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   Sullivan Machinery Company   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  
   

 Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company During World War Two
1890-xxxx Indianapolis Chain and Stamping
Indianapolis, IN
1890-2023

This page updated 5-27-2024.


The Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company has been in business in Indianapolis, IN since 1890, and at this location on 402 Kentucky Avenue since 1918.  Over the years, there have been several different corporate owners of the Diamond Chain Company.  In 2020, Timken purchased the company and announced the plant shown above, located on the near southwest section of downtown Indianapolis, would close in early 2023.  Also, the jobs of the 240 persons who work at the plant are going away when it closes.  The operations that are still performed at this plant will be moved to Illinois.  When this factory was built, multi-story factories were the norm.  Built in an era when public transportation or walking was the normal way to get to work, factories with several stories were built with a small footprint.  Locating in an industrial area on the near southwest side of Indianapolis placed the Diamond Chain plant close to its workers.  But times have changed, and it is the last factory left in the area.  Author's photo.


This Google satellite image shows that the Diamond Chain factory is in an excellent location for redevelopment with two sports stadiums, the Indiana Convention Center, and two hotels nearby.  The land that the plant sits on is probably worth more than the factory building itself, so it will be razed in 2023. 


In fact, the 18-acre property was purchased by a real estate developer in 2022 for $7.6 million.  By 2025, there are plans to have a 20,000 seat soccer stadium, apartments, a hotel, and retail stores at this location.

The Diamond Chain Company of Indianapolis, IN was the first company in the United States to produce bicycle chains. 


One of Diamond Chain's customers was a couple of brothers that operated this shop at 22 South Williams Street in Dayton, OH.  Their names were Wilbur and Orville.  Author's photo.


In 1895, a relative of Eula Baker purchased this Wright Brothers' Van Cleve Model bicycle for her.  She later donated it to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Riverside, OH.  Author's photo added 12-31-2022.


Author's photo added 12-31-2022.


This may well have the original Diamond Chain bicycle chain on it.  Author's photo added 12-31-2022.


When it came time for Orville Wright to make his historic first flight on December 17, 1903, there were seven Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company chains on the 1903 Wright Flyer when it took to the air at Kill Devil Hills, NC.  Author's photo from the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum in Hagerstown, IN.


Two Diamond Chain Company chains drove the two propellers.  Author's photo.


This Diamond-made chain was used as the timing chain on the engine.  Four other chains were used to operate the control services on the aircraft.  Author's photo.


Quite a few of the aviation museums I have visited around the United States have replica Wright Flyers just like the one on display at the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum.  However, at this museum the Wright Flyer is the featured display and not one of many aircraft on display.  I have visited this museum quite a few times over the years and always enjoy my return trips.  I consider it to be one of the 'Hidden Gem Museums' that I like to find and visit.  While not very big and out in the middle of east central farming country, it is well worth the trip for aviation historians and enthusiasts.  One thing that is most noticeable at the museum when one gets out of his vehicle is the quiet.  It is far enough away from 'civilization' that it is very, very quiet in the area.  Author's photo.

On display at the museum are several Diamond Chain blueprints for the chains used on the 1903 Wright Flyer.  The one above is for the cam shaft drive.


Author's photo.


The museum has the blueprint for the propeller driving chains.  Author's photo.


This is one of four control surface chain and cable assemblies on the Wright Flyer.  Author's photo.


Each Diamond-built chain on the Flyer was specially built to the Wright Brothers' specifications.  Author's photo.


This photo of the original Diamond Chain Company chain to propellers and chain tubes used on the 1903 Flyer is on display at the museum.  The original 1903 Wright Flyer is on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.  Author's photo.


 The Wright Brothers continued to use Diamond Chain for later projects.  Author's photo.


The Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company has a strong connection with the Ford Highland Park Assembly Plant.  Ford instituted the moving assembly line for the Model T at the Highland Park Plant.  For the first month, a rope was used to pull the vehicles down the assembly line.  After that, the assembly was equipped with a continuous Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company chain to move the Model Ts down the assembly line.  There is no doubt that Diamond Chain went on to supply chains for the other Ford plants as they converted to the moving assembly line along with many of Ford's competitors.  Author's photo.


Parts of the Highland Park plant still exist.  One can just imagine the Model T's moving down the long assembly line pulled by a Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company's roller chain.  Author's photo.


Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company's World War Two Products:  Roller chains are ubiquitous.  While their best known use is for bicycles, they have a multitude of uses.  Below are the known applications for the company's chains and sprockets during World War Two.  There is no doubt that there are hundreds of Diamond roller chain applications yet to be discovered that helped win World War Two.

Diesel Locomotives:


The Baldwin Locomotive Works produced 26 Model VO1000 diesel-electric locomotives like this one for the U.S. Army during World War Two.  Baldwin also made 40 for the U.S. Navy.  All of them had timing chains furnished by Diamond.


Motorcycles:  Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company supplied the rear drive chain for the Harley-Davidson WLA motorcycle.  This was the predominant motorcycle used by the U.S. Army during World War Two. 


There were 62,486 WLAs built during World War Two.  Author's photo.


