BUILDING AIRPLANES: Surprising Facts About Aircraft Production Over the Past 75 Years!

[@Retr0racin]

I spent 34 years in Renton Boeing building 757`s and 737`s I retired four years ago. good video

[@maxsmodels]

Another great video Mike.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Max, and some of those numbers are amazing to me. Best of luck in your new training!

[@MarsMullo1]

Engines manufacturing video now required, please ❤❤

[@rjosephobrien]

Very much enjoyed the video. Thank you so much!

[@williamscoggin1509]

I'm 66 and my mom was a Rosie the Riveter in Fort Worth. She passed away at age 96. Great video Mike! 👍🏻

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Many thanks, and God bless your Grandmother's memory - one of the Greatest Generation!

[@michaelcosta3098]

Mike my father was stationed in the Philippines and New Guinea during WW2, and my sister still has many Photos of him at Bases with B-25 bombers behind him, as always great Video.

[@rexmyers991]

I am 80 years old. I took my first lesson in 1958 (Piper Cub) and I retired as a B-767 captain in 2003. I lived through much of the history you just reviewed. EXCELLENT job, Sir. Very interesting. Oh, my father flew B-25 bombers during WWII.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Appreciate the comment, thanks!

[@garfieldsmith332]

Thank you Mr. Machat for another very informative and great video. Of the 39,000 NIKE missiles built, I think about 35,000 were fired at Godzilla.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Love it!

[@freedomforever6718]

Amazing production numbers. My father flew the A-4 Skyhawk (nicknamed the Scooter) in Vietnam.

[@glennweaver3014]

Stellar video Mike. I was shocked and surprised at some of these production numbers and comparisons. Photos and images are top notch as well. Always enjoy your excellent work. And, thanks so much for taking me up on my suggestion. I learned a lot.

[@kellyb.mcdonald1863]

Thank You!!! Mike!!! It's Mikeee!!! and, He likes It!!! - but for me, I Like it Too!!! Equally!!!! Have a Beautiful Day!!! Kelly!!!

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

3:20 Note in the upper right corner a glimpse of the camouflage which completely covered the Douglas Long Beach buildings and parking lot, giving the appearance from the air of rolling farmland (complete with fake farm buildings IIRC). Must have worked pretty well, given that the buildings still existed when I showed up in 1979.

[@rudelchw]

Such an interesting subject ... aircraft manufacturing has always been an amazing subject for me, thanks a lot for this video :)

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@eottoe2001]

TY as usual.

[@jetsons101]

Mike, I still remember seeing my first 707 at LAX back when I was a little kid, it's still my favorite jet airliner. Thanks for working in a great Mid-Century model box...... Mike, thanks again for all your time, work and posting...... mike

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Appreciate the comment, thanks!

[@jetsons101]

Well earned.......@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782

[@danf321]

Another great video Mike! What’s mind boggling to me is the massive quantities of passenger planes we have flying with essentially a stellar uneventful flying record. Every time I take a flight I realize I’m simply boarding a flying bus, and that same “bus” is making dozens of flights every day.

[@kurtburgess1519]

Ooh...you included the XB-19 and not the Convair XC-99 (C-99 after official certification). The giant spin-off from the B-36 had a successful career through 1957. We're on the same page about the hotrod Convair 880/990. Real beauties designed for European short hops.

[@lancerevell5979]

Another great and very informative video, Mike! It's amazing just how long many aircraft have been in production, still useful decades after initial design, while others were obsolete even on their first flight.

[@leonardpoindexter5289]

Yes, but scary in away

[@joeschenk8400]

Another Monday morning smile maker! The numbers of all the different aircraft are amazing. Great video!

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks a lot!

[@citibear57]

Thanks Mike! Very interesting information, and fantastic photos & images. I especially enjoyed the WWII 'production line' photos. Seeing so many aircraft under construction - and under one roof - was incredible.Well done! 👍

[@johnf991]

Yet another fascinating video!! Top marks.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Many thanks!

[@kevinbutters5964]

A very, very nice presentation. Nicely balanced. Thank you.

[@keithtarrier4558]

Any video that starts of with a C-130 Hercules has gotta be awesome! (as my dad has over 10,000 on them, and most hours in Australian RAAF history for the C-130)

[@chuck9987]

Great video and this only touched on planes that went into production. The geneology of planes like the F-18 (rooted in the F5) and the legacies of planes that never were like the F108 (A5 and the AWG9 weapon system for the F 14) are also fascinating. The F86 started out as a straight wing Navy plane and ultimately returned to the Navy as the Fury. Lots of great stories out there. Thanks for doing these.

