M-6 Heavy Tank

These two Buick factories are where M-4 "Sherman" medium tank transmission work and the M-10 (variant) based on the "Sherman" chassis were built. The M-6 heavy tank transmission development work, which eventually led to the M-26 "Pershing" heavy tank was also done here. The total of tank powertrain's being built here is reported at 19,428. This would not include the transmissions for the M-18 "Hellcat" designed and built exclusively by Buick. The M-18 powertrain was assembled at the old Buick garage #08 (south of Hamilton ave.) known at that time as #78. The two factories (#02 & #94) are connected by bridge #23, "which I traveled very often". The year before I left Buick (for work in Bay City, Michigan) I was the only person that worked in 'all' of factory #02 on the night shift. "Sometimes it was kind of spooky". The fork lift maintenance department did occupy a small section of the second floor, south-west corner, near the training department, so I never seen them.










This early World War II "heavy tank" design never saw combat. This was originally created to be the equal to the heavy tanks of Germany and Soviet Russia. This tank weighed in at 50 ton. Buick built the two torque converter versions of the track drive. The other transmission was an electric version. As far as I know, only three prototype versions were built. Supposedly there is only one example left. From the following Wikipedia source, it looks like 20 tanks were actually built using these Buick transmissions, with the whole program being suspended in 1944.










Here is a rear view of the M-6 aluminum variant.










In this view, off to the right (in the background) you can see an M-4 Sherman medium tank drive.










This is another view of the aluminum variant torque converter transmission show farther below. If you will notice, the track drive gears have a different configuration also. This is in factory #02, only this is the west section that was made of reinforced concrete,"like so many other early Buick factories".










This is the M-6 Heavy tank.










This is an only partially assembled M-6 transmission. I'm thinking this would be in factory #02, but I can't be sure.










This rear view of the M-6 transmission would be in factory #94. Judging by the size of the steel supports shown behind this particular transmission, I would say this is the first floor. The second floor had much smaller supporting beams.










This view with the front cover removed would have been in factory #94.


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This diagram of the Buick built transmission describes some of the parts.










This view is obviously inside the old train shed of factory #02, which had been immediately converted for war work before even the last automobile had been shipped from here. This M-6 transmission is one of two variants built by Buick during the war. This view is from the rear where the engine would connect. This area of factory #02 had many uses over it's life. This particular area shown here was plastic injection molding for many years during my time at Buick. When I left in 1997 this area was A.G.V. repair. They had a test track here (buried cable in the floor) for operating the A.G.V. . I seem to recall that this building was used as "pilot buildup" for new model cars back in the early 70's.


Links: Detroit Tank Arsenal.
Inside train shed 1942 + early '20s
Inside the train shed 1997
Another view inside factory #02/08
Factory #02 train shed 1923
Factory #02 Train Shed Vehicle Entrance
Train Shed At Buick Rail Entrance
Buick Water Towers
Army Air Force Training School
Factory #94
Factory #35 And #94
Factory #28 #17 & #94 Demolition 2000
Factory #94 North Wall
Factory #94 Inside First Floor
Inside Bridge #23
Buick City Building Designations
Division street Buick 50's / 90's

HellCat Tank Training & Engineering 1943.

Here you can see the major rebuilding of factory #08 in 1920. That is Hamilton Avenue running east and west between factory #08 and the main office which was building #07.

The engineering and training for the Hell-Cat tank was done here during World War II. This south-east view shows factory #08 during it's 1920 remodel. This shows the third floor addition being built. This photo is labeled wrong, as is the one shown below. This one is identified as the main office. The main office was actually directly north across Hamilton Avenue . I think maybe some interns did the cataloging of these archive prints and they really did not know much about the Buick buildings. 

This is a south facing view in 1920 of the remodeling of factory #08. This and the photo above are from the Buick Research Gallery in Flint, Michigan. This one is also wrongly identified as another building. So if you do any research there beware of the information attached to these archive prints. This shows the bridge area that will connect with factory #4 body shop. The third floor is being added at this time. That is the W.F. Stewart factory #3 in the left background.

Guarding factory #08 during World War II. I remember these Buick guards well. They commanded much more respect than the Pinkerton guards that replaced them when Buick City was created. These guards were great to work with. They did not wear a side-arm in my time. The Pinkerton guards were always "JERKS". I dealt with security on a daily basis while shipping and receiving parts. The Pinkerton guards always looked and acted like mall security.

The original T-70 wooden mock-up. Some working models were built and rejected by the military. This is factory #08.

