Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in World War Two
Akron, OH
1898-Current

This page updated 5-28-2023.

This display at the National Aviation Museum is titled:
Raft - A Story of Survival at Sea
This could also read:
A Goodyear Raft - How it Saved The Lives of Three Naval Aviators

The center piece of this display at the museum is the raft that the three naval aviators spent 34 days on in the Pacific Ocean.  This raft was produced by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.  Author's photo added 5-28-2023.

Author's photo added 5-28-2023.

Author's photo added 5-28-2023.

Author's photo added 5-28-2023.

Author's photo added 5-28-2023.

Photo added 5-28-2023.

 This raft is a testament to the quality of the work by the Goodyear workers that produced this raft which saved the lives of three naval aviators.  Goodyear did more than just help win World War Two, it also saved lives with the rafts it produced.  Author's photo added 5-28-2023.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber (Goodyear) was formed in 1898 in Akron, OH by Frank Seiberling to produce bicycle and carriage wheels.  The company then grew into the automotive tire business for which it is best known.  The company could have been known worldwide as Seiberling Tire and Rubber if Mr. Seiberling hadn't decided to name the company after Charles Goodyear, who invented vulcanized rubber.  Currently, Goodyear is a multinational company and is the only American company still in the top four tire companies in volume.  During World War Two Goodyear was 30th in the production of war products in the United States.  While the company is best known for its tires and rubber products, during World War Two the company produced a variety of products at multiple locations as noted in Table 1 below.

The Goodyear Decatur Mills, AL plant won the Army-Navy "E" award three times during World War Two.
The Goodyear Gadsden, AL plant won the Army-Navy "E" award one time during World War Two.
The Goodyear Clearwater Mills plant #1, Cedartown, GA, won the Army-Navy "E" award two times during World War Two.
The Goodyear Clearwater Mills #2, Rockmart, GA won the Army-Navy "E" award two times during World War Two.
The Goodyear Clearwater Mills #3, Cartersville, GA won the Army-Navy "E" award two times during World War Two.
The Goodyear Engineering Corporation, Hoosier Ordnance Plant, Charlestown, IN won the Army-Navy "E" award five times during World War Two.
The Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, Akron Plant won the Army-Navy "E" award one time during World War Two.  This included the Millersburg, Newark, and Uhrichsville, OH plants.
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Plant #3, Akron, OH  won the Army-Navy "E" award one time during World War Two.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber World War Two Products:  The Goodyear wartime products were very diverse and manufactured in the company's many plants located in various parts of the United States.  This information has been captured in Table 1.  Table 2 shows the company's production of airships, or blimps, during the war.  Table 3 shows the number of tracks the company made for the half-track. 

The most recognizable and well-known of Goodyear's World War Two products was the FG-1 Corsair, a licensed copy of the Vought F4U Corsair.  Goodyear built 4,007 of these famous fighters in Akron, OH.  This example is on display that the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Aviation Museum.  Author's photo.

This is Goodyear construction number 3770.  Author's photo.

 Goodyear built 4,001 FG-1s during World War Two.  During 1944 it produced its 3,000th of these aircraft, like this FG-1 owned by the Commemorative Air Force.  Author's photo.

Goodyear also manufactured eight F2Gs.

The most unique product that Goodyear built for the war effort was the airship for the U.S. Navy.  It was the only company to build airships during the war effort.  The United States was the only country to operate airships during World War Two.  This fully restored crew cabin from K-28 is on display at the New England Air Museum.  Author's photo.

The most significant, yet unknown, Goodyear World War Two products were the forward and rear bomb bay fuselage sections that Goodyear built for the B-29 Enola Gay.  Goodyear also supplied the rudder, vertical stabilizer, dorsal fin assembly, elevator assembly, and horizontal stabilizer assembly for the Enola Gay.  These components were built at the same facility as the FG-1 Corsairs at the Akron Airport in Akron, OH, and for 530 other B-29s as well.  Author's photo. 

