Red Combines 1915-2015

Book excerpt: The first axial flow combine transformedthe industry and was hailed as the mostsignificant piece of farm equipment builtin the 20th century. The axial flow usedadvanced technology to process crops fasterand more efficiently than anything else onthe market.The axial flow started with researchdone by a rogue Swedish engineer in the1950s, was continued in secret by a group ofdedicated engineers from East Moline, Illinois,who did their work in a top-secret garage thatonly a select few were allowed to enter.The book tells the story of how extensiveresearch and development allowed IH to builda new machine that took the market by storm.Done with dozens of interviews ofengineers, salespeople, and customers, thebook captures the behind the scenes dramaand the cloak and dagger encounters withrival companies personnel and machines.The dramatic text is accompanied by morethan 300 archival images, concept drawings,sketches, and new photogrpahy of themachines and men at work today.