Upheaval at the Arsenal

Plainly, something was gravely wrong at the Detroit Arsenal, the biggest tank manufacturer in the U.S. During World War II, in an 18-month period, Chrysler had not only built the plant from the ground up, but turned out 729 completed tanks.* Yet in 18 months of Korean war, the Army Ordnance Department, starting with a fully equipped plant, had turned out far fewer tanks. Last week Secretary of the Army Frank Pace Jr. took drastic action to set things right: he announced that he is taking the plant away from Army Ordnance and turning it over to Chrysler.

The change will make Chrysler, already working on heavy T-43 tanks at its new Newark, Del. plant, the biggest tankmaker in the U.S., put it ahead of G.M., whose Cadillac division is turning out T-41 light tanks at its Cleveland plant. Chrysler was ready for the new production challenge. Its engineers have already perfected a new-model medium tank, the T-48, which the Army believes will be the best thing of its class yet made in the U.S. Since battle experience has shown that most fatal tank hits are on the hull, Chrysler has cast the T-48's hull in a single piece for added strength. It is designed with sloping sides to deflect enemy shells. The T-48's high-velocity 90-mm. gun has more punch than the 90-mm. mounted on some U.S. World War II tanks, and the gunner can swing on target with a new deadeye range finder.

Moreover, in taking over the arsenal, Chrysler is getting a deal which will make it a "dual-purpose" plant, to be used for either war or peace production. The Army has agreed that Chrysler may use part of the plant's 1,200,000 sq. ft. of floor space to turn out civilian goods, provided the company doesn't fall behind in its tank production. Since the contract provides $500 million in tank orders alone, it looked as if Chrysler would have its hands full for a long time to come.

*Chrysler went on to produce a total of 25,059, more than any other private manufacturer.

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