Vintage work crew photos

Ford Motor Company assembly line.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...e_fullsize.jpg

https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...embly_line.jpg

Model AA truck?

Must be, At first I thought it was Model A, but the hand brake is not in the right location (right side of xmsn)

Paraphrased opening, setting the era of from 2003 motion picture Seabiscuit "Real revolution wasn't the car, but the assembly line that made it...", lamenting that "cabinetmakers became knob turners, and seamstresses became button sewers...".
Movie in my regard quite good bit of storytelling, at same time the opening scenes and dialog, epic. It doesn't bother me when a little poetic license is utilized, condensing historic time into duration an audience will remain seated.
They can't all be Napoléon [1927], Gone With The Wind [1939], Lawrence of Arabia [1962], or....

I restored a ‘29 Model A Sport Coupe several years ago and during my research I found that there were lots changes over the 4 years of Model A production, not only from year to year but many mid year running changes as well.
The very early 1928 Model A’s had the emergency brake lever on the left side of the car, just inside the door, later it was moved to in front of the shifter then to the right of the shifter. The early ‘28 emergency brake activated the brake rods for all four wheels then the government stepped in and required the emergency brakes to be activated separate from the service brakes.

NACA instrument machine shop. January, 1953.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...p_fullsize.jpg

https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...chine_shop.jpg

In the back of the room are two rows of lathes and related machinery. Does anybody recognize what brand they are?

Back row to left are Cincinnati's & Kearney-Treckers, towards right appears a Hardinge horizontal, and a shaper. Likely Cincy too, or Gould-Eberhardt. Farther right are Hardinge; first is a turret model, other a standard.
Lathes are Rivett to left, I believe; remainder are Monarch 10-EE. No question on those. Rivett and the 10-EE's are probably the best precision lathes ever made. The Monarch is still being produced, most parts available for the earlier 'Round Dial', and they're still rebuilding the 'Square Dial' today.
You have to really want a new one....well over $100,000 new. Even used, expect to shell out up to $12-13 thousand. Looking and luck might halve that.
Lathes + Machine Tool Archive ...........warning! BEST rabbit hole ever!

Manufacturing metal helmets at B.F. McDonald Co. Los Angeles, CA. 1942.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...2_fullsize.jpg

https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...geles_1942.jpg

What are those helmets for? The one to the ight of the second women looks huge.

Ralph