Howard Aircraft Corporation During World War Two
Chicago, IL
DuPage, IL

1937-1945

This page added 3-28-2025.

Sometimes one walks by an aircraft on repeated visits to a museum and does not realize that it is a World War Two veteran.  Such was the case with this Howard GH-2 Bureau Number 32347 at the Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Museum in Kalamazoo, MI.  I had visited this museum many times over the years without really paying any attention to it.  Once I understood that this was a World War Two aircraft built by the little known Howard Aircraft Corporation, I decided that I needed to do a profile on this company and its contribution to winning World War Two.  Author's photo.

The GH-2 is the U.S. Navy's designation for the Howard Aircraft Corporation's Model DGA-15.  The Navy had several different versions of the DGA-15.  The GH-2 was used as an air ambulance.  There was also a GH-1 and GH-3 that were used as utility aircraft.  The aircraft designated as NH-1 were used as instrument trainers.  Author's photo.

Bureau number 32347 was part of a block of 50 GH-2s ordered by the U.S. Navy.  Author's photo.

Bureau number 32347 was Howard's serial number 1713.  The DGA-15 series that the navy purchased was known for its roominess and its ability to carry five passengers.  This feature allowed it to be used as an ambulance, utility aircraft, and personnel transport. 

The company was founded by Ben Howard to produce commercial versions of his cross-country and closed course racer aircraft known as "Mister Mulligan."  This became the company's DGA series of aircraft.  The DGA-15 version was the type purchased in quantity by the U.S. Navy during World War Two.  The company management decided to not return to civilian production after the war and the company went out of business after the last DGA-15 were delivered to the Navy in 1945. 

Howard Aircraft Corporation World War Two Products:  Table 1 shows that the company had $14,954,000 in major contracts for aircraft and parts during World War Two.  The company produced 784 military versions of the DGA-15 for the U.S. Navy and 150 PT-23 trainers for the USAAF.  While the company was originally located on the south side of Chicago's Midway Airport, production of its military aircraft was done in a factory east of the newly built Naval Air Station at what is currently the DuPage, IL airport.  The employees would push the completed aircraft across the road where Navy pilots would test fly the aircraft.  After acceptance by the Navy, the aircraft were flown of to their duty stations.  The historical record shows that Howard Aircraft Corporation had 2,350 employees producing two aircraft per day once production ramped up.  They were paid an hourly rate of $1.75. 

I visited the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, TX in October 2009, and photographed this Howard GH-3 on the deck of the aircraft carrier.  Author's photo.

Author's photo.

The reason the GH-3 is not level is that the right strut has collapsed.  Author's photo.

This information placard notes that the GH-3 is part of the collection of the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL.  The Google Earth image below no longer shows the GH-3 on the flight deck.  It may be on display now in the hangar deck or at another museum.  I did not see it when I visited the National Museum of Naval Aviation in 2023.  Author's photo.

Image courtesy of Google Earth.

Howard also built 150 PT-23A trainers under license from Fairchild for the USAAF.  These were serial numbers 42-277 thru 42-426. The aircraft shown below is on display at the Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Museum.

The PT-23 used a Fairchild PT-19 fuselage that had been modified for a Continental R-670 radial engine.  Author's photo.

Howard Aircraft Corporation built 150 PT-23 aircraft like this one during World War Two.  Author's photo.

The Howard World War Two DuPage, IL Plant:  The factory in DuPage is no longer in existence.  However, it is still possible to see where the naval air station and factory were located. 

This Google Maps satellite view shows the current DuPage, IL airport.  The original naval air station was up in the corner where the red arrow is located.  The rest of the airport has been added since World War Two to serve the local area.

This Google Earth view is looking east.  The building with the black roof in the upper left corner is one of the original navy hangars.  Back during World War Two, the area would have been undeveloped with two lane country roads. 

This gives a better view of the navy hangar.  Since the war, T-hangars have been added to it.  Across what is currently a four lane road was the location of the Howard factory.  It has been replaced by more modern buildings.  It was across the former two lane county road that the Howard employees would have pushed the newly produced navy and army aircraft for acceptance at the naval air station.  Image courtesy of Google Earth.

This historical record indicates that the navy hangars were constructed of brick.  Many of the original red bricks can be seen as the white paint deteriorates with age.  Image courtesy of Google Maps.

It was across this road and on the open ground shown above that the Howard employees would push two aircraft a day to the navy hangar.  Image courtesy of Google Maps.