DSC Victory Model - Timken Detroit Axle Co.

[s&wchad]

I was pleasantly surprised when I received the historical letter about my U.S. Defense Supply Corporation Victory model. The gun apparently remained in the metropolitan Detroit area since WWII. The letter was $65 and I consider it money well spent!

I'll start with the gun. It was a walk-in at the Michigan Antique Arms show this past April and came with an odd un-marked holster. It was out of an estate and the executor knew what it was, but knew nothing about its history.

Here's the information provided by Mr. Jinks:

Timken had a worldwide presence in the 1940's and was a major player in the industry. They supplied bearings, axles, transfer cases and service parts for the war effort. Their bearings and axles were used in aircraft, ships, tanks and other vehicles. I've read that every Jeep had 24 Timken bearing. They were such a dominant force that the government ruled them in violation of anti-trust laws in the early 1950's.

My parents were both born in metro Detroit before the US entered WWI. My father took a job at Ford Motor Company and was assigned as a supervisor at Air Force Plant 31 (aka Willow Run Bomber Plant) during WWII. He wasn't pulled into military service, because his job was deemed crucial to the war effort. Willow Run made B-24 Liberators. At their peak, the plant rolled a finished bomber off the line every 63 minutes. I have little doubt that a number of Timken products were used in the bombers.

My dad didn't talk a lot about his time at Willow Run, but he did mention late in life that working conditions were brutal and harsh. As bad as thing were, he felt blessed that he didn't have to serve in the military and leave a wife and small child at home. He was proud of this production award he earned at the plant and my mother gave it to me after he died.

It would have been nice if the gun lettered to Ford/Willow Run, but I'm thrilled with the local history. My dad, two of my brothers and I spent our lives in metro Detroit and worked in manufacturing. To me, this gun is a reminder of how important Detroit and its auto industry was to our success in WWII. Here's an interesting article.

https://wwii.detroithistorical.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Project_Guidelines.pdf

 

[Absalom]

Nice specimen and great context.

I always wonder about these single-gun orders from large organizations.

Did Timken order a sample and there is another order for a larger batch on the books at a later date?

Or did a company official want or need a personal gun and used his position (and his employer's DSC authorization as a defense supplier) to get himself one?

We'll never know, but it's interesting to speculate.

 

[quinn]

Great find, Chad. My step-dad served at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge where his feet were frozen. After the war he was a Timken roller Bearing field engineer until he retired. He passed last year at the age of 100. Timken is a great American company. Congrats on your history.

 

[29aholic]

Almost all of my family is from Kansas, but dad was sent to Detroit in the 60's to be an air traffic controller. He worked traffic at Willow Run. Back then there was still a blackout switch in the tower cab that would turn all of the lights at the airport out.
I was born in Detroit in 1966

 

[shell627]

Great background on a interesting gun.My mother worked at Timken during ww2.At one time I worked at Hydramatic Willow Run .Which was the old Willow Run bomber plant.

 

[s&wchad]

Nice specimen and great context.

I always wonder about these single-gun orders from large organizations.

Did Timken order a sample and there is another order for a larger batch on the books at a later date?

Or did a company official want or need a personal gun and used his position (and his employer's DSC authorization as a defense supplier) to get himself one?

We'll never know, but it's interesting to speculate.

That's exactly what I was thinking. The unmarked IWB holster makes me think it may have been used by a corporate executive, but there's no telling if it's even period correct.

Michigan did have handgun registration at the time. I plan on contacting the MSP to see if they'll provide any information. They should have a file copy from 1943 with the registrants name and address. I'm not sure what that info will prove, but it's fun doing the research.

 

[s&wchad]

I just got off the phone with the Michigan State Police firearms records division. The lady I spoke with was very helpful and was able to quickly locate their copy of the original registration from December of 1943. The gun took over a month to arrive and get registered.

