Babcock Airplane Corporation
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 12 May 1939 |
| Defunct | 1945 |
| Headquarters |
The Babcock Airplane Corporation was an aviation firm operating between 1939 and 1945, based in DeLand, Florida.
History
Established on May 12, 1939, with an initial capital of $150,000, Babcock was entirely owned within Florida. The company’s leadership included Maj. Fred L. Foster as president and Vearne C. Babcock serving as vice-president and chief engineer.
Manufacturing commenced in June 1940 at a DeLand site equipped with areas dedicated to painting, welding, and fabric application. The facility had the capacity to produce three aircraft per day, managing all construction aspects except for engines, which were delivered from Van Nuys, California. Wings were sent to the nearby airport for flight evaluations. President Foster indicated that the firm had turned down several training aircraft orders while awaiting government contracts and had secured a 10-acre plot adjacent to DeLand airport for future growth.
In July 1940, Babcock purchased all assets from Rover Aircraft Motors located in Dayton, Ohio. This acquisition included engineering documents, tooling, and incomplete engines valued at $185,000, facilitating plans to initiate engine manufacturing at the DeLand plant by mid-August.
By 1942, Vearne Babcock had organized the DeLand Pool—a coalition of small manufacturing shops throughout Central Florida—to fulfill contracts such as producing assembly stands for aircraft engines. Components beyond Babcock’s production capabilities were subcontracted to regional businesses like LaRoe Machine Shop in Eustis, Florida.
Throughout World War II, the corporation manufactured 60 Waco CG-4 gliders (model CG-4A-BB) in two separate production runs. Manufacturing concluded by 1945 with each glider costing roughly $51,000. Remarkably, production took place using minimal infrastructure, reportedly within a circus tent.