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Akron: 1941
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. Blimp Bay We still have one of these at Moffett Field in San ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 3:02pm -

December 1941. Goodyear Aircraft, Akron, Ohio. "Formerly an aircraft dock, this huge building, thought to be the largest in the world with no interior supports, is now the scene of many busy shops turning out aircraft parts. Either new housing close to the plant or vastly improved public transportation will eventually have to be supplied, for the tires on the cars of the workers, and perhaps even the cars themselves, will in many instances give in before the end of the present emergency." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
Blimp BayWe still have one of these at Moffett Field in San Jose.  Amazing sight when you drive by it from the highway.
Still in AkronThis is still in Akron; Googlemap Akron Fulton Airport and look to the south. FG-1 Corsairs were built here in WWII as well as parts for the P-61 and other planes, and later missiles. And I believe there is still a lighter-than-air program going on there. There are clamshell doors at each end and in WWII an airplane flew through the building. My grandfather worked there not too long after this picture was taken.
"The present emergency"In retrospect, a chilling phrase.
It RainsMy Grandma worked during WWII making airplane parts. She called it the hangar and said that it would rain in there. The building was used for a time to house blimps. It's huge and we still drive by it when we are in Akron.
(The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, Cars, Trucks, Buses, WW2)

A Full Tank: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. Tanks Can someone tell me ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 11:07pm -

June 1942. M-3 tank and crew at Fort Knox, Kentucky. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.
TanksCan someone tell me which of these guys is the commander?
anyone?
The commander is...The commander sat in the turret, so that's him in the upper right.
Because it had two main guns, it had 2 gun crews. The Soviets called this tank "The Grave For Seven Brothers."
Thanks ACThanks my uncle was a tank commander in WWII
RivetsI had heard this tank was especially dangerous for its crew because it was riveted and not welded together.  When struck by incoming, broken rivets could fly around the interior like bullets.  The great resolution of this photo shows not only rivets but also bolts.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, WW2)

Balloon Wranglers: 1942
... S.C. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. Use? How were these things used? Looks like it would be a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 1:58pm -

May 1942. Another shot of Marines training with barrage balloons at Parris Island, S.C. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
Use?How were these things used? Looks like it would be a sitting duck on the battlefield.
[Hmm. If only there were some easy way to look up the answer. - Dave]
Barrage BalloonsAw come on Dave you know that there are people in your readership who are just as capable as Google in giving an answer.
Barrage balloons were used primarily to protect fixed installations or cities. The idea was to force aircraft - specifically dive bombers - to drop their bombs from higher altitudes thereby reducing accuracy and or to force a low flying plane to change course repeatedly rather than have a straight bombing run. The cables with which a barrage balloon was tethered would be dangerous to planes - they could rip a wing off for example. The British deployed more than 400 barrage balloons over London in 1940 (during the Blitz) and by 1944 there were over 3000 barrage balloons in England. The Balloon Barrage destroyed over 200 V-1 flying bombs in 1944.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Langley Field: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. I love this. That's such a I love this. That's such a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 12:44pm -