[@kiwitrainguy]

My understanding is that the F-86 Sabre was a jet version of the P-51 Mustang, which evolved out of the A-36 Apache. Of course there were a lot of tweaks that went in to every one of those designs along the way.

[@chuck9987]

@@kiwitrainguy i can't find anything about the Mustang (or the Apache) design being a basis for development of the Sabre other than the breakthrough work on the laminar flow wing design pioneered on the P-51. The Northrop design with the most descendants is probably the N-156. This lead to the F-5 series, the T-38, and the F-20, the P-530 which in turn lead to the Yf-17, F-18, and the F-18E/F SuperHornet. Original N-156 design goes back to the late 50's.

[@johnplaninac9980]

Another interesting video. Really like the photos of the P-51 and the P-47. What would the price be today for brand new of those two. Your team has put together a wonderful video. Thanks for sharing.

[@kiwitrainguy]

Built as one-offs they would be very expensive, but if you were to place an order for, say, 1000 or more of each of them as was the case in WW2 then the unit cost would come down. That's why it was so lucrative for people (many governments and airlines) to buy up surplus aircraft at the end of WW2. That's how New Zealand bought it's C-47s in order to give its internal airline a shot in the arm in the late 40s. Yes, a brand new P-51 or P-47 would be nice rather than the old ones they have to treat with kidd gloves because they are so old.

[@cadmaven]

Another great video, Mike. Always enjoy your theme approach to these. Another "only one" to add to your list: the A.V. Roe Canada C102 Jetliner. First jet airliner to fly in North America (1948) and first to carry jet airmail. Never to go into production due to a myopic government. Thanks Mike.

[@manuelcavero9978]

As always, a very good, interesting and illustrative video Mike! Kindest regards.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Many thanks!

[@mikelynn4754]

Really enjoy these vids especially as you always include a model kit touch! Thank you. How about a Prototype/model kit comparison? ie, Martin Seamaster/ Revell kit?

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Neat idea, thanks, and please check-out my model videos on that Playlist.

[@MostlyParked]

Thanks. Always enjoyable productions from this channel. Looking forward to your next work. Suggestion for a future topic, cutaways and or those aircraft with “all” their weapons/accessories laid out on the ground. Spent hours as a youth looking at these, matching the numbers to their descriptions.

[@N99JH]

Mike, as always - great video, Kudos! One typo if I may: the Lockheed "Salmon" tailsitter was the XFV-1, not XFY-1 which was the Convair "Pogo".

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Good catch and our Copy Editor has been fired!

[@bertg.6056]

An outstanding presentation, Mike !! The Pogo was the XFY-1, and was tested here in San Diego at Brown Field airport.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Good catch on the Pogo designation and our Copy Editor has been fired!

[@bertg.6056]

Aww, give him a second chance, Mike. I hear he's a pretty nice guy.

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

"The Pogo was the XFY-1, and was tested here in San Diego" and is still on display at the museum as far as I know.

[@bertg.6056]

@@marcmcreynolds2827 It is not on display anywhere in San Diego, Marc.

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

@@bertg.6056 Correct, and thank you. I thought I had seen that information in a San Diego Aerospace Museum web page. Rereading it, "This aircraft is now part of the National Air & Space Museum’s collection."

[@Wild-Dad]

I’m surprised that the 747 in all iterations didn’t make your list in some form. Another one off passenger jet was the Canadian built A.V.Roe Jetliner. The Comet beat the Jetliner to New York by one day.

[@GustavoMonasterio]

Great video Mike! Excellent information! Greetings from Brazil!

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Many thanks Gustavo!

[@Airsally]

Man! Great info...don't know where you got all that info but thanks for sharing it with us.

[@raynus1160]

Absolutely fantastic episode Mike - really enjoyed this 'headcount' summary. (Man, that's a pile of aluminum!)

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Many thanks!

[@pilawt]

Mike, I'm a big fan of your art, books & videos. How about a future video on the subject of TAIL NUMBERS, civil and military. Where did the 'N' come from? What are the letter/number combinations on the sides of US military aircraft? Keep up the great work. Thanks!

[@thefrecklepuny]

Bomber number go down in accordance with their destructive power. The B-21 is the first to buck that trend.

