2-910-667 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Huge drop hammers work day and night forming sheet metal parts for United Nations bombers and fighters at the North American Aviation, Inc., plant, Inglewood, Calif. The heavy hemp rope is used to snub the hammer so that it forms the part under proper pressure and rises clear of the work after each operation. This plant produces the battle-tested B-25 ("Billy Mitchell") bomber, used in General Doolittle's raid on Tokyo, and the P-51 ("Mustang") fighter plane which was first brought into prominence by the British raid on Dieppe.