Studebaker Main Page  Studebaker Proving Ground  Studebaker South Bend Plant Photos   Studebaker World War Two Vehicle Photos   Studebaker in World War One   Studebaker R-1820 Aircraft Engines on the B-17 "Yankee Lady"   Studebaker World War Two Fort Wayne Plant    Studebaker Pacific Corporation
Studebaker Pacific Corporation
aka The Los Angeles Assembly Plant
Vernon, CA
1938-1956
Rest in Peace

This page added 12-4-2018.

Studebaker built a car assembly plant in the Los Angeles area after General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Willy-Overland, Nash, and Chrysler built assembly plants there.  At the time of its closure on June 8, 1956, it was running 64 cars a day.  The plant was a wholly owned subsidiary of Studebaker Corporation.  Today the plant is operated by St. Regis Paper Company. 

Body drop at the Studebaker Los Angeles plant. 

The Studebaker Pacific Assembly Plant in Los Angeles, CA won three Army-Navy "E" Awards.

Studebaker Pacific Corporation World War Two Production Statistics:  The plant built engine assemblies and nacelles for the 2,750 Lockheed built B-17s and the 535 Lockheed PV-2 Harpoons built in nearby Burbank.  This was 11,000 B-17 units and 1,070 PV-2 units.

All of the B-17s shown below have engine assemblies and nacelles built by Studebaker Pacific.  There are five Lockheed built B-17s still flying today. They are:  Yankee Lady built in July 1945, Madras Maiden built in October 1944,  Thunderbird built in May 1945, Sally B built in June 1945, and Aluminum Overcast built in May 1945.

The photos of B-17 Yankee Lady show some of the internal work involved in the construction of the units.

Not only does the Lockheed built B-17 Yankee Lady have Studebaker Pacific built engine assemblies and nacelles, but when this photo was taken in April 2016, it was equipped with three South Bend built Studebaker engines.  The Yankee Lady is owned by the Yankee Air Museum at the Willow Run Airport in Michigan.  Author's photo.

Another view of nacelles with Studebaker built engines on each one.  Author's photo.

Author's photo.


Lockheed built B-17 Madras Maiden is owned by the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, OR.   Author's photo.


Lockheed built B-17 Thunderbird is owned by the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston, TX.   Author's photo.

Lockheed built B-17 Aluminum Overcast is owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, WI.   Author's photo.

Lockheed built B-17 Sally B is owned by B-17 Preservation, LTD based in Duxford, England.  When this photo was taken in May 2008, Sally B was painted to represent the B-17 Memphis Belle.  Author's photo.

There are still a few Harpoons in the United States.  There are two that have flown recently on a regular basis. 

PV-2 Attu Warrior was flying up until recently.  Due to the passing of its owner Dave Hansen in early 2018, its air worthiness certificate has expired.  Future status of the aircraft is unknown as of December 2018.  Author's photo.


This flight worthy Lockheed PV-2D is owned by the Stockton Field Aviation Museum in Stockton, CA.  Author's photo.

PV-2 Hot Stuff is owned by the American Military Heritage Foundation of Indianapolis, IN.  It is not currently being flown.  Author's photo.

This static display PV-2 can be seen at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, FL.  Author's photo.

This PV-2 is on static display at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, AZ.  Author's photo.