The most unusual weapon was the M5 three-inch anti-tank gun made by the Goodyear Michigan Corporation in Jackson, MI.  It is unusual because one does not normally think of a tire and rubber company making weapons of this size.  Pullman-Standard built the carriage for this particular M5 that is on display at the Indiana Military Museum in Vincennes, IN.  There is no identification as to which company or arsenal built the barrel and recoil assemblies.  Normally, the Rock Island Arsenal built recoil assemblies for weapons of this type, and the Watervliet Arsenal built the barrels.  However, an entry in Table 1 identifies the Goodyear plant in Jackson, MI as making three-inch anti-tank guns.  It could be that the plant was making a subassembly for the weapon.  The plant is identified in a second entry as making self-sealing fuel tanks, tires, and tubes.  These are more in line with Goodyear's normal product lines.  Author's photo.

Goodyear Aircraft Corporation: 

This photo shows a Goodyear-built airship as it keeps watch over a convoy heading to England with important war products and food.  Airships were one of the many weapons used to combat the German U-Boat menace during World War Two. 

 The next series of photos show more of K-28's restored crew cabin at the New England Air Museum.  Author's photo.

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Author's photo.

Author's photo.

The pilot controlled pitch and altitude while the co-pilot controlled the course.  Author's photo.

The co-pilot and rear observer had office-type chairs.  Author's photo.

The bombardier laid down at his position to drop bombs or depth charges.  Author's photo.

The airships used sandbags to assist in keeping them on the ground when not in operation.  Author's photo.

A .30 caliber machine gun was mounted in the nose for self-defense.  Author's photo.

Author's photo.

Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, Akron, OH:  The following aircraft and aircraft components were produced in Akron. 

Beginning in May 1944, and extending through September 1945, Goodyear provided 531 each of the following airframe components to Glenn L. Martin B-29 plant in Omaha, NE.  These were the forward and rear bomb bay fuselage sections, rudders, vertical stabilizers, dorsal fin assemblies, elevator assemblies, and horizontal stabilizer assemblies.  Author's photo.  

This primary document from the Glenn Martin plant in Nebraska shows the fuselage and aircraft control surfaces Goodyear manufactured for the B-29 program.  The B-29 was the most expensive project undertaken by the United States during World War Two.  It was even more expensive than the Manhattan Project. 

As the Martin information from World War Two shows, the US auto industry was the major supplier of airframe and structural components to Omaha. 

The front fuselage section was built by Chrysler.  Goodyear built the front bomb bay fuselage section, starting at the seam just forward of the propeller.  The Goodyear-built rear bomb bay fuselage section is adjacent to the wings.  Author's photo.

Goodyear built outer wing sections for the Martin B-26 like this one on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force Dayton, OH.  Author's photo.

Goodyear produced control surfaces for the Lockheed P-38.  Author's photo.


The Grumman TBM had Goodyear assemblies in it.  Author's photo taken at the Liberty Aviation Museum.

Goodyear also produced control surfaces for the Grumman F6F Hellcat.  The Grumman F6F shot down more Japanese aircraft during World War Two than any other aircraft, operating primarily from the Essex Class Aircraft Carriers.  This example is on display at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Aviation Museum.  Author's photo. 

Goodyear built outer wing sections for the Northrop P-61 Black Widow night fighter.  This one is on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum.   Author's photo.

Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, Litchfield Park, AZ:  The following aircraft components were produced in Litchfield Park.

Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in San Diego, CA produced 217 PB2Y Coronado flying boat patrol bombers.  Goodyear at Litchfield Park, AZ produced the flight deck for the aircraft.

Two flight PB2Y decks are being loaded onto a semi-trailer for shipment to San Diego during World War Two.  This was a complicated piece of the aircraft.  In an area that only had cotton farms and no heavy industry until the Goodyear plant was built, this factory was an impressive accomplishment. 

This is the only surviving example of the 217 PB2Y Coronados that were built.  This particular aircraft was converted into an admiral's transport aircraft and flew Admiral Nimitz to the signing of the Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.  Admiral Nimitz and his staff were able to land in Tokyo Bay and then be transported by small boat the USS Missouri.  Author's photo.

 
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This view shows the flight deck built by Goodyear in Litchfield Park, AZ.  Photo courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum. 

The radio operator and navigator were located on the flight deck behind the pilot and co-pilot.  Photo courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum.

The Goodyear Litchfield Park, AZ facility produced wing panels, control surfaces, and empennages for the 739 PB4Y aircraft built.  Author's photo.

Goodyear produced the rubber tires for the M24 Chaffee light tank.  Author's photo.

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Goodyear produced 31,651 halftrack tracks.  Author's photo. 

