From the first slot:
"... the first design actually built by the new McDonnell Aircraft Corp., first flight early in 1944..."
It is surprising to observe the evolving ownership of that FACTORY, on the south side of the Wabash tracks: It was owned by the largest airplane manufacturer of the early 1940's: Curtiss-Wright Corportation.
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/count...mbert-full.jpg
McDonnell's ownership of that big FACTORY appears suddenly after the decline of Curtiss-Wright:
"...
But even in times of war, Congress and the public were bothered by shoddy contract performance and possible profiteering. The Truman Committee was established in 1941 to investigate contractors and programs for graft and waste. One major investigation focused on Curtiss-Wright ... A 1943 report criticized the company for having poor management policies and inferior products. This set the stage for a lasting lack of confidence between the company and the government ... affected the company's decline ... after the war.Curtiss-Wright remained the largest aircraft firm through the war period in terms of total business...."
http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Aerospace/Curtiss_wright/Aero9.htm
It is surprising that at the end of WWII, McD' had only a tiny building just west of the big Curtiss-Wright factory.
"... Despite this huge contribution to the war effort, the sudden end of the war had far-reaching effects on Curtiss-Wright. The firm found itself without a coordinated postwar corporate plan. ... after the war Curtiss-Wright paid huge dividends to its stockholders rather than investing in engineering to develop new models ... By 1947 the Curtiss-Wright Corporation had shut down 16 of its 19 factories nationwide. ... The Curtiss-Wright Corporation, one of the major manufacturers of aviation products for decades, became an investment firm ..."
Somehow, McD' suddenly did a takeover of the former Curtiss-Wright FACTORY.
The development of this real estate, the FACTORY site, can be watched via various unlabeled photo's on the "Globe-Democrat" archive. The property was near that of start-up of C.A.M Route #2, in Apr'1926 [Lindbergh's first job after graduation from Army's flight training].