What do pianos have in common with planes? During World War II, they were built in the same factories!
It was the early 1940s and America was at war. All normal industry had ceased, as materials and workers were all needed to support the war effort. This included piano factories. Pianos are made using large amounts of iron, steel, copper, brass, and wood — all things needed to support and transport the troops. Production of commercial instruments was banned.
The factories, however, didn't stop working. They put all their expertise in laminating and forming wood into curved shapes to good use, and began building gliders for the military! Wurlitzer turned from organs to tubular steel tow gliders. Pratt, Read & Co switched from piano parts to record-breaking gliders for the US Navy: the bright yellow TG-32s. Steinway made wings and tails for the Waco CG-4A gliders, and Baldwin made wings for an engined aircraft, the Curtiss C-76 Caravan.
But by 1942, the War Production Board realized that the troops needed something to provide distraction, entertainment and comfort, and there was no better way to deliver than with a piano. Steinway answered the call with their G.I. Field Piano, also known as... the Victory Vertical.
The requirements were strict: lightweight enough to be carried by a maximum of four people, but tough enough to handle everything from the humidity of the South Pacific to, yes, dropping via parachute into active war zones. The instruments would also be used in a variety of biomes, so water and insect proofing were important. The Victory Vertical had it all in one compact package — just 455 pounds and 40 inches high, and using only 10% of the metal required by a regular instrument to boot! Crated up and complete with tuning instructions and tools, a few extra parts, and some sheet music, these sturdy instruments were sent to most military branches and painted an appropriate color to match: olive drab for the Army, gray for the Navy, blue-green for the Marines, blue for Army Air Corps, azure blue for the Coast Guard, and black for officers and staff.
Between WWII and the Korean War, just over 2400 Victory Verticals saw active wartime service. You could even fit one in the bomb bay of a B-17 Flying Fortress! Troops carted these little pianos over deserts and mountains, gathering around for much-needed respite and distraction from the events surrounding them at every turn. Some learned to tune the instruments themselves, and a few even became piano technicians after the war when they returned to civilian life.
Where to see a Victory Vertical in person?
It's pretty rare to find one of these today. Not many were made in the first place, and only a few of these little champs survived the war — humidity, harsh conditions, and extreme travel took their toll. Sometimes museums will do special exhibits. The Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA had an exhibit with three of them in fall of 2025. Currently, the closest accessible Victory Vertical that I know of is in Carlsbad, CA at the Museum of Making Music. Steinway & Sons also has one on display at their factory, but there are no public tours available at the time of writing this article. But if you do manage to see one in the wild, don't forget to thank her for her service!
Further Reading:
Steinway & Sons Official Victory Vertical Page
Restored Victory Verticals at the Museum of Flight in Washington, D.C.
Interlude, a French graphic novel by Céline Pieters and Celia Ducaju