Diamond Chain supplied 62,486 rear drive chains plus spare chains and parts.  Author's photo.

Tanks:  Marmon-Herrington was one mile west of the Diamond Chain plant in Indianapolis, IN.  When it needed roller chains for the many types of vehicles it produced, Diamond's close proximity allowed for quick interfacing during the design process.  A Diamond Chain World War Two magazine advertisement shows a Marmon-Herrington tank.


This Marmon-Herrington CTMS-1TB1 Light Tank is one of several types of tank that the company produced early in World War Two.  It is unknown what applications the Diamond-produced chains were used for in these tanks.  Author's photo.
 

Aircraft:  During World War Two, Diamond Chain supplied chains and sprockets for 25 manufacturers of fighters, bombers, trainers, and transport aircraft.


This is one of 13,903 CG-4As combat gliders built by sixteen different companies to help win World War Two.  Each of the 13,903 CG-4As came equipped with two Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company aileron control chains.  Author's photo. 


This cockpit of a CG-4A shows the chains connected to the cables that run out to the ailerons.  Author's photo.


This Diamond Chain document shows that the glider aileron control chain was an X-1282 base.


Diamond Chain may also have furnished the sprockets for the aileron control assembly.  Interestingly enough, there was no standard length of chain used by the sixteen different manufacturers, so various lengths were used.  Author's photo.


According to Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company's World War Two advertising, the Douglas C-47 also used the company's roller chains.  Author's photo.


Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company supplied chains and sprockets for the Martin B-26 Marauder.  These components were used in the nose wheel and main wheel gear door mechanisms.  These were Diamond Chain part numbers X-1466 chain with 26 tooth sprockets and X-1348 chain with 15, 23, 30, and 33 tooth sprockets.  Author's photo. 


Diamond Chain furnished chains for the bomb bay door operating mechanisms for the PBM-3C version of the Martin PBM series of aircraft.  This was Diamond chain X-133459 with 11 and 33 tooth sprockets.  Author's photo.


Diamond Chain supplied chain part number X-12867 for the Vought F4U-1C Corsair.  This chain, along with 9 and 25 tooth sprockets, was used to open and close the tail wheel door.  Author's photo.

Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company Landing Gear Retraction and Extension Applications:  The company provided several types of roller chains and sprockets for operating landing gear retraction and extension systems for both the U.S. Army Air Forces and U.S. Navy.  Chains used for the gear retractions were Diamond Chain part numbers X-1282, X-5282, X-1365, X-1466, X-12867, XH-12867, XH-52867, X-1348, and X-1548.  The coupling used for these applications was part number XT-5282.  The light weight sprockets used ranged from 8 to 59 teeth.


Grumman produced 1,768 F4F Wildcat fighters in several different versions early in World War Two.  The Grumman Wildcat was the first line fighter for both the U.S. Navy and USMC during 1941-1943.  This fighter held the line against the Japanese Navy and Army Air Forces until more modern fighters could be built and pilots trained to fly them.  In late 1942 and early 1943, the Grumman Wildcat engaged almost daily with Japanese fighters over the key battleground of Guadalcanal.  As each F4F took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal to defend against enemy air attacks, a Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company's chain retracted the main landing gear.  Authors' photo.


The gear retraction system with the Diamond chain can be seen in this photo.  Authors' photo. 

In early 1943, the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors began producing the Wildcat under license as the FM-1 and FM-2.  Eastern Aircraft produced 1,060 FM-1s and 4,777 FM-2s which also used Diamond chains in the landing gear system.  FM-1s and FM-2s worked off of small escort carriers and performed anti-submarine patrols.  They provided air cover during island invasions.  Diamond chains were in the thick of the fighting all through the Pacific War.

The Wildcat shown above is an Eastern Aircraft-built FM-1.


This is one of four surviving Curtiss O-52s of the 203 originally built.  It is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.  Author's photo added 12-31-2022


This and the next photos show the Diamond roller chain inside the port main gear bay.  Author's photo added 12-31-2022


Author's photo added 12-31-2022


This photo shows the Diamond roller chain inside the starboard main landing gear bay.  Author's photo added 12-31-2022


This Beech AT-11 was one of several versions of the company's Model 18 that was used in various roles during World War Two.  The AT-11 was used to train bombardiers and gunners.  It used a Diamond chain system to retract and extend the landing gears.  Other Beech models that also used Diamond-built chains and sprockets were the C-45, AT-7, and the SNB.  Authors' photo. 


The Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company supplied several different roller chains and sprockets for the Bell P-39 Airacobra.  These were for the motor-driven and hand-operated landing gear retraction system, flap drives, aileron trim tab control system, rudder trim tab control system, and elevator trim tab control system.  Diamond was also the manufacturer of the nose wheel shaft coupling.  Bell Aircraft built 9,588 P-39s during World War Two.  Author's photo.


The Bell P-63 King Cobra was a larger and newer version of the P-39 which also used Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company chains and sprockets for extending and retracting the gear.  There were 3,273 P-63s built.  Author's photo.   


