both Buick and Chevrolet built the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines that powered the Liberator.  The .50 caliber machine guns that defended this aircraft against attacking fighters could have been manufactured by any one of three General Motors Divisions:  AC Spark Plug, Frigidaire, or Saginaw Steering Gear.

The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Engine:

Table 9 - Nash-Kelvinator-Built Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Engines
R-2800 Model Number of Engines Built Aircraft Type
R-2800-8 1,709 F3A-1, FG-1, F4U-1,1C; F4U-2
R-2800-8w 3,094 F4U-1P(-8W)
R-2800-10 1,690 P-60A, XP-60E, F6F-3E,F,H,N,P; F6F-5, P-61, P-61A
R-2800-10W 9,900 F6F-5E,N
R-2800-52 334 R6D
R-2800-65 517 P-61A,B
R-2800-99 842 Post World War Two Aircraft
Total 18,086  


Nash-Kelvinator-built R-2800 engines were instrumental in winning the Naval aerial war in the Central Pacific.  Grumman F6F-3 and F6F-5 Hellcats swept the Japanese aerial naval forces from the sky.  The Hellcat shot down more Japanese aircraft than any other American aircraft during World War Two.  This totaled 5,160 aircraft.  Author's photo added 5-18-2021.


Nash-Kelvinator built 18,086 Pratt & Whitney R-2800's, like this one shown at the P-61 display at World War Two Weekend in Reading, PA.  They were built in a new government plant in Kenosha, WI during World War Two.  The models built by Nash-Kelvinator, first built in Lansing, MI and then Kenosha, WI, went into the Hellcat, Corsair and Black Widow fighters.  The R-2800-65 version of the 2,000 hp engine was on display with the Black Widow restoration in 2011.  Author's photo.


This is one of only four Northrop P-61s "Black Widows" that still exist in the world, and the only one that will ever fly again.  This P-61 is being rebuilt by the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, PA, and was seen on display at the Museum's annual WWII Weekend in June of 2011.  The engine to the left could very well be a Nash-Kelvinator-built R-2800-65 Model that the company built for the "Black Widows" during the Second Word War.  Author's photo.


The Vought F4U Corsair with Nash-Kelvinator-built R-2800 engines destroyed 2,140 Japanese aircraft.  The Corsair was second in the destruction of Japanese aircraft in aerial combat during the war.  Author's photo added 5-18-2021.


A World War Two era ad shows the Vought F4U Corsair climbing towards the sun, powered not only by a Nash-Kelvinator-built R-2800 engine, but quite possibly a propeller built in Lansing, MI by my grandfather.


Sikorsky SJRK-1:

Early in the war, plans called for Nash-Kelvinator to build  a Sikorsky-designed four engine sea plane under a licensing agreement.  All or most of the World War Two magazine advertisements indicated that this was one of the product lines along with aircraft engines and propellers.  Due to changing military requirements, the need for this type of aircraft decreased, and the project was dropped.  The aircraft had an experimental designation of XJRK-1.  It would have carried 37 passengers.  Artist's renditions, as shown below in the advertisement, are the Sikorsky JR2S that was in production and not a military secret.  Final assembly of the SJRK-1 aircraft would have been in New Orleans, where the assumption was that it would have been built adjacent to Lake Pontchartrain and then launched from the lake.  Sub-assemblies would have been made in Grand Rapids, MI and Kenosha, WI.


This ad, along with other Nash-Kelvinator ads, show and make reference to a Sikorsky four engine flying boat that Nash-Kelvinator was to build, with final assembly being done in a new plant in New Orleans, LA.  The need for this type of aircraft diminished as the war progressed, as more and larger aircraft carriers were built.  The aircraft pictured here is a JR2S.


Despite the fact that Nash-Kelvinator never actually produced the proposed flying boat, it did spend a lot of time and money on this wooden mock-up at its Milwaukee plant.  Photo courtesy of Ken Schroeder added 3-14-2016.


 
 

 

 

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