July 1942. Servicing an A-20 bomber at Langley Field, Virginia. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
I love this. That's such aI love this. That's such a beautiful plane too. Wonderful picture. God Bless!
I like thisThis picture is a mirror of WW2 
The war was in colorIt's always wonderfully startling for me to see World War II and the 40s in realistic color. Between the black-and-white photos, the antiqued look of cheaper movies, and the aggressively desaturated color of the Spielberg/Hanks epics, I sometimes have trouble picturing the everyday reality of it. Black and white and the other forms aestheticizes and brings out pure forms and content, but there's something to be said for the way a color photo makes what seems remote familiar and contemporaneous.
TechnicolorThat's when Technicolor's original three-strip process was being used for movies, anyway.  Vividly-saturated color images are just as true-to-life to the 1940s as crisp black-and-white.
For an antidote to Spielbergian 1940s color, see Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (excluding the two-color section at the beginning).  Digitally color-adjusted to simulate the Technicolor "look."
The War In ColorI heartily and enthusiastically recommend a mini-series called "The Second World War in Colour" (it's British) which has spawned a variety of successor series for various countries - I think that the most recent one is "Japan's War in Colour." There is a lot of gorgeous colour footage out there, and a lot of it was shot by amateurs of everyday life. Well worth finding.
A-20This recent "Stars and Stripes" article tells the story of three U.S. airmen's remains that had originally been found in the wreckage of their A-20 Havoc (misidentified in the article as an "A-JO"), which had crashed in Nazi Germany in December, 1944.  The airmen were identified using DNA and other means; they will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on April 18th.  
Denny Gill
Chugiak, Alaska
B-18 back there tooNote the rare Douglas B-18 Bolo just visible far in the distance in the lower right corner of the photo.  The B-18 was a bomber derived from the DC-3 airliner, using the latter's wing and engines with a new fuselage.  Small numbers were bought in the 1930s as a cheaper alternative to the more complex and costly Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.  Surviving examples soldiered on through WW2 mostly in stateside coastal patrol or training roles.  
Based on the camouflage scheme of the aircraft, I would venture a guess that this a "Boston," the RAF version of the A-20. US versions would've been Olive Drab over Neutral Gray; this one is painted in the RAF equivalent colors of Dark Green and Dark Earth over Sky.  
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Testing, Testing: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. Always amazing It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 8:35pm -

October 1942. "Testing electric wiring at Douglas Aircraft Company. Long Beach, California." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
Always amazingIt never ceases to amaze me how beautiful and detailed these 4X5 Kodachromes are.  Every hair, the text on the equipment - it is all there. Great photo!
[Detail below. - Dave]

Testing...Good grief, at first glance I thought she was one of my old schoolteachers.
Insulation testingAmong other things, she's testing the strength of the insulation with that Megohmeter, known in the trade as a "megger"
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Angel of History: 1942
... 1942. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. Cowling I believe the yellow painted parts on the cowling are ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 3:37pm -

B-25 bomber cowl assembly, North American Aviation, Kansas City, Kansas. October 1942. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
CowlingI believe the yellow painted parts on the cowling are actuators that open the small cowling doors around the engine for cooling on the ground during runups and taxing, if anyone knows about this, I'd like to know more about it.
Shock MountsThose yellow things are Dynafocal mounts, where the powerplant attaches to the engine mount ring, which is attached to the airframe structure. They dampen vibrations from the running engine and keep them from transferring to the airframe. The cowl flaps are on separate ring which goes on after the engine and mount are joined. I do not know if the 25 had electric or hydraulic actuators. There is also a metal/asbestos ring (fire seal) which goes around the gap where the engine accessory case goes thru the hole where the worker's head is.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

The Avenger: 1943
... at Vultee-Nashville. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size. Great pic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/06/2021 - 11:50am -

February 1943. Working on a "Vengeance" dive-bomber at Vultee-Nashville. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size. 
Great picAnother great pic of America at war.  No commentary about race or gender.
Times have changed, and I'm glad to see that ethnicity, race, and gender are (almost) irrelevant with respect to jobs, wages, dating, etc...
Look at her muscles!I would not want to get into a fight with that lady. Work at these factories must have been very strenuous.  
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

The Finishing Touches: 1942
... Calif. View full size. Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. No OSHA The guy on the ladder at left is standing on the edge of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 9:28am -

