1931 Ford Airport Bus

As we covered in a prior post here, Henry Ford built an airport with the purpose of passenger transport.

While most of the items from this experiment are not around in Modern Times- One remaining artifact is an extremely low mileage 1931 Ford "Airport Bus".  Tom Wesenberg posted these photos over on the Ford Barn Forums  If you have an old Ford you should join the Fordbarn as there is alot of great info to be had there.

From a technical standpoint, note the unique radiator(and Fordson nomenclature- typically reserved only for tractors) and Lincoln style fenders. There is a 1928-early 1929 Drum style tail light but the bus was built in 1931. The cowl & gas tank is completely inside the bus which means fueling of the bus had to be a unique procedure!

This particular bus resides at the Anoka County Airport in Blaine, MN and is viewable only during air shows or other special events. All photos below are courtesy of Tom Wesenberg.

Homes of Ford Executives - Harry Bennett

Periodically we take a look at the homes of Ford Executives from the 1903-1940 era here on Vintage Ford Facts.  We covered Charles Sorensen's homes at this link.

This time around we are taking a look at Harry Bennett's houses known as "The Castle" and "The Lodge"
                

      Harry Bennett in the early 1940s.
Retro Kimmer over at her blog RetroKimmer.com has some excellent entries on The Bennett Castle and Lodge. Her site is well worth checking out!
Retro Kimmer's Harry Bennett Castle Photos from 1984
Retro Kimmer's Harry Bennett Lodge Photos
Retro Kimmer's Letter from Harry Bennett's Grandson
Be sure to watch the castle tour video in the 2nd link. It's very interesting!

Among other homes he had included a Pagoda shaped waterfront house in Grosse Ile, MI and rumored to have a couple hideaway style houses throughout Michigan, but this is unconfirmed.

Upon his departure from Michigan, Bennett settled in Desert Hot Springs, California at the end of a very long road that bears his name to this day. This house recently came up for sale, but I am unsure if it sold or not.

We will be doing another feature on Harry Bennett in the very near future so be sure to check back!

Making Toys from Model T Parts

This is a unique set of toys made from Model T parts. From a 1923 issue of Ford News.

Ford Artificial Leather and the Production Thereof..........

In yet another 1923 issue of Ford Times, the production of Artificial Leather is discussed along with photographs. You can click on the page and using the enlarge button will make the text bigger.

WWI AM - Henry Ford's Venture Into Radio

With Ford's increasing wealth coupled with a constant curiosity, Ford decided to make the venture into the field of radio, at that time a new technology.  One of Ford's most able executives Fred Black, recalls how it started.
"Henry Ford came into my office one day and asked me what I knew about radio. I told him not much aside from what I read in the papers."  Ford replied "well it's a damn good time to learn, you make me one of these wireless outfits."  Black was fit to be tied, almost to the point of quitting the company. With the help of a newly hired man by the name of  Edward Chambers who had experience in the US Navy wireless corps and by taking a night school class on radio, Chambers & Black built a pair of radios that would transmit between their houses. This was the beginning of WWI-AM.

In early 1922 WWI-AM was ready to broadcast on a normal schedule, broadcasting at 250 watts. Ford was pleased with these humble beginnings and in October 1922, he made mention of of plans to build 400 similar radio stations in various cities. Over the years talent was pulled from the Ford factories and offices with such variety as bird calling imitations, the Ford Hawaiians band, The Ford Motor Company Band in which none other than Harry Bennett played in and other acts as you'll see below.

By 1923 the radio dial was getting crowded with the start of WWJ-AM (still in operation today) out of Detroit, radio stations ran by the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press as well as other local stations. This crowded dial along with the fact of keeping the equipment updated and FCC intervention prompted Ford to quit his radio venture in 1926.  The old WWI building in Dearborn is still standing, but I'm not aware of what it's current use is.

Henry Ford is shown sitting and Fred Black is the dark haired man wearing headphones. This photo is of the old wireless setup.

From a 1923 issue of Ford News....

Ford Dealer Banquet 1933

Here's a couple photos of a Ford dealer banquet from 1933. How'd you like to have those Ford signs for your collection? Or the original Henry Ford portrait?

Model T & A Fords Used As Rail Cars.

Here's a nice selection of Model T's and Model A Fords used on railroads.

Smith Form A Trucks based on Model T Fords

Those Wooden Floor Blocks You See In Factory Photos

In old factory photos- not just Ford, you see the floors are covered in Wood Blocks. It's said this was done to ease stress on workers' feet and make standing for long periods more comfortable. This is an era advertisement for those wood blocks. Today's little known Trivia!!!!

Barrett-Jackson Auction Scottsdale Arizona

As you probably know The Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction is going on this week, and we here at Vintage Ford Facts have been watching it with some interest.

So far not many restored Vintage Fords have crossed the block but a nice 1930 AA Fuel Truck went across the block and a 1936 Ford Pickup that was nicely restored also crossed the block.  We don't care about the plethora or Camaros or Chevelles, but there's plenty of people that do. At the very least it's free entertainment in the comfort of your living room. It's certainly cheaper than buying a car there!

Highland Park Ford Plant Heating System

Interesting to see how the massive Highland Park Ford plant was heated. These cuts are from the "Michigan Architect & Engineer Vol. 2"

This Sport Coupe Sure Gets Around!

This could be the most photographed 1928 Model A Sport Coupe ever! Not really, but it sure did have it's picture taken quite a bit.......

Different Car! But it's still a '28 Sport Coupe so I threw it in the mix.

