As the war progressed, the military needed more airplanes, and needed them fast. Basic planes were produced as quickly and cheaply as possible by contractors around the country, but each plane needed outfitting before they could be put into service.
Northwest Airlines was contracted by the Army Air Corps to run a B-24 bomber modification center at Holman Field in St. Paul beginning in May 1942. Workers at the center customized bombers for specific purposes, including aerial tankers, which required additional fuel storage tanks, and photographic reconnaissance aircraft where bombing equipment was replaced wtih camera equipment. The center's most important contribution to the war effort came in 1943 when it began to equip planes with the new H2X radar system. The new radar increased bombing accuracy in all weather conditions, and played a significant role in bombing missions during the last year of the war.
The limitations of Northwest's facilities at Holman Field were rectifed with the addition of two large hangers, each of which could accommodate thirteen B-24s. By the time the center closed, it had modified 3,286 planes and, at its peak production in 1943, had employed more than 5,000 workers.
Creator: U.S. Government
Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society
Date: 1944
Identifer: accession HE1.25 p2
