BOEING PLANE TALK 3

 

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1944

If You Were to Come Home Tomorrow .. . Here Are Some of the Scenes —
Some Familiar and Some New — That You Would See In and Around Wichita

TGs

ed
(asaaeas, EEE
jan eeue * a
285868

 

RISING OUT OF THE KANSAS PLAIN, Wichita's skyline has changed little since war began despite city's rapid growth.

The above view is looking east from roof of Forum. Allis hotel (extreme right) is still state's tallest building. Biggest

change is in outlying districts where sprawling aircraft plants and mushrooming residential districts have pushed back

open fields. Unlike many towns in wartime, Wichita has few empty business buildings, almost no vacant dwellings. Rea-
sonable estimate of city's population is 185,000 compared with 114,000 in 1940

WITH TRAVEL BY MOTOR CAR restricted by gas rationing, buses and
trains bear the brunt of heavy wartime traffic. Here is the familiar
Santa Fe Trailways bus station in Wichita, its loading docks jammed
with people. Despite discomforts of present day travel both bus and
rail lines are carrying heaviest passenger loads in their history

LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO the first families moved into Planeview, federal housing project covering almost a square

mile north of the Boeing plants. Today, Planeview is one of the four largest housing projects in the nation; is Kansas’

seventh largest city (pop. 18,600). Overwhelming percentage of its employed population work at Boeing. Planeview has

its own business section with stores, cafeteria, theater, bowling alleys, post office, fire and police departments. It also
has a model school system. Smaller projects are Hilltop Manor with over 1100 and Beechwood with 500 units

 

FUN IS WHERE YOU FIND IT and those you left behind still look for it in the old familiar

places. Wichita’s Blue Moon (night picture above) still features ‘‘name”’ bands. Most all “night

spots’ are closed. “No Beer" signs are everywhere. Popular with many Boeing men and

women is the new Recreation building shown above. The 100x40 feet building is latest addi-

tion to Boeing park, is ideal for departmental parties and especially convenient for second —
shifters who have weekly ‘‘come-as-you-are"’ dances beginning at 4 a.m.

 

DOUGLAS AVENUE is still Wichita’s ‘‘mainstem."' This is a scene looking east toward Market
street intersection. Bus line-up at left is typical. Biggest downtown crowds are on alternate
Saturday afternoons when Boeing plants are closed. Most of Wichita's stores are still doing
business at the same old stands. If you have something to sell— you can sell it in Wichita

 

SOMETHING NEW HAS BEEN ADDED. The Administration building at Wichita’s Municipal Air-

port has two new wings to provide more space for AAF's Midwestern Procurement District

offices. The airport now covers 1800 acres, is one of the busiest in the country with as many

as 2000 take-offs and landings a day. Airport grounds are still favorite spot for sightseers,
especially on hot summer nights

Visiting Servicemen Show Keen Interest

 

SINCE WAR BEGAN ‘“‘Travel by Bus" is more than
a slogan — it's a reality for thousands of Boeing
employees who arrive and leave the plants at the
twin terminals shown above. Stairways, ramps,
overpasses — even the giant suspension arches are
built of wood. Covered ‘islands’ permit loading
of 60 buses at one time. Boeing is served by two
city lines, scores of commuter buses

 

Te Gunn

CREW HAS LAST WORD

HEADQUARTERS, 20th BOMBER
COMMAND, SOMEWHERE IN INDIA.—
On a recent mission carried out by 20th
Bomber Command B-29 Superfortresses,
one of the big ships dropped its bombs
on docking facilities and shipping along
the China coast.

Before the plane reached its Western
China base, word came in that one
bomb had made a direct hit on a 500-
ton Japanese vessel, blowing it to bits.
The message —source of which is a

 

EAGER TO SEE THE B-29 IN PRODUCTION — men and women from all branches of service and

 

 

 

 

“Step back in the bus”

closely-guarded secret — concluded:
“How is that for intelligence?”
The reply went back: “Thanks. How
is that for precision bombing?”

from all parts of the country visit the Boeing plants daily. The regularly scheduled plant tours

every afternoon at 2 o'clock have been in operation since last January. Receptionists Gwen

Smith (left) and Lois Nighswonger answer questions for servicemen as they gather in the Plant II
lobby preparatory to making the plant tour