Kenworth in support of the war, began producing components for the Boeing B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ bomber and the B-29 ‘Super Fortress’ at its Seattle plant. Since Seattle was declared a ‘critical labour area’, the Government required Kenworth to move its M-1 Wrecker production inland, in order to retain its contracts. Kenworth obliged and set up an additional “factory” in Central Washington, at the Yakima fairgrounds