All Photos

Employees at North American return to work after witnessing an air show sponsored by the company

Inglewood, United States

A man and woman employee on North American's P-51 fighter final assembly line check their day's work on a "sign-off" sheet as each assembly is completed

Inglewood, United States

North American employees gather on the flight ramp during lunch period to see the ships they helped build perform

Inglewood, United States

On the outside assembly line, the North American B-25 bomber receives its Army camouflage paint

Inglewood, United States

One of North American Aviation's many women employees assembles a B-25 tank structure

Inglewood, United States

A few of the thousands of parts move out of the hydropress department upon completion to the fabrication shops

Inglewood, United States

In North American's tank department, a woman employee rivets a rib. Tanks like these with high test gasoline enable United Nations bombers to fly faster and farther

Inglewood, United States

As fuselage center sections for B-25 bombers move down a long overhead conveyer, hundreds of North American women employees assemble the thousands of parts that go into a modern combat plane

Inglewood, United States

A North American P-51 fighter receives final inspection on the flight ramp before its first test flight

Inglewood, United States

Assemblies are checked by an inspector at this North American P-51 fighter moves down the final assembly line

Inglewood, United States

Captain C.R. Douglass, Assistant Army Air Forces Representative at North American Aviation, looks aloft before taking another P-51 fighter into the air for a routine test flight

Inglewood, United States

A partial view of North American's flight ramp, with P-51 fighters getting final adjustments before flight tests and paint

Inglewood, United States

Final assemblies are added to a North American P-51 on the "Sunshine" assembly line

Inglewood, United States

Production control clerks check on the number of parts that are being delivered to the final assembly floor. The tricycle has proven very useful in aircraft plants

Inglewood, United States

tricycle

One of North American's women employees operates a pneumatic numbering machine in the sheet metal department. All items are given index numbers

Inglewood, United States

As North American P-51 fighters move off the final assembly line and on to the flight ramp, flight crews make final adjustments

Inglewood, United States

On North American's "Sunshine" assembly line, a B-25 bomber is prepared for painting. Paper is taped to those areas not to be painted

Inglewood, United States

The motor of a North American B-25 bomber is given final adjustment before motor run-up

Inglewood, United States

North American B-25 bomber fuselage sections move down a long overhead powered conveyor line

Inglewood, United States

Another wood crate is assembled in North American's shipping department for a "Mustang" fighter for the Royal Air Force

Inglewood, United States

Wood is cut to the exact shape for assembling crates for shipping supplies and spare parts from North American's shipping department

Inglewood, United States

Army Air Force test pilots prepare to make a routine test flight in a North American B-25 bomber prior to acceptance by the Army

Inglewood, United States

air pilot

A skilled employee at North American assembles the cowling on a North American B-25 bomber

Inglewood, United States

Army Air Force test pilots prepare to make a routine test flight in a North American B-25 bomber prior to acceptance by the Army

Inglewood, United States

air pilot