War Department Contracts & Federal Partnerships

The Federal Alliances That Powered Consolidated’s Wartime Expansion

Consolidated Aircraft’s explosive growth during the 1930s and World War II was made possible not only by engineering brilliance and massive industrial capacity, but also by its crucial partnerships with the United States War Department. These relationships shaped production schedules, funding, aircraft specifications, and even the geographic footprint of the company.

During the war years, Consolidated became one of the largest and most important suppliers of military aircraft in the nation—and that status was built on close collaboration with federal agencies.

Early Contracts That Laid the Foundation

Even before the war, Consolidated had a reputation for delivering reliable aircraft at scale. Early Navy flying boats and Army trainers established the company as a trusted contractor. The War Department recognized Consolidated’s ability to:

• design rapidly

• produce standardized airframes

• maintain high inspection standards

• operate efficiently at large scale

These early successes paved the way for larger contracts as international tensions rose.

Major Pre-War Contracts Transform the Company

As the global situation worsened in the late 1930s, the U.S. accelerated rearmament. Consolidated received contracts for:

• advanced flying boats

• training aircraft

• experimental bomber designs

• expanded production facilities

These contracts funded the workforce expansion, tooling upgrades, and factory growth that positioned the company for wartime output.

The B-24 Contract — A Turning Point

The awarding of the B-24 Liberator contract was one of the most significant events in Consolidated’s history. The War Department chose Consolidated because:

• the design promised exceptional range and payload

• Consolidated could scale to unprecedented production levels

• the company had demonstrated long-term reliability

• the Liberator fit emerging strategic bombing doctrine

The contract initiated a production program that ultimately produced over 18,000 Liberators across multiple plants (including the Ford Willow Run facility).

Government-Funded Factory Expansion

Because of Consolidated’s strategic importance, the federal government financed or co-financed massive expansions, including:

• the giant San Diego plants

• the Fort Worth bomber assembly complex

• specialized subassembly buildings

• flight test infrastructure

• worker training programs

These expansions made it possible to run 24-hour wartime production lines.

Coordination with Military Engineers and Inspectors

War Department representatives were embedded within Consolidated’s operations. Together, they worked on:

• structural refinements to bomber designs

• adoption of new materials

• armor and defensive gun configurations

• maintenance and repair procedures

• field modification kits for the front lines

• performance testing requirements

This partnership ensured aircraft met evolving battlefield needs.

Contracts That Supported the Entire Workforce

Federal wartime contracts:

• guaranteed stable employment for tens of thousands of workers

• funded training for new industrial laborers (including women)

• supplied materials otherwise unavailable during rationing

• enabled infrastructure improvements across San Diego

In many ways, federal partnerships laid the economic foundation for modern San Diego.

Collaboration Across the Nation

To meet production targets, the War Department coordinated:

• subcontractors

• parts manufacturers

• logistics and transportation networks

• inter-factory distribution of components

• multi-plant assembly strategies

This created a national industrial system centered in part around Consolidated’s output.

A Model for Postwar Military–Industrial Cooperation

After the war, many of these federal partnerships evolved into long-term relationships within Convair, which played major roles in:

• jet aircraft

• missile development (including the Atlas missile program)

• early space exploration technologies

Consolidated’s wartime government partnerships helped establish aerospace as one of America’s most influential industries—and San Diego as one of its central hubs.