1945: THE LUSCOMBE AIRCRAFT COMPANY

With the recent article in the local press relating to the vacant Ternstedt-Eastern Aircraft plant property, I have been doing some searching for the beginning stories that relate to our own Ewing Township and the very important part it played during World War II. Many of us in the senior citizen community recognize the Luscombe company who were an integral part of World War II history, and of course, Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors Corp. Above is a full page from a rare World War II issue of
"The Bomber;" a publication of Local 731 of the United Auto Workers. A full page "broad sheet" newspaper is a challenge to the average computer monitor, but I do believe that the articles will be legible. EnjoyQ

1938: TERNSTEDT DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS

Here's the beginning of the end on one of the area's MAJOR employers. Back in 1938, Ewing Township was the site of what would be one of the most important factors in the industrial northeast. Starting out as the manufacturer of auto door handles and other General Motors automobile hardware, the company was transformed into a manufacturing facility for the United States Navy during World War II when the fabled Grumman TBF "Avenger" was made here along with another Avenger plant at Bloomfield, New Jersey.

There are few in my generation who don't know many of those local residents who worked at that incredible factory on Parkway Avenue in Ewing Township.

1937: EWING TOWNSHIP'S NEW GENERAL MOTORS TERNSTEDT FACTORY

What memories surround this post! When I began what turned out to be a dead end career choice as a bearing and power transmission employee back in the early 1950's, I made daily trips to "Ternstedt Division, General Motors Corp." Mr. Walt Lawyer was the buyer at the time, and he turned out to be a true friend. Earlier in my young years, the spectacle of a Grumman "Avenger" on a test run circling over our neighborhood for a return flight to the Ewing airfield will ever be in my databank of childhood memories. I remember how low those planes flew....so low one could actually see the pilot in the large "greenhouse" cockpit. As a long time worker in Ewing, I also remember the race to get out of the Ternstedt parking lot when the shifts were changing. Many were the times when I was on my way to the plant with an emergency delivery of bearings when I got caught up in the traffic jam. Oh, those memories!

A note from Tom:

In order to present this graphic to be legible within the confines of the standard computer monitor, this graphic has been completely re-formatted from the original Trenton Evening Times article.

Ralph Lucarella said...

I CAN RECALL THE OPENING OF GM TOM. IT CREATED A BIG CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE AREA WITH THEIR STARTING PAY OF .65 CENTS AN HOUR. MOST PEOPLE WERE EARNING MUCH LESS AT THEIR JOBS. MY COUSIN, JOE MILACCI WAS ONE OF THEIR EARLIEST WORKERS WITH A MANAGER'S POSITION IN THE SHIPPING DEPT. MY BROTHER LOU AND MANY OTHER OF MY FRIENDS WERE ALSO AMONG THE EARLY WORKERS. GM MADE A GREAT DENT IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RANK. BEST REGARDS

Monday, May 09, 2011

1941: PEARL HARBOR PLUS 5: EWING'S EASTERN AIRCRAFT

The mobilization effort in America was an incredible experience in efficiency, rapidity, and above all, patriotism. As can be seen in the article above, Ewing Township's Ternstedt Division of General Motors began conversion efforts which would change the plant from the manufacture of automotive hardware to TBM Grumman "Avengers."

(The hand-colored engraving accompanying the article is from "A History of Eastern Aircraft Division," published by General Motors in 1944.)

This from Steve Csorgo, Jr.:

Hi Tom,

So neat to see this article as just recently, while going through stuff from the attic, I found check stubs from when my dad Steve Csorgo - W2QJO Amateur Radio Callsign) - worked at GM - then Eastern Aircraft before he went into the Army Aircorps. He started at GM in 1939 and returned in 1946 after coming home from his time in Florida training radar operators going to war across the pond. His radio experience allowed him to stay stateside for the war. Hope to see you soon, as I have a bunch of old stuff to give you for the library collection. A very Merry Christmas.
Steve Csorgo Jr

1938: TERNSTEDT DIVISION GENERAL MOTORS EWING TOWNSHIP

It seems to me that the mid 1950's was when American industry started down the long slope to oblivion. The unions were living high off the hog, management was reaping incredible salaries and bonuses, and those perks had a cost which would prove to be the downfall of American heavy industry. With each increase in manufacturing costs, the price of the product went up, up, up, and up. Bottom line: Overseas manufacturer were salivating at the thought of bringing in their foreign made products at prices that were too good to resist. "BUY AMERICAN!" became the battle cry. American unions along with American industry tried to tell us that the imported products were inferior to American quality. U.S. Steel Corporation's Fairless Works urged their employees to buy American made automobiles. It was too late. At one point in the glory years of U.S. Steel Corporation, my neighbor took advantage of a 13 week paid vacation, a union perk that was apparently negotiated during "the good times." In this year of 2009, and as this is being posted, the huge expanse of property which once housed this beautiful automobile parts manufacturing plant, and turned out Grumman Avengers during WWII, is growing over with weeds.

1943: THE GRUMMAN AVENGER

From Ternstedt Division of General Motors, manufacturing GM auto hardware, to Eastern Aircraft during WWII, "GM" was a very important part of Trenton industrial history. Unfortunately, the old factory has been demolished, to be replaced by a huge vacant lot.

1944: EASTERN AIRCRAFT

I CAN STILL REMEMBER THOSE MANY AVENGER FLIGHTS OVER MY HARTLEY AVENUE HOME. THOSE GUYS FLEW SO LOW, YOU COULD SEE THE PILOT IN THE BIG GRUMMAN "GREENHOUSE" COCKPIT. I WONDER WHERE THAT "BABY AVENGER" REFERRED TO IN THE LOWER PHOTO IS. IT WOULD HAVE MADE AN INCREDIBLY FASCINATING EXHIBIT IN ONE OF EWING'S PUBLIC PARKS.

1944: EASTERN AIRCRAFT

I CAN STILL HEAR THOSE GRUMMAN AVENGERS AS THEY FLEW VERY LOW OVER MY HARTLEY AVENUE HOME. SO LOW, YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE THE PILOT IN THAT LARGE GLASS "GREEHOUSE" COCKPIT. I WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE "BABY AVENGER" MENTIONED IN THE PHOTO. IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT DISPLAY AT A EWING TOWNSHIP PARK!

1938: Ternstedt Division, General Motors Corp.

They pulled up stakes and left us with "brown fields," and are obviously taking their good old time to clean up the site, but those of us who remember that great old factory on Parkway Avenue in Ewing have fond memories of Grumman "Avengers" being test flown over the area as "Eastern Aircraft" took over the plant during WWII. In my own personal experience dealing with Ternstedt Divison, I have fond memories of a true gentleman by the name of Walt Lawyer who was the purchasing agent back in the late 40's and early '50s.
the Trenton area was so very excited when General Motors broke ground for that huge plant back in 1938.

1944: Eastern Aircrat's Grumman Avenger

There she is, the one of many airplanes of my youth. Nearly every day during World War II, one or more of these Grumman beauties would fly over our Hartley Avenue neighborhood. Many flew so low that the pilot could be seen waving to us on the ground below. This incredible aircraft played a major part in defeating the Japanese in the Pacific theater during World War II.

Ewing's Eastern Aircraft

During World War II, I remember with with remarkable clarity the daily flights over my Hartley Avenue home. They flew so low, one could see the pilot in the cockpit as he flew over our house testing a brand spanking new Grumman "Avenger" from the assembly line at the Parkway Avenue facility.