Radial engine installed in this powertrain cutaway. This is factory #08.

Training on the turret of the M-18 in factory #08.

Powertrain section cutaway.  Hellcat name was going to be used for the 1947 DYNAFLOW transmission. Link here for news. 

Training in factory #08.

Training in factory #08.

Training in factory #08.

Training in factory #08.

Inserting the torsion bar suspension which is still used in our modern tanks today. This is factory #08. You can tell this is facing north towards Hamilton avenue because of the trees outside the windows.

Powertrain section training cutaway.

Ready for the "quick change" engine. The engine was on rollers and was slid in place from the rear. This is factory #08.

Transmission training in factory #08.

Engine in factory #08.

Power section in factory #08.

Drive section in factory #08.

Suspension and drive wheel training in factory #08. This would also be the north wall because of the tree branches visible outside the window.

This location is shown two photos below. That is the Oak Park fire station on Industrial Avenue in the background. Since we can see Oak Park #4 fire station in the background (in this 1943 photo) we know that factory #4 body shop has been removed. It was in fact demolished in 1936. M4A2E8 - Upgraded with wide-track Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension (HVSS), fitted with the 76mm M1 gun is shown on the left.

The location of this photo is shown at the bottom, with the south wall of factory #08 in the background. M4A2E8 - Upgraded with wide-track Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension (HVSS), fitted with the 76mm M1 gun shown in profile.

This 1930 aerial photo of the area south of Hamilton Avenue shows the location and direction of the posed M-18 Hell-Cat tanks. The building (#08) is located south of Hamilton and is where the M-18 training school was located during World War II. This building had many functions over it's life span, including: Early Buick Factory Showroom - New model build (pilot cars) - Book publishing (Buick Bulletin) - Training School (WWII) - Day Care Center (during G.M.'s 50th celebration) - Engineering (#78) - Body building (wooden bodies) - Tank Transmission Assembly & Shipping and was always used as the garage for management and their families vehicles. It had it's first major remodeling in 1920 and it's second between 1927-1930. The second addition is the area designated as #08 in the photo. My mother parked here (south of #08) sometimes when we picked my father up after work. Factory #08 was demolished during 1963 when so many other old Buick buildings were removed. As I reported for work (on my first day) at the Hamilton Avenue entrance to Division Street in 1972, I was a bit confused? Because I remembered how it looked when the old main office and Buick garage were still standing when I was a kid.

In this photo you can see the location of the M-18 Hell-Cat tanks posed in the picture. The area circled is the background in the 1943 (inset) photo. The engineering group at Buick was designated as #78 and was functioning in this building and building #84 starting in 1927  Link for news announcement. Building #84 was built on the footprint of the old Imperial Wheel plant on the north-side of Hamilton Avenue.

Links:

National Defense Day At Buick.

W.F. Stewart Factory 4 & Buick Garage #08.

Factory #08

Ruth Nash

Factory #08 1923

Buick 1920 Aerial View

Overview Buick 1938

Buick 1930

Buick Through The Years.

Buick Aerial View 1930

Aerial Buick.

Buick Aerial View 1936

Factory #62 Getting Ready For War

Buick Test Track During World War II.

The T-70 Tank Prototype

Genesee County Tanks

Factory #62 WWII

Factory #06 Assembly

Industrial & Hamilton Avenue 1913

My Family at General Motors

Building #84 Engineering

Engineering & Experimental 1923

Buick Engineering 1972

Imperial Wheel Company Had Many Faces

Buick Test Track During World War II.

This diagram shows the layout of the test track during world war II and into the late 40's. This modified diagram is from Don Bent's book "A Place Called Buick".

We are facing north towards Horton Avenue and Philadelphia blvd.

Facing east at the north-end of the test track. The Pere Marquette rail line is in the background.

Here we are facing east with Stewart Avenue off to the right. You can still see that a part of the old "Liberty" engine factory #27 is still standing.

Here we see the M-18 north of Stewart Avenue with the new factory #10 aluminum foundry in the right background. Also note the high tension power line.

This looks to be a north-west view just south of the test track. This area looks like they had some hills and inclines for testing. I'm thinking that is Andrew Street in the background.

This south-east view of a M-18 tank is where factory #36 will be built during 1951-1952.

Buick M-18 HellCat on the Buick test track. This view is facing north-east.

Factory #62 Getting Ready For War

This is the area known as 62-A. Many more photos of this area are found throughout this blog, including this post. Note the wheel covers (hubcaps) are painted on this car instead of chrome; because of war time shortages. That is the north wall of factory #01.










This layout shows the present (1946) and the proposed (1947) changes at Buick. Again; Thanks are due to Don Bent and his fine book "A Place Called Buick".










A postwar factory layout in 1947. Factories #04 and #16/40 are the new additions after the war. The addition at the south-end of factory #62 known as 62-A would have been built either in 1940 or 1941. "This is the location of the Bandstand or elevated work station located at the south-end of factory #62. This is a photo (after 1947) when factory #01 north of the main office has been built up. The south wing of factory #01 was an open space during WW II.










The combined factories that were factory #62. This is a pre-1934 photo. Enlarging of the photos on this site depends on which browser is used.










This shows the combined factories that were factory #62 where the M-18 tanks were assembled. This modified map version was taken from the book " A Place Called Buick" by Don Bent. (Your book is always at my side Don) I was inside of this factory on a tour once in the fifties. I did not step foot on the floor but walked across one of the overhead catwalks crossing over to factory #40/ bldg. #16 which was built following the war. My father was working in #40 at that time.













Here is a photo showing Harlow Curtice (straw hat) showing off the product that will be built in factory #62. This is the M-18 Hellcat tank destroyer developed and built by Buick workers. Must be one of the first mock-ups, "no gun installed yet".










One of the most famous photos from Buick. This shows the last 1942 Buick coming off the line before conversion for the war effort. "If it was anything like when I worked there, the maintenance workers were not far behind". This photo was taken February 3, 1942.










This shows you the bandstand area at the south-end during 1937. Some of the photos of this area are shown in the following photos.










This west facing view at the east wall of factory #10 inside factory #62 shows something that I have yet to identify. You can see it at the left, four photos below, (against the wall of factory #10) at the north-end of factory #62.










You are looking at the west wall of factory #07 inside factory #62. I also know this is the north-end because of the lights for the final line and also the position of the slat/final line.










I'm working on it, but this is definitely inside factory #62. You can see part of the roofed over area that created factory #62.













This is the roll test area at the north-end of factory #62.










This photo from the north-end of factory #62 is the same as the one shown (two photos) below. The slat line at the final inspection area has now been removed. Old factory #10 is on the left with #07 on the right.










This south facing view in factory #62 shows one of the many cross-over storage and work stations. In the distance, you can see the elevated bandstand at the south-end. Old factory #10 is on the right, with old #07 on the left.










This is facing south in factory #62 (the roofed over factory) near the final inspection area at the north-end. I like the time exposure in this one because you can see the ghost image of the maintenance workers. Old factory #07 is on the left with old factory #10 on the right. You can see this enclosed structure in 1946 straddling the line by clicking here.










This east facing view is the same area as the photos below, only taken from under the bandstand.










Same view as below, only taken from floor level. You will note that the unique windows that were present at the south-end of factory #62, prior to 1941, are no longer present because the bandstand is now housed in the new (roofed over) area know as the 62-A addition at the south of factory #62.










Same view as below, only the photographer is now elevated on one of the cross-over storage areas.










This view of the bandstand was taken from the same perspective as the one below, only now; the photographer is standing in #62 which was the new factory created by the roofed over area. The wall in the distance is old factory #01's north wall. This whole area was created by the new (roofed over) structure 62-A.










This is the bandstand (elevated work station) at the south end of factory #62. This view facing directly south is making the hairpin turn just after exiting the south-end of old factory #07. That is the north wall of factory #01. For those unfamiliar with factory #62, it was created in the mid twenty's as the "Unified Assembly Plant". It consisted of: factories #06, #07, #10, #62, #09 and #01. The area between factory #07 and #10 were roofed over, thus creating a new factory by simply building a roof.


links: Buick Factory #62 Factory #62 Buick Assembly Factory #62 Revisited. Buick Assembly 1947 Factory #62 1950 Bumper Installation. Factory #62 Chassis Loading Factory #62 The Forty's Factory #62 1927 Factory #62 1942 Factory #62 1952 Factory #62 1937 Factory #62 1933 Factory #62 1936 Factory #62 radiator installation. Factory #62 WWII Factory #62 Construction And Assembly Factory #62 Emmanuel Godin Factory #62 1955 Factory #62 1937 Factory #62 Construction Detail Factory #10 1923 Buick Assembly 1922 Factory #07 Seat Stuffing Factory #09 Northeast Corner Assembly factory #06 Factory #06 Assembly Buick factory #1 & #6 The Last Flint Built Buick During World War II Factory #01 Buick Factory #1 Hamilton st. Flint Michigan (view south west) Buick At It's Battle Stations