Few, if any, industrial phenomena have been as dramatic as the United States' mid-20th-century shift from peacetime manufacturing to wartime production. While the years 1939 to 1945 saw explosive growth in the manufacture of every type of armament imaginable, none was more emblematic of the industrial climate than the proliferation of aircraft factories. Zeroing in on the crux of the American military-industrial complex at a critical moment, this volume documents the production of fighters and bombers by legendary companies like Boeing, North American, Curtiss, Consolidated, Douglas, Grumman, and Lockheed. Illustrated with 175 period photographs - including 50 rare color photos never before seen in print - "The American Aircraft Factory in World War II" conveys the incredible acceleration of aviation technology that took place during this period. Author, Bill Yenne considers the various pre-war governmental acts that got the ball rolling, as well as the notable gender shift that occurred on factory floors. He also describes the construction of mega factories like Willow Run, factory-design considerations, and the post-war conversion back to peacetime production.