[@rogerleverton2735]

21 B-2's I think, Mike

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Yes, 21 were built including the flight test Ship 1. Then came the takeoff accident write-off in Guam, so it's 20 B-2s today. Thanks for watching!

[@viscount757]

The Beechcraft Bonanza, still in limited production today, went into service 76 years ago in 1947 as you say, but the prototype first flew in December 1945, almost 78 years ago.

[@dhroman4564]

Another great video, good work. Perhaps you should look into adding license/ reverse-engineered Dc-3 from Russia the LI-2 to total.

[@jimpalmer1969]

Good job! I'm a 43 year retire Boeing guy. The 707v737 comparison is correct! I think about that all the time.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Appreciate the comment, thanks!

[@mikealexander4166]

Love your videos. Reminds me of a presentation you’d see in a hotel or hotel conference room back in the 70s and 80s. Maybe I misunderstood your quote about Robinson being the last maned aircraft manufacture in Ca post C-17 pre B-21 but the F-18 has been built at the old Douglas facility in El Segundo by Northrop since the 80s. Keep up the great work Mike. Throughly enjoy every video you put out.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Appreciate the comment, thanks Mike, and yes, the F-18 aft fuselage is built in El Segundo with final assembly in St. Louis, so it was Robinson building the complete helicopter that elicited the comment. Thanks for watching!

[@marbleman52]

This was another great episode. I was waiting for you to talk about the great B-52 and it's amazing longevity; like the Ever Ready battery that keeps going & going & going...but instead, you showed us the A-4 Skyhawk and the great C-130 Hercules, both of which first flew in 1954. So....question: I looked up the B-52 and it first flew in...1952....??? What's up with that; is there a technicality here that I am not aware of? A personal story: Way back in the late 50's-early 60's, my grandmother would buy me a plane ticket to fly to Dallas to visit her during the summer. She loved taking me to Love Field and talked & talked about those smoking 727's that I flew on...she loved them...!! She was real "hip" for a grandmother...LOL..!!

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Great story, and Love Field was the first airport I ever landed at in a jet - a yellow ochre Braniff 720 "Jelly Bean" on my way to Air Force Basic at Lackland AFB in 1967. Yes, the B-52 has the record for longevity - this video was about length of the production run itself. B-52s were built until 1963; C-130s are still going strong. Thanks for watching!

[@marbleman52]

@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782...Back in High School...68-70.... when I was living in Frisco, I would occasionally bring a date to Love Field and we loved watching all of the travelers from around the world come through there. It was a real busy place back then. Ahhh...length of production run....I missed that part of the B-52 when I looked it up. Thanks.

[@thunderamu9543]

Mike, I didn't make it two minutes into this piece before something caught my eye. At 1:43, the Connie pictured in front of Hangar 309 is odd for a couple of reasons, the first being the scimitar-tipped prop blades and other being that the carb intakes on #1, #3 and #4 are covered over. Do you have any info or know where I can find the photo(s) of this bird?

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

That photo shows the rollout of Ship 1 for the 1649 Constellation, before its TWA markings were applied. Should be able to find that or other similar images in a Google search, and thanks for watching!

[@leezinke4351]

Wow!

[@jjojo2004]

You can also say the 707 lives on in 2023 as the 727 and 737 (still in production) share the same fuselage and nose as the 707! 👍😎👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

Legend had it that one or more pulley designs from the DC-3 were incorporated into the DC-10 when the specifications matched up, as in "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

[@KRW628]

Bravo! (I liked flying the 152 more than the 172 - too much airplane for just one guy)

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Agreed, and thanks for watching!

[@boataxe4605]

Air lingus must be doing well with that many planes being built.

[@leonardpoindexter5289]

I worked at Aero Commander in Bethany, Ok in 69’ bending wing spars. Then came the draft.

[@vac65]

The picture of Messerschmitt Bf109 is a Romanian WWII era G, and i think was produced under licence at IAR plant Brasov.

[@scottwhitmire6613]

Great thing about being OLD.... I have been cargo on the rarest Airliners in history. OOOH the good old days.

[@skyden24195]

Perhaps I missed the specifications for the list in question, but I'm somewhat surprised of the absence of mention in the category of "only one made/produced," that being the Hughes-Hercules Flying Boat. (I'm likely messing up the designation, but I'm sure you know which airboat I'm speaking of.) Regardless, interesting video.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

We featured the Hughes H-4 Hercules in a special video last month and thanks for watching!

