Читать книгу Gun Digest 2011 онлайн

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His rapid success was due to his ability to recognize and select key men of outstanding ability to build the framework of the rapidly expanding gun company. In one of his first moves in the new company, he hired George Wilson, Sr. from the defunct, recently-purchased Hartford Arms Co. Wilson was a very experienced and capable gun designer with years of know-how in the manufacturing business. His addition to the newly-formed High Standard Co. to manufacture handguns came from his previous experience at Hartford Arms producing Diehm pistols.

Swebilius had a burning desire to produce and aid the allied forces with their war effort at the outset of World War II. To this end, Swebilius enlisted the help of Jack Owsley, who had many influential contacts in England. He was able to convince the British Purchasing Commission that High Standard could be a major supplier to their desperately-needed .50 caliber machine gun program. They responded immediately, and High Standard was awarded a contract for 12,000 Browning aircraft guns with an advance of $6 million. With very large contracts in their pocket, High Standard was able to secure local bank financing to build a new factory on Dixwell Avenue in Hamden. They were able to purchase the very latest machine tools and equipment for massive machine gun production. Needless to say, this was all they needed to greatly expand in rapid order from a small, modest, pistol manufacturer of 250 employees to one of the largest and most respected players in the gun industry with a work force of 4,000!