Shop Truths, Phrases, Tales; and Outright Lies

[Toolmaker51]

This post is a work in progress. It fits nicely within parameters, described by title "Shop Truths, Phrases, Tales; and Outright Lies", and reinforced by comments of it's various contributors.

So, first the setup:
I don't have a particular attraction to cable TV "How It's Made". Always disappointed that how it's made turns out more to be "How It's Assembled". I'm sure a large audience more interested in the real tooling behind "How It's Made" items. Applies equally to one-off customs or mass produced. But tonight's feature was US Navy Littoral Combat Vessels...Yeah, I'm an old Navy guy, yet the interest wasn't locked in by the ships. Presentation illustrated importance of aluminum, to commercial aircraft. The vessel concept success needs reduced draft and other weight savings.
Well, the aluminum was highlighted by a very special plane Douglas DC-3 Flagship St. Louis NC21745. I swear, photo of that plane caused me to choke up, and welling in my eyes. Immediately. And my next reaction, that aircraft was born and built without computers, CAD drawings, online catalogs and many of the other 'requirements' of today. There are examples still flying today, some more than eighty years old.

https://dc3dakotahistory.org/dc3-dak...ican-airlines/

Later in same show, they followed design and construction of a electric motored hotwalker for horses.
That 'designer' started right off in CAD...a merry-go-round for horses.