October 1942. Final assembly for a B-25 bomber at North American Aviation, Inglewood, Calif. View full size. Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
No OSHAThe guy on the ladder at left is standing on the edge of the top step!
Oddly enough......this fellow's name was Jim Osha and his unfortunate accident immediately after this picture was taken had far reaching ramifications... :-)
Safety 1stHe actually fell after photo was taken? Do you know what happened next? Was he badly injured or killed from his fall? Were better safety measures taken after the fall? Just curious to know, I work in aviation and have always been instructed on working safely.
[That was a joke. Jim Osha. Get it? - Dave]
B-25 in the backgroundThe B-25 at the right edge of the photo (tail #253332 or 42-53332) had an interesting history. It was transferred to the Netherlands East Indies Air Force as #N5-122 as part of a joint NEIAF and RAAF squadron that operated out of Australia (since the Dutch East Indies had largely fallen to Japan.) That squadron apparently suffered great losses of the B-25Cs, but no word on this plane’s final fate.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Flag Day: 1942
... 1942. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. Hmm, something wrong there.. Someone goofed, there are only 48 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 12:00pm -

"The floating folds of the Star Spangled Banner symbolize the American way of life to soldiers in training for the battles that will bring freedom to an unhappy, wartorn world." Fort Knox, Kentucky, June 1942. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. 
Hmm, something wrong there..Someone goofed, there are only 48 stars!! :-)
no, I'm not serious
Happy Flag Day, 2007!Happy Flag Day, everyone!
Simply delighted to live here.
- Kristy in Texas (where my husband puts out the flag as soon as the sun comes up)
Beautiful! My new wallpaper!Beautiful! My new wallpaper!
Flag DayIt's a day to honor our flag, we should all have raised our flags, my grandparents were born in Italy
flag day?what's the "flag day"?
(I'm from Italy...)
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Patriotic, WW2)

Made for Each Other: 1942
... carry. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. He's cute. But the pinky rings aren't..! [He's also ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 9:31am -

Preparing a model of the B-25 bomber for the wind tunnel at North American Aviation's plant at Inglewood, California. October 1942. The model maker holds an exact miniature reproduction of the type of bomb the plane will carry. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
He's cute.But the pinky rings aren't..!
[He's also here, minus his shoes. - Dave]
Hm."Where do I put it?"
Big BombThat looks like quite a large bomb for the plane.  Maybe it was a special use device like a dam-buster; even bears a striking resemblance to the Little Boy Hiroshima bomb.
HmmmI'm thinking of the opening to Dr. Strangelove.  Try a little tenderness...
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Where's Adolf?
... at it." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency: Alfred Palmer. Awesome Suck it, Hitler. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 10:19pm -

May 1942. Langley Field, Virginia. YB-17 bombardment squadron. "Hitler would like this man to go home and forget about the war. A good American non-com at the side machine gun of a huge YB-17 bomber is a man who knows his business and works hard at it." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency: Alfred Palmer.
AwesomeSuck it, Hitler.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Bathing Beauty: 1942
... from the previous operation." 4x5 nitrate negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size. Effable ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 7:10pm -

February 1942. Akron, Ohio. "Conversion. Beverage containers to aviation oxygen cylinders. Removal from solution tank at a rubber factory now producing metal essential for the Army. This bath, which follows the removal of the weld scale, gives the inside of the cylinder a further cleaning and removes all chemicals which may remain from the previous operation." 4x5 nitrate negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size.
EffablePrime Fark material here.
Tank McNamara Approves!Shorpy loves him some oxygen tanks!
https://www.shorpy.com/node/2403
https://www.shorpy.com/node/3245
https://www.shorpy.com/node/3737
https://www.shorpy.com/node/6187
https://www.shorpy.com/node/3831
Firestone Steel ProductsThere's a good chance that this photo was taken at the Firestone Steel Products Division in Akron.  They also assembled Bofors wheel mounted cannons for the war.
Great lightingThe light that makes this shot is the one behind the man. See how it lights both the subject and the figure, both giving depth and mood. Brilliant. Staged though, obviously. Also look at the movement in the man's hands, you can see the rope through them.
[It's not "staged" -- it's posed. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, Factories, WW2)

Top Gun: 1942
... Or could it be Fort Dix? Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the OWI. View full size. 1941 not 42 They can't fool me, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 8:35pm -