The tracks were constructed with a continuous steel rope over-molded with rubber.  Author's photo. 

Shown here are new tracks that can be purchased to replace worn tracks on restored half-tracks.  Author's photo.

This photo shows the two continuous steel ropes that are joined together with steel brackets and fasteners.  Author's photo.

Author's photo.

Goodyear Plants-Akron, OH:  During World War Two Goodyear had plants on the east side of Akron, at the municipal airport on the southeast side of town, and east of town at Wingfoot Lake. 

Eastside Complex:

The six story red-brick building is the former headquarters of Goodyear. The Goodyear sign still remains even though the headquarters is a mile south of this location on Innovation Way.  The gray triangular shaped building in front of it is a bank.  This view is looking southeast down Market Street.  Author's photo. 

This 1951 Sanborn fire map shows the building as it would have been during World War Two.  The headquarters building had a theater and employee gymnasium.  The library is still there, and I was able to do some Goodyear research there when I visited Akron. 

This is the southeast section of the Goodyear headquarters building.  The company's employee gymnasium is on the east side of the building.  The theater is at the far end of the building where there are no windows.  Author's photo. 

During World War Two aircraft rubber assault boats and life rafts were assembled in the gymnasium. 

The Goodyear clock tower is north of the former Goodyear headquarters and on the opposite side of Market Street.  Some of the former Goodyear manufacturing plant in Akron was located behind the brick wall.  Author's photo.

This Sanborn map shows the massive Goodyear manufacturing plant across Market Street from the former headquarters building. 

A current Google Maps satellite view shows that about 50% of the former Goodyear manufacturing plant still stands. 

This enlargement of the Sanborn map shows the clock tower. 

Akron Municipal Airport Complex:

In 1942 there were 32,000 persons working at this facility making a variety of aviation products.  The products included:  FG-1 Corsairs, F2Gs, airships, B-26 outer wings, B-29 fuselages and empennage assemblies, P-61 outer wings and empennage assemblies, aircraft wheels, aircraft brakes, assemblies for B-32, assemblies for TBF, P-38 control surfaces, and F6F control surfaces.

There were 531 B-29 bomb bay fuselage sections and 4,001 FG-1 Corsairs built at this facility along with all of the other aircraft components.

This Google Maps satellite view shows the former Goodyear Aircraft Corporation complex as it is today. 

The building in the middle is the Airdock.  Today the Airdock and building at the bottom of the map is owned by Lockheed-Martin and the top building is owned by Waste Management.

This photo was taken several years ago after the Airdock had caught on fire from a lightning strike.  The Akron Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire and save this historical building.  Author's photo.

This photo was taken after the repairs were made to the building.  Author's photo.

Author's photo.

After World War Two, the U.S. Navy had a Naval Air Reserve Station at the Akron Municipal Airport.  The 1951 Sanborn map reflects this.  During World War Two, Goodyear used the building for production.  Today there are several occupants in the facility. 

Wing Foot Lake:  This is the operating base for the Goodyear blimp.  During World War Two, it engaged in the manufacture and testing for the Navy airships. 

Author's photo.

Author's photo.

The Sanborn map shows several buildings in 1951 that the Google Satellite view below shows are now gone. 

Goodyear Plant - Litchfield Park, AZ:  In 1916, Goodyear executive Paul Litchfield came to the Phoenix area to find local cotton farmers to provide cotton required for the cord in the company's tires.  When he found the farmers were not interested, he suggested to company management that Goodyear purchase farms and produce the cotton for its own use.  So, Goodyear Farms came into being and Goodyear had a large presence in the area twenty miles west of Phoenix.  As World War Two approached, the U.S. Navy came to Paul Litchfield, now chairman and CEO of Goodyear, and requested the company build and operate a new Navy-owned aircraft manufacturing plant in the same area as its cotton farms.  In August 1941, construction began on the new facility. 

This World War Two-era photo shows the south end of the plant and the water tower at the west end of the facility. 

This current Google Maps street view shows the water tower and the south end of the original plant.  There have been expansions and much growth in the area in the past 80 years. 

This section of the Google Satellite view shows the same area with the water tower at the left of the photo. 

This view is to the south.

This view shows how the plant grew after World War Two and what it currently looks like.  Goodyear no longer has a presence here.