The Bell P-59 series of aircraft was the first jet aircraft produced in the United States.  The first XP-59 flight was on October 2, 1942.  A total of 66 XP-59s, YP-59s, P-59As, and P-59Bs used a Diamond Chain system to extend and retract the landing gear.  Author's photo.


The Republic P-47 was the fighter that gained air supremacy over Europe before the D-Day invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944.  Diamond Chain supplied the chains and sprockets for P-47's gear retraction and extension system.  Republic built 15,686 P-47s in several different models.   Author's photo.


The Beech UC-43, better known as the Beech Staggerwing, also utilized Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company roller chains.  This is one of 240 ordered by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War Two.  Author's photo added 12-31-2022.


This is a Cessna T-50 which was also built under the designations AT-18, AT-17, and UC-78.  In total, 5,400 were built in all designations during World War Two.  All types utilized Diamond Chain roller chains in the landing gear system.  Author's photo added 12-31-2022.

U.S. Army Coastal Freighters:


Higgins Industries of New Orleans built 100 170-foot coastal freighters like this one for the U.S. Army.  In the southwest Pacific, the Army had its own navy to supply its various island bases.  Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company supplied roller chains for the two transmissions in each ship. 


The two engines in the ships were non-reversing right hand drive units.  Transmissions with Diamond Chain roller chains allowed the ship's propellers to run in both forward and reverse directions. 

DUKW:  The GMC DUKW was an amphibious truck based on the CCKW 2-1/2-ton truck.  GMC and Chevrolet built a combined total of 21,147 DUKWs.  The chains to drive the two bilge pumps on the DUKW were provided by the Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company of Indianapolis, IN. 


 Author's photo.


This is a very cool space-frame display of the DUKW at the Wright Museum of WWII, Wolfeboro, NH.  The frame rails have been pulled into the width of the drive train so the visitor can see the inner workings of the DUKW.  Author's photo.


The forward and rear bilge pumps on the DUKW were very important for the safe operation of the vehicle.  Without operating bilge pumps, the DUKW would fill with water due to its low freeboard.  At Normandy, a number of DUKWs sank when they ran out of fuel and could no longer operate their bilge pumps.  The Diamond chains that drove the bilge pumps were an important part of keeping the DUKW afloat.  Author's photo.


Author's photo.


The forward bilge pump used a double row of Diamond roller chain.  Author's photo.


Author's photo.


The rear bilge pump also used a Diamond Chain double row roller chain.  Author's photo.

Clark Equipment Company "Planeloader" Forklift Truck:  The Clark Equipment Company produced an unknown number of forklift trucks for loading and unloading transport aircraft during World War Two.  Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company provided two chains to lift and lower the forks.


DCM is the abbreviation for Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company. 

Bomb Hoist Slings:  The company produced the Army Type A-2 Sling-Hoists.  These were approximately 78 inches in length.

The Diamond Chain and Manufacturing Company Plant:  As previously noted, the Indianapolis operation will be shuttered in early 2023 and the plant shown below will be razed for redevelopment.  The original portion of the factory was built in 1918 with additions added as more capacity was needed.  For 104 years, the company in this factory has supplied the world with roller chain and provided thousands of jobs for Indianapolis, IN workers.  It will be sad to see this icon of American industry disappear from the near south side Indianapolis landscape and take its factory jobs with it. 


Author's photo.


Author's photo.


Author's photo.


This post-World War Two era Sanborn fire map shows the plant layout.  The north section along Gardner Lane was the location of the original 1918 factory.

Next is a series of Google Earth images that give an excellent view of the Diamond Chain plant that already has been razed.  These images are being added over a year after the demolition began.  Luckily, Google Earth has not yet been updated as of May 27, 2024.


The former Diamond Chain plant was a most unique design with the angled additions paralleling Kentucky Avenue.  Google Earth image added 5-27-2024.


This low angle view is looking north at the Diamond Chain plant.  Google Earth image added 5-27-2024.


This image is looking west and shows the modern one story addition at the south end of the plant.  Google Earth image added 5-27-2024.


This is looking south and shows the original plant building.  Google Earth image added 5-27-2024. 


When the Diamond Chain plant was built in 1918, Indianapolis was not the city it has currently grown up to be.  Having a factory near the downtown area was a good and common practice as workers needed public transportation to get to work, or walked from their nearby homes.  But 100 years later, the near south side of Indianapolis has changed.  The Diamond Chain plant was only a block away from the stadium where the Indianapolis Colts play.  An underutilized multi-story factory no longer fits into the long term growth of a city that now focuses on both amateur and professional sports teams as a job generating mechanism.  Google Earth image added 5-27-2024. 


This view looking northeast shows the former Diamond Chain plant was a factory on the edge of the downtown business and entertainment district.  Google Earth image added 5-27-2024.

As of the end of May 2024, the future of the former Diamond Chain factory location for a professional soccer team and other development is not clear.  It is locked up in politics and whether the developer that tore down the factory has the funding to actually move forward with the project.  It is unclear whether the soccer field will actually be built at this or some other location within the city.  Maybe the developers got ahead of themselves and tore down a very cool factory building for no reason at all.   

 

 

 

 

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