June 1942. "Crewman of an M-3 tank, Fort Knox, Kentucky." Or could it be Fort Dix? Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the OWI. View full size.
1941 not 42They can't fool me,  that's Dan Aykroyd in 1941!
Armor baseI don't know about Fort Dix, but Fort Knox is an armor base!  My father's MOS in the Marine Corps was armor (tanks, mostly).  Fort Knox is Army, but there are always a few Marine tankers stationed there, too.  My dad was stationed at Fort Knox twice, when I was a tiny baby and when I was in Jr. High. It's a great place!
Fort Knox it is, I'm saying.This almost certainly was taken at Ft. Knox, which from 1940 until 2010 was the home of U. S. Army Armor. I spent six months there (54th Armored Infantry), which were three of the happiest weeks of my life. The excellent 1943 Humphrey Bogart film,"Sahara", featured an M-3 tank named Lulu Belle. Here are two images related to Ft. Knox: Bogart on top of Lulu Belle - can I say that? - and what I paid to rent Piper Cubs as a member of the Knox Aero Club. Yep, four bucks an hour. Of course, money meant nothing to me then, seeing as how I was only five years old. Oh, look at that, I already was signing my name in cursive. 
[Three suggestions: Look at picture. Read caption again. Listen for sound of joke going over your head. - Dave]
Swingin' DixFor me, Fort Dix will always occupy a soft spot (har har), because that's where I was discharged from the Army in 1970. Fort Knox, on the other hand, is where my father was inducted 29 years before that.
Believe me, the pun has been around a long time. It's probably one reason why the base has now been renamed "JB MDL Dix," which can't even be pronounced.
My dadMy Dad, God rest his soul, was stationed at Fort Knox before being sent to North Africa during WWII.  This is not a picture of Dad, but it is a beauty of a picture!
No ComparisonThis guy really looks dashing on that tank, but he's no Michael Dukakis.
Yank In A TankMy father trained at Fort Knox in the First Armored Division in the 1940-1941 timeframe before the war began. His unit was one of the first to go over to North Africa in 1942. He was a commander of an M3 tank. These tanks were not as effective as what the Germans were using at the time and our units suffered many casualties. My father's wartime exploits were actually the of a feature article in the September 1943 issue of the American magazine. The article was titled, "Yank in a Tank."  
BRACFt Benning Georgia is now home to the armor, thanks to Base Realignment and Closure Act.
Great for us, maybe not so great for Ft Knox
Re: Yank in a TankYour subject line reminds me of the old Hoagy Carmichael song; the one that still holds the official Guiness Worlds Record for the longest song title:  "I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin' Those Beat-o, Beat-o Flat-On-My-Seat-o, Hirohito Blues".  My uncle Marshall served in WWII in the 750th Tank Battallion; fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was wounded. Many of the tanks used in the battle were newer M-5's, but there were also numerous M-3's.
M3 M4 M5 confusing ain't itgen81465, I'm afraid the M3 Medium Tanks were not deployed in Central Europe. Certainly not in the Battle of the Bulge. They were replaced fully by the M4 Sherman by that time.
The last campaign the M3 Lees were used in was the Invasion of Sicily if I recall correctly. (I don't think they were used in Italy at all)
And as far as I know most if not all the M3 light tanks were replaced by the M5 light tank in the Armored Divisions by the time of the Invasion of Normandy.
I like the 1943 film "Sahara" better than the remake with Jim Belushi. hahaha.
Russian NicknameThe Red Army got a bunch of these via Lend Lease and their nickname was 'A coffin for 7 brothers'.
As far as their use later in the war, I think the soldiered on in the CBI until quite late in the conflict.
The M3The M3 was a major player in the British North Africa campaign. In that campaign it came in two basic types: the Lee, which had a British designed turret and the Grant which had the original American turret. The British turret was cast, had