I assume some sort of promotional/advertising gig.

Model T Ford Accessories

Random sampler of Model T's with various accessories.........

Model T Touring with an Izett Sleeper conversion

Looks like this sailor is damn proud of his T Roadster!

Sometimes Even the Model T Gets Stuck!

The Model T was known as a go anywhere car, but it did have it's limitations....well sometimes.

Henry Ford and the National Recovery Act

"He can take that Blue Eagle and stick it up his ass" - Henry Ford to Ernest Liebold in a conversation about Roosevelt's NIRA Program.

Henry Ford was opposed to charity, yet he ran what was possibly the biggest charity in the State of Michigan, maybe the country- the Henry Ford Hospital on Grand Blvd. in Detroit. This is yet another contradiction of the great mind of Henry Ford. He followed no rhyme or reason and certainly no pattern. He carried the banner of nobody. As you'll read below he certainly didn't carry the NRA banner!

As the Depression worsened in 1933, US President Franklin Roosevelt with his New Deal(IE Liberal Democrat) policies created the National Industrial Recovery Act in June of that year.

Brigadier General Hugh "Old Ironpants" Johnson was put in charge of the program and set about to pitch the program to the public and show it in a favorable light.

The same day that the NIRA act was signed into effect- June 16, 1933; Henry Ford made a statement to the press about it and he said "We know that the President wants to do the right and helpful thing" but was highly critical of people "whose particular genius is to try and run other people's businesses. The government has not any too rosy a record in running itself so far. I was always under the impression that to manage a business properly you ought to know something about it."

Needless to say this didn't sit too well with Old Ironpants Johnson, who had spent considerable times hyping up the NIRA and the liberal policies and tax breaks it would extend to manufacturing firms, Ford Motor Company included.

Ironpants Johnson tried in vain to get Ford to sign on, hoping by his signing on other automobile manufacturers would do likewise, however this was not to be. Arthur Brisbane, the famed Hearst columnist and Ford confidant agreed with Henry Ford that he had nothing to lose by not signing on with the NIRA.

Ford still held out and even Charles Edison, the son of inventor Thomas Edison tried to talk Ford into signing but he too was met with a firm "NO" after receiving Charles Edison's letter.

Henry Ford sent a letter to Edison, rumored to be composed & typed by Ford's mouthpiece, William Cameron and the language of the letter still showed a staunch disapproval of the act. "I have never bargained with my men, I have always bargained for them" and "the nation has never seen a stranger spectacle" and closing with " There is nothing in the law requiring a man to sign, only requirement is to obey"

Edison showed the letter to President Roosevelt who sharply criticized Ford as "being a damn fool and to call me on the phone as I'd be glad to talk to him"

The press ate this stuff up, and so did John Q. Public. Letters flooded into Ford's Dearborn office praising the actions of Henry Ford. "Henry Ford should be commended for his great Americanism he is displaying right now" wrote one. Another wrote "I hope you lick the hell out of the NRA" and yet another "Permit me to congratulate you upon your stand with the present damned  rotten administration"

While all this was going on, Pierre DuPont  was throwing a party in New York and Ford was invited. Why Ford even went to the party is beyond me, as if there was ANYONE in the world Ford hated- it was the DuPonts. I can't express the hatred Ford had for the DuPonts, it was that great.

At any rate Dupont got Ford over to the side at this party and told Henry Ford- "I want you to go along with us on the NRA, that Blue Eagle is my baby" Ford looked at DuPont for a second and said "that's all the more reason I don't want to have anything to do with it, like I told Roosevelt you can stick it your ass and I'll help you if need be"

This is but one example of the continued hatred Henry Ford had towards the US Government. In future posts we will dive into other examples of this, because here at Vintage Ford Facts we  may not give a popular view, but we give the facts.

If you'd like to read more about the National Industrial Recovery Act here are a couple of links:
Wikipedia Page on the NIRA
More information here...

I hope you enjoyed reading this. It's a condensed version of the events, but the purpose of Ford Facts is not to lay all the cards on the table, but rather to give you enough to get an idea if you want to know more about the topic at hand, while pertaining only to Ford material.

US Forest Service Model A & AA Ford Trucks

A nice selection of A & AA Ford Trucks being used by the Forest Service....

Thomas Edison and a 1928 Model A

Henry Ford gave Thomas Edison Model A #1 in 1928. The car was a Tudor Sedan rebodied with a Phaeton body before Ford gave it to Edison.

In this photo is Thomas Edison at the wheel of a new '28 Tudor Sedan. Edison preferred open cars as his conveyance of choice, but it looks like he had no problems with this Sedan!

Henry Ford's Airport & The First Ford Motor Company Proving Grounds.

This is a great link over on Casts from the Pasts on the History of the Ford Proving Grounds and Ford Airport.
Link here to Casts from the Past

I won't get into the history of the Airport here as the link above does a most excellent job of covering it.
 However as you should expect here at Vintage Ford Facts- We dig a little deeper and present the seldom seen side of Ford History. The source of the information presented on Casts from the Past came from Paul Freeman's excellent Abandoned Airfield site which you can read here.

Here is rare 1928 Footage showing the new Model A Fords going thru their paces at the Ford Airport/Test track.

Here's a photo of Edsel and Henry Ford with the "Maiden Dearborn II" Ford Tri-Motor at the Ford Airport in Dearborn around 1930.

Lastly, if you'd like to see a Ford Tri-Motor doing aerobatics- check out this prior entry on Vintage Ford Facts at the link here. It's well worth watching!