Originally posted by Halo
That's quite a nice tribute by Connecticut. Gives a whole new meaning to State Bird.
Surprised New Yorkers haven't nominated the Hellcat for their bird.
California, Texas, and Georgia would have a tough time choosing just one bird.
Kansas might be the B-47.
Washington might be the 707.
Ohio probably the Wright flyer.
Indiana maybe the P-47 (not designed there, but made a bunch).
That little blurb accompanying the F4U photo has some noteworty errors.
1) Goodyear and Brewster built Corsairs were not built in Connecticut.
2) Both the P-51 and the P-47 were designed and flown before America's entry into WWII, and both were in production for a short time after the war.
3) Then we have the Bf 109 series, which was in production in some guise for what seems like forever.
4) The Spitfire and descendents spanned both sides of the war as well.
New York was the home to Grumman, Republic, Curtiss, Bell and Brewster.
P-47s were built at Farmingdale, Long Island and at the later Evansville plant in Indiana. A small number were built by Curtiss, but never accepted for combat duty due to horrible build quality. P-38s were built in California, with a handfull being build by Vultee. F4Fs, FMs, TBFs and TBMs were built on Long Island and in New Jersey (Grumman and General Motors Eastern division). P-51s were built in California and Texas.
While there would be many choices for New York, the Hellcat was the most significant fighter to be built exclusively in the state at the Grumman plant in Bethpage, Long Island. Grumman was also the most efficient manufacturer of fighters in the USA. They produced more planes per worker than any other manufacturer. Their delivery rate was so fast that the Navy could not accept and ferry them to the fleet as fast as they rolled off the line. Grumman reduced its workforce twice to cut production. All that did was inspire the remaining workers to produce faster. In March of 1945, 605 F6F-5s rolled out of the Bethpage plant, along with 48 F7Fs, 2 F8Fs and three JRF Goose amphibians. That totals 658 aircraft in one month, a record never approached before or since.
My regards,
Widewing
