Inland Factory

Dayton Aviation Heritage, a division of the National Park Service, is acquiring 20 acres of the 67.3 acre General Motors Inland facility in Dayton, Ohio. This includes the five buildings that Inland operated in prior to the massive expansion during WWII. What Inland called Building 1 was built by the Wright brothers in 1910 and is the oldest surviving aircraft manufacturing building in the world. Building 2 was built by the Wrights in 1911. Due to required environmental clean up, it is not expected that Dayton Aviation Heritage will be able to occupy the site before 2016.

Thats very interesting. I am sure that it will help preserve some of the history.

I wonder what Paul will have to say about that - His is quite an Inland history nut....

Bob, welcome to Milsurps. We are very happy to have you as a new member. Yep, welcome aboard! Enjoy!!! :thup:

I went to the OGCA show last year a few miles from Dayton. Went to the Aviation Museum while there too. Paul was also there with his carbine display.

If I recall correctly, the factory where the M-1 Carbine was made was demolished years ago. The facility you cite was a functioning property until just a few years ago, it's history, I'll admit I'm a bit in the dark about. But it's cool that they've acquired it and it will be preserved.

I was sorry I missed you Jim when you were up to the OGCA show, Paul said I had JUST missed meeting you. I'm honored that Paul was the first signature on my membership application. He's a great guy, and just that partial showing of his collection made me drool!

I'm going to try to get out there this weekend for the show.

The Wright buildings are said to have been used for M-1 components manufacture. It makes sense to put up a large new building for M-1 assembly but components could be made in scattered small shops all over the complex. After the war, the Wright buildings were used for manufacture of plastic automotive components and possibly metal ice cube trays. In the 1980's, the 1910 Wright building was used for the labor union offices.