The Big Ten

WPB last week eased one of its oldest wartime rules, released the names and contracts signed by the ten top U.S. munitions makers. The list reveals that aircraft manufacturing is now the No. 1 U.S. war industry. WPB's list of Government orders placed from June 1940 to June 1942 (in millions):

General Motors $4,884

Curtiss-Wright 2,721

Boeing Airplane 1,885

United Aircraft 1,804

Consolidated Aircraft 1,560

Bethlehem Steel 1,495

Ford Motor 1,392

Douglas Aircraft 1,375

Lockheed Aircraft 965

Chrysler Corp 925

One important thing the list did not show: the size of the contracts of secondary war producers, such as big U.S. Steel. Another factor is the military strategy of more & more aircraft, which has already boosted Douglas Aircraft into a new program of terrific expansion.

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