Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-29
PAN-AM SHOPS
BUILD PLANES
Brownsville Is Only Place
Outside Factory To
Assemble Fords


American Always can point to the
fact that their machine shops at
the Brownsville. Texas International
airport are the only ones In the
country which have received per-
mission from the Ford Motor COM
pany 10 rebuild and assemble their
giant trf-motored planes.
But the remarkable nature Of this
achievement Is not entirely ap-
parent until il is known that Just
a year before this permission was
given, the total number OF mechanics
employed at Brownsville totalled
seven. And they had to work IN the
open and carry their tools home at
night because there was no place
TO keep theml
Contrast those conditions with
the two large hangers now housing
the lines machine shops which are
equipped with the very best tools
that can be secured. Not only do the
shops have a great deal Of purchased
equipment but engineers and other
employees Of the cOmnanv lave
worked out numerous devices OF
their own tc meet various problems
ano working conditions
Credit TO Sunden
All the changes in the shops sys-
TEN az Brownsville have come about
since r. D. Sundell became division
al engineer there. A year almost 70
a day, aTrer mis- coming. ali TIC
changes were brought about. Al
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persons instead Of the original
seven, their growth and develop
ment is BY no means az an end for
with increase in traffic and ad-
dition OF more planes the work 10
be done IS expected TO increase
Not only have the PAA shops at
Brownsville permission 70 rebuild
and assemble Ford tri-motored
planes but they have already COM
pletely constructed one and rebuilt
several others. Permission 10 do
this work was given for the reason
that the men employed In the
shops had enough technical train
ing and experience in the opinion
Of the Ford officials. because Of
ADEQUATE equipment and because OF
the fact that the factory is work
ing at capacity producing and re-
pairing snip.
over hall OF the mechanics en-
ployed by the company at the
Texas airport are licensed by the
United states Department Of Gem
merce. This Is regarded By Mr.
Sundeli as q very high average.
Many OF the employees are drawn
from the United States army and
navy.
Hard TO Assemble
A number Of technical difficulties
are encountered IN the assembling
and rebuilding Of Ford planes which
are not found in other types but
factory representatives deemed the
personnel Of the Brownsville shops
! sufficiently trained and the equip
@ment adequate to take care Of var
Ious difficult processes and me-
thOGs. An example OF hte difficult
ties encounters IS found III the
riveting work. Duraluminum or dural
rivets have the strength only of
ordinary aluminium until they are
properly heat treated when they
assume the strength OF steel. The
proper handling Of these and other
dural parts has been mastered In
the Brownsville shops
That the faith placed In the PAA
shops has been justified Is shown
by the fact that one tri-motored
Ford plane has already been re-
built completely and s6bEal others
partly rebuilt and placed IN service
again. One Of the planes rebuilt
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Mexico ard OF which only the wing
tips were used in It's reconstruc-
tion.
Here From Panama
A plane which comes Just for a
motor change IS in the shops only
a few days but a month Is neces-
sary for q complete overhaul. AL
Ford ships from the Panama divi-
sion come 70 Brownsville for
mechanical adjustments. Browns
vile IS headquarters for the Mexico
division. II extends from Browns
vile to Guatemala City. The COM
pany operates Is far south as Bue-
nos Aires.
IN addition 70 working on the
Ford ships, the shops take care Of
the usual number Of other types,
both as large and smaller.
Planes on which work Is being
done remain in 2 hanger but the
motors are handled progressively.
They first go into a tear-down or
disaSsembling room and progress
through various stages Of repair 10
the assembling room. Motors are
placed OIL test blocks and usually
run eight or ten hours before be-
ing placed back IN service.
The Brownsville shops have never
been ssInted To- equipment, says Mr..
Sundell. everything l ever asked
for they have given me- he stated.
In addition TO such purchased
equipment there is considerable
other made IN the shops. Mr.. Sun
dell himself is responsible for
several. including ~enamelling ovens
heated by means OF electricity. II is
planned 10 change the ovens, adding
air or draft control which will make
IL possible 70 secure more uniform
results and to do the work more
quickly. I
Invent Many Tools
Various other "gadgets" in the
vay Of tools have been devised.
Blue prints are made and sent to
headquarters where copies are made
and sent to all company shops.
This exchange OF Ideas Is carried
out In the entire organization and
periodically meetings Of managers
and engineers are had at which
various problems and new ideas are
gone over. One such conference
has been held. 1t was held in Qua
temala City, and another Is to be
in Brownsville.
Aviation is growing so rapidly
and extensions Of lines and service
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