It was simply logged in the name of Timken Detroit Axle, with no individuals name on the record. Not what I expected and it doesn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but it is interesting.

 

[Watchdog]

Congratulations on a great find. I can never be that lucky.

 

[Absalom]

.... I'm not sure what that info will prove, but it's fun doing the research.

If you haven't thought of it already, you might also try contacting Bill at the SWHF (doc44). The newly digitized material does contain DSC ship orders; he found one for me on a DSC Victory shipped to Louisville police in June 1945. It may not provide additional info even if it exists, but still fun to have.

 

[ordnanceguy]

 

[s&wchad]

Thanks Charlie, that's awesome!

 

[max]

My dad's twin sister and another sister got on a bus in central Illinois at the start of the war and went to Detroit where they worked at Willow Run. The other sister married and stayed in Detroit. His twin relocated to Texas and then back to Illinois to care for the mother.

My dad was in the 3rd Armored and was in the Battle of The Bulge and a great deal of other action.

When he died, I told his twin that she could live in the house for free as long as she was able. She was there for almost 10 years before dementia claimed her.

 

[Waveski]

Not often that you see Victory grips as nice as those.

As desirable DSCs go , that one really rates high in my book.

 

[s&wchad]

ordnanceguy's excellent war bond ad prompted me to look for others. They ran an entire series, including Generals and Admirals. Here are a few more.

 

[Jim Watson]

Slightly Off Topic.

Back in the dark ages before the internet, the gunzines all had Q-A columns. There were searches for Timken rifle barrels, either replacement or for a new gun because the previous one was so fine. P.O. Ackley et al had to explain that was the brand of steel used, not the barrel maker.

There were great debates over Timken Graph-Mo steel for gun barrels.

 

[s&wchad]

Slightly Off Topic.

Back in the dark ages before the internet, the gunzines all had Q-A columns. There were searches for Timken rifle barrels, either replacement or for a new gun because the previous one was so fine. P.O. Ackley et al had to explain that was the brand of steel used, not the barrel maker.

There were great debates over Timken Graph-Mo steel for gun barrels.

Jim,
Timken was a manufacturer and supplier of special alloy steels. The started that business during WWI to insure an adequate supply for their bearing production and sold excess steel to other businesses.
According to this article, Timken Ordnance Division provided 80,000 gun tubes during WWII. It didn't provide any specific information on what type of gun tubes they produced and I have no idea if any were for small arms.

The Timken Company -- Company History

 

[smithman 10]

Trying to get out of buying more old revolvers

But something always pulls me back in! Like this post with all the interesting info about your revolver's history.

I once had a nice Victory revolver but like a big dummy sold or traded it a long time ago. It was a nice one. Believe I shot it in an IDPA match once. Photo attached.

Now I will be looking for one the next time I go to a gunshow.

 

[s&wchad]

I once had a nice Victory revolver but like a big dummy sold or traded it a long time ago. It was a nice one. Believe I shot it in an IDPA match once. Photo attached.

Now I will be looking for one the next time I go to a gunshow.

That was a very nice example. It looks like it went to the military. I see the "P" proof mark on the frame and I think I see US Property marks on the topstrap when I enlarge the photo.

Don't feel bad...
I can think of a few guns I would love to have back!

 

[Absalom]

... It looks like it went to the military. I see the "P" proof mark on the frame and I think I see US Property marks on the topstrap ...

Minor point: If it has the topstrap stamp, it was indeed military-shipped.

But once the P proofing had switched from the butt to the triple pattern (side frame, cylinder, barrel flat), by early 1944 they started stamping ALL Victorys, including DSC guns, with the P in those locations.

Your Victory from Oct. 1943 is too early, but any DSC Victory from 1944/45 usually had the P's.

 

[Philbert4]

Those of you with ties to Michigan, Ford or WW2 might enjoy reading A.J. Baimes' book The Arsenal of Democaracy. Lots of interesting insight into the Willow Run plant.