WWII

By ryan.mckinley

  • Japanese attack Pearl Harbor

    President Franklin Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy." On that day, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory. The bombing killed more than 2,300 Americans. It completely destroyed the American battleship U.S.S.

  • Republic Aviation announces airplane assembly plant adjoining the Evansville Airport

    A recent space ad in the aviation periodical "Trade a Plane" says it all a superbly ... recounted that on March 22, 1942, Republic Aviation announced it would ... to build new fighter aircraft on the city's near North Side near the airport. ... Immediately.

  • Ground is broken for Republic Aviation plant and office

  • Elder Brooks, an African American, is 1st local civilian death when hit by falling steel at Republic

  • The Evansville Airport is leased to Republic Aviation for a $1 a year

  • Republic Aviation office opened, completed in 62 days by AJ Hoffman Construction Co.

    Biplane, was completed in September 1917- It had a wing span of 26 feet ... Below: Kreider-Reisner Aircraft company's first airplane, the KRA. Midget. ... airports. THE EARLY DAYS 1928 - 1931.

  • First Evansville P-47 is flown, the Hoosier Spirit

    The twenty-first war bond Thunderbolt, which voluntary payroll deductions paid for ... a new plane from Evansville named Hoosier Spirit were flown for the crowd.

  • P-47-D aircraft assembly line begins operation; P-47-D model production will run for 32 months

  • Modification Center begins operation

  • P-47s entering combat in England-Europe

  • President Roosevelt visits city, tours Republic Aviation, sees shipyard & ordinance by train

    He attended Columbia Law School in New York City, New York, United States.

  • 5 Thunderbolts have a “private” air show for Republic Aviation employees

  • Republic increases production 300% from previous July, absenteeism was a factor

  • Republic Aviation Corp has highest fighter production totals of all US aircraft plants: Evansville has the highest efficiency

  • P-47s now flying with 2 1,000-pound bombs attached

  • Republic Aviation has a backlog of 275 P-47s stored on airport grass field areas

  • Backlog of P-47s back to normal as vast ferry movement has taken place, 60 pilots on this day

  • Republic Aviation has open house for 25,000 employees and family members

  • Republic Aviation wins 1st E-Award

    The Republic Aviation Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer based in ... After several failed attempts, Seversky Aircraft finally won a design ... In June 1942, the Army took delivery of its first P-47Bs.

  • P-47s chance to bubble canopy

  • 3,000th Evansville P-47 completed (this was the day it was announced)

  • Republic Aviation wins 3rd E-Award

  • Test pilot Wm Moose was killed as he crashed his P-47 into field 3 miles SW of New Harmony

  • 1st Evansville P-47-N model is flown, change-over was smooth without any lines shutdown

  • 6,000th Evansville P-47 completed (this was the day it was announced)

  • Republic Aviation Corporation completes its 15,000th P-47

  • Republic Aviation announces closure of Evansville Plant

  • Republic Aviation plant is offered for sale or lease

  • Employment at the Evansville plant is at 250 people

  • The last P-47 is flown from Evansville plant, it was the 6,670 P-47

  • 14 P-47s given to regional schools and colleges, without guns and radios, wings were also offered

  • International Harvester (IH) buys Republic Aviation Plant for $5,648,000 (date approximate)

  • The IH Plant still contains equipment used in P-47 production by RA, Servel & Hoosier Cardinal

  • International Harvester sells plant and facilities to Whirlpool-Seeger

  • Whirlpool Seeger is the largest city employer at 5,800 mostly in the former Republic Aviation plant