[@skyden24195]

@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 yeah, I watched that video, that's why I was a little surprised that it didn't get the brief mention of the fact of only one produced, but I do also understand why it wasn't mentioned; I kind of figured the previous video had to do with that aspect.

[@twistedyogert]

I just realized that even today aircraft are mostly made by hand.

[@neilhaas]

❤❤❤😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉

[@jackseward7779]

Obscure Department: any numbers for surface-effect bombers and airliners? P.S. Still awaiting a separate video on these weird aircraft (Russia only?). PPS: saw that vertical take-off fighter at Silver Hill, MD in the '80's.

[@darthnihilus511]

It’s hard to imagine that at one time we actually built things in this country and in California less and places like New York we had massive factories. We employed thousands of hard-working Americans but greed took over and now we outsource everything and now with all these DEI initiatives we have Boeings falling apart in the skies. It used to be pride before profit in this country.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

What do those aircraft have in common? I bet the answer is *_RIVETING._* {Please don't hit me...🤭} Also: *I ❤️ BLEEDAIR BLIMPS!!!!*

[@simeonges1]

Actually, the most-produced airliner that was made in Europe seems to be the Tupolev Tu-154, (1.026 planes built) and not the Caravelle (282 planes).

[@MartinCHorowitz]

Didn't you forget about Gulfstream building planes at Long Beach Airport?

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks for the question, and Gulfstream aircraft are actually built in Savannah, Georgia, then outfitted with avionics and custom interiors at Long Beach Airport. Thanks for watching!

[@anaetachandler8699]

Your favorite photo (the one at Long Beach with the B17 has my late grandmother in it as during workd war twp she worked at that plant she finished the war as a supervisor ie section lead or similar level and on her dresser she fad this photo aa well as other memorabilia... Sadly that's now lost.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

How wonderful that your Grandmother worked at Douglas and was a proud member of America's Greatest Generation!

[@timnell207]

Only one DC-1

[@Idrinklight44]

Same beer can aluminum also

[@mclifer]

My brother flew a C130 Coast Guard ice patrol.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks for his service!

[@pat8988]

Douglas built C-130s??? (2:05) Really?

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Not quite sure what you are referring to, but the airplane shown at 02:05 in this video is the Douglas C-133 Cargomaster prior to its Air Force delivery ceremony in Long Beach, California. Thanks for watching!

[@pat8988]

@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 Sorry, I mistook it for a C-130. 🙁

[@johnshannon9]

Mike, aren't you kinda splitting hairs with the DC-3/C-47production numbers? I'm sure that pretty much all of us AvGeeks know the difference, but it's still basically the same bird. And IIRC, a majority of the 'DC-3s' that are still airworthy originally rolled off of the production line as a C-47. It's kinda like when someone calls a Boeing 720 airframe a 707, or even better, the Lockheed Constellation. Is that a L-049 Constellation, C-69 Constellation, L-649 Constellation, L-749 Constellation, L-1049 Super Constellation, C-121 Constellation, R7V Constellation, EC-121 Warning Star, or a L-1649A Starliner? Basically the same airframe, but... Sorry for getting wordy, but I'm sure that you get my point. 🙂

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Interesting point, although I was addressing the often-heard misconception that 10,000 DC-3 airliners were built in Santa Monica starting in 1935. Thanks for watching!

[@unclefart5527]

Wonder if you've heard this one. I knew some one (we'll call "X") that worked in an X aircraft plant making X wings in X country. He told us a story that that the foreman and inspectors had to chide the workers for writing, shall we say "unpleasantries" using felt magic markers on the zinc dichromate coatings inside the wings. Anyway, only 110 of them crashed. Uncertain if the FAA ever mentioned markers in its reports.

[@ditto1958]

Alas, California has successfully killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. Good weather, next to the ocean, plenty of potential workforce… yet manufacturers have left in droves. Good to see a new B-21 being built there now.

[@marcmcreynolds2827]

One by one companies moved production of existing product to places where potential workforce could be had more cheaply -- where the weather wasn't so good. Lots of people vacation in Southern California but far fewer in Alabama, and the cost of living reflected that more and more as the SoCal area built out. Fifty year old tract homes in neighborhoods which served former plants now go for $1-1.5 million. Comparable homes in Palmdale (edit: where the B-21 is built -- also in California) go for one-half to one-third of that, putting them within reach for an aerospace salary.

[@brianhiles8164]

But not a one of them is _red...._