A hood covered the front engine, its four cylinders could produce a top speed of 45 miles per hour, and it got 20 miles per gallon of gas"(Italia 34). In comparison, many cars today do not make the same gas mileage of the Model T. Also, most other car manufacturers of Ford's day were still working on simply moving their automobiles, a testament to the heroic skills of Henry Ford. His Model T was fashioned through marvelous mechanical skills. "To contribute to the war effort, Henry Ford designed and built over 3,000 ambulances for use on and off the road"(Italia 38). Another demonstration of Ford's genius and generosity was his use of his own factory to build for the army. His incredible mechanical ability combined with heroic generosity softened the blow of World War II on the United States. The Ford Motor Company certainly required mechanical skill, but determination in gallant amounts was what kept it up and running.
No business can exist without determination, and Ford possessed this in heroic numbers. "Suddenly, Ford realized that the Quadricycle was too large to fit through the shed's doorway. Without even hesitating, Ford seized an ax. Wood splintered and red dust flew as he chopped down the door frame and knocked down part of the brick wall"(Kent 5). Ford was willing to rip down his own house for the good of his creation. A hero is always determined to do the right thing, and Ford believed the automobile would change the world for the better. "During the war, Ford produced over 10,000 warplanes for the United States Air Force"(Italia 45). Over the course of three years, Ford shut down his automobile manufacture and focused on building planes for the war, an act of generosity and heroic determination. Ford's amazing grit in .
producing supplies for the war effort exemplifies a true American hero. "The next day, Ford rode the last Model T out of the factory-the 15 millionth to be built"(Italia 40).