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Delco
Appliance Division of General Motors in World War Two
Rochester, NY
1908-1963
This page updated
2-10-2019.
Originally established as the
Rochester Coil Company in 1908 it was reorganized into the Northeast in
1908 and purchased by General Motors in 1929 and was consolidated with
Delco Light Division in Dayton in 1930 to become Delco Appliance
Division. Delco Light products moved to Rochester. In 1963
the Division became part of Delco Products.
Delco Appliance Division of GM
World War Two Products:
Aircraft: Solenoid Shifter that controls the hydraulic unit
that changes gears on an aircraft supercharger, Aneroid Switch that
controls the gear changes as an aircraft goes through altitude changes,
and the Aneroid that automatically controls the air flow from the
supercharger. Aircraft Magnetos
Naval: Engine cutout
for the Packard engines on PT and Rescue Boats, Auxiliary Generators for
Amphibious Tanks (Amtracs.).
Motors: Radio transmitter twin blower, lamp housing blower,
fire control motor, computer motor, antenna-driving motor, general
purpose torque motor, periscope gun sight motor, aerial camera motor,
gun charger timer motor, bombsight motor, automatic pilot motor and
gyroscope gun sight motor
Gun Directors: M5 Gun
Director for use with US Army 37mm and 40mm anti-antiaircraft
guns.
The Delco Appliance
Division won the Army-Navy "E" Award four times.
The first award was
presented on September 22, 1943.
One application of Delco Appliance World War Two products is an
automatic ignition cut-out used on Packard built PT boat
engines. At high speed in rough waters the propellers could come
out of the water which could cause the engines to over rev. The
Delco Appliance device prevented this. This one is at the National War in the Pacific Museum in
Fredericksburg, TX.
American PT boats like Higgins Industries
PT-305 would have the Delco Appliance engine cutout on the Packard
engines. Author's photo added 2-10-2019.
Delco Appliance supplied Delco Light
auxiliary generators that were used on USMC LVT amphibious vehicles.
Author's photo added 2-10-2019.
Delco Appliance was one of at least two
manufacturers that produced the M5 Gun Director for use with 37mm and
40mm anti-antiaircraft guns used by the US Army.
Photo added 2-10-2019.
Geared for War 'til Victory
Motors: Radio transmitter twin
blower, lamp housing blower, fire control motor, computer motor,
antenna-driving motor, general purpose torque motor, periscope gun sight
motor, aerial camera motor, gun charger timer motor, bombsight motor,
automatic pilot motor and gyroscope gun sight motor
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