Workers From General Motors
By
John Tipton
With
momentum building on several fronts, including the expansion
initiative, the Museum has acquired some much-needed help. With the
recent closing of the General Motors plant in Baltimore this past
May, six GM employees have been brought on board at the museum
full-time.
The new staff members are part of a
program set up by GM and the United Autoworkers, which allows
employees who are laid off to remain in a job bank status. The
employees have an option to work for a non-profit organization and
still remain on the GM payroll. The program is good through the fall
of 2007 when the current contract between GM and the UAW runs out.
The new crew has injected a spark
into the ongoing projects around the Museum this summer. They have
been making improvements in the archives office area with drywall,
carpentry, paint, and electrical upgrades. In addition, the GM crew
has been instrumental in preparing the Museum for the new Lockheed
Martin exhibits, as well as providing help in marketing and
communications, and helping to fill out the docent team.
GM Baltimore Plant’s
Aviation Connection
Having the GM workers move into the
aviation world isn’t all that new of an idea. A proud chapter
in the history of General Motors in Baltimore took place during World
War II. On January 21, 1942 the Baltimore Fisher Body assembly plant
was named part of the new Eastern Aircraft Division of General
Motors. The Chevrolet plant had already been manufacturing trucks for
the army and was also converted into a packaging center for overseas
supply shipments.
The new Eastern Aircraft plant was up
and running in record time. From February until July of 1942, men
worked around the clock to complete the conversion of the plant. It
was the first complete conversion in the entire automobile industry.
The Baltimore operation was responsible for manufacturing the rear
fuselage and control surface for the Navy’s “Avenger”
torpedo bombers and “Wildcat” fighters. A government
official said, “There are not better all around airplanes of
their class in service anywhere.” The “Avenger” was
described by the office of War Information as “The best
carrier-based torpedo plane so far seen in action in this war.”
In the battle of Midway the “Avenger” is given major
credit in turning the tide against the Japanese, who failed to
recognize them as a torpedo planes.
Glenn L. Martin and Chevrolet
A little known fact in the Martin
story is Mr. Martin’s brief collaboration with Louis Chevrolet,
the man whose name would become instrumental in General Motors
success. Louis Chevrolet was a Swiss-born racecar driver and mechanic
who became known for his fearless driving style. He became famous
driving Buick racecars and caught the attention of William Durant,
founder of General Motors. Durant hired Chevrolet to design an
automobile for the general public to compete with Ford’s
Model-T. The Chevrolet Motor Company was born.
After a bitter disagreement with
Durant, Chevrolet left the company selling the rights to his name to
Durant. After several attempts to start new auto companies, Chevrolet
and his brother Arthur left the business altogether. In 1929 they
formed The Chevrolet Aircraft Company and were working in Baltimore
producing 4 cylinder aircraft engines. Glenn L. Martin became
acquainted with Louis through a mutual friend and soon agreed to make
Mr. Chevrolet a Vice President of the newly formed Glenn L Martin
Company in Baltimore. The Chevrolet Aircraft Company was sold to
Martin for $175,000. Chevrolet eventually left Martin and returned to
work for General Motors for a few years before his death in 1941.
Another
GM-Martin connection was Glenn L. Martin’s 106-foot motor yacht
the GlenMar. Martin bought the yacht from Laurence Fisher, who
was the head of the Fisher Body Company, which eventually became part
of General Motors.
So,
now the GM connection continues with the new workers from Baltimore’s
GM plant coming to work at the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation
Museum.
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