The Aircraft Machine Tool Co. manufactured the Armor series of horizontal milling machines along with a vertical head as an accessory. About 1940, they changed their name to Aircraft Machinery Corp. In 1943 they introduced a new collet closer system. At the end of the war they aggressively promoted their small horizontal milling machines as a flexible and cost-effective option for production. However, the post-war depression in machine tool sales seems to have put them out of business by the end of 1946.

Information Sources

• More history and machine information can be found at Tony Griffith's Lathe web site.
• 1941 Aircraft Yearbook, page 440, lists "AIRCRAFT MACHINERY CORP., 332 N. 1st St., Burbank, Calif. PERSONNEL: Jerome Robins, Pres. PRODUCTS: Milling machines; Dividing heads and vises."
• July 1941 Western Machinery and Steel World (volume 32, page 59).

  Aircraft Machinery Corp. Carries On!—Through the courtesy of Jerome Robins, president of Aircraft Machinery Corporation of Burbank, we present this view showing the completion of a large order of Armor Universal turret milling machines for England.

• 1942 Aerospace Year Book, page 512. "AIRCRAFT MACHINERY CORP., 332 N. First St., Burbank, Calif. PERSONNEL: Jerome Robins, Pres. & Gen. Mgr.; R. A. Speed, V. Pres.; G. C. Hewitt, Secy., Treas. & Pur. Agt.; R. R. Davis, Sales Mgr. PRODUCTS: Milling machines."
• 1943 issue of The Engineers' Digest (volume 1, page 193).

  New Collet Chuck

  The manufacturers of Armor milling machines, the Aircraft Machinery Corporation, Burbank, Calif., are now shipping the Armor collet chuck for small production lathes. A large number of experimental models were placed in selected shops for some ten months before proceeding with quantity production, it is stated.

  A feature of the Armor collet chuck is the Wedge-Lock which is guaranteed to prevent slippage whether the chuck is working on soft aluminum or hard alloy steel and to hold material several thousandths over or under size. Stock is forced against the stop and securely held there by a combination draw-back and push-out action, which insures accurate stock length. No heat is generated or power consumed by the Armor Collet Chuck since it revolves with the spindle and requires no bearings or lubrication. Full spindle capacity is provided and Armor collets are available in round, square and hexagon types. Adapters can also be furnished on order to accommodate most of the well known collets.

• 1943-07-22 Federal Register, page 10123, in a list of serial numbers, "Aircraft Machinery Corporation, Burbank, Calif. / Last serial No. for year 1935......10035". In a list of machine specifications and prices on page 10138, "Aircraft Machinery Corporation, Burbank, Calif. / Armor Universal Turret Milling Machine, $1,800, weight 1,486 pounds.
• 1944 issue of Product Engineering (volume 15 issues 7-12 page 166), in an ad from Manheim Manufacturing & Belting Co., makers of Veelos link V-belts: "VEELOS DRIVES ON AIRCRAFT MACHINERY. Photograph shows Veelos V-belt used to drive the Universal Turret Milling Machine, manufactured by Aircraft Machinery Corporation, Burbank, Calif. Veelos is rapidly becoming a favorite with designers in this field because of adaptability and serviceability..."
• 1946-07-23 US trademark issued to "Aircraft Machinery Corporation, Burbank, Calif. Metal working machinery and parts thereof. 424,870; Oct. 29; Serial No. 482,191; published July 23, 1936. Class 23."
• 1946 issue of Railway Locomotives and Cars (volume 120, page 279.

  Small Milling Machine

  An adaptable milling machine, which weighs 320 lb. stripped, is said to be capable of performing high-speed production work as well as intricate tool work.

  Feed speeds are variable in 32 steps from...

  ...Jig boring may be done using rods and indicator.

  The spindles are equipped with Timken adjustable bearings. The vertical lead screw has ball bearings. Self-lubrication bearings with oil reservoirs are used at other points. The Aircraft Machinery Corporation, Burbank, Calif., manufacturers of the machine, guarantee the lead screws not to exceed 0.0005 in. total accumulated error, and the dovetail movements 0.001 in.

• 1947 Broadcasting, Telecasting (volume 33, page 50). "JEROME ROBINS, former president of Aircraft Machinery Corp., Burbank, Calif., has joined Booker-Cooper Inc., Los Angeles agency, as account executive."
• 1953 Base Prices of Machine Tool, page 30: "Aircraft Machinery Corp. 214 W. Orange Grove, Burbank, Calif. / [machine tool lines] All lines / Last serial number issued on or prior to December 31 1919:1927:1935:1947 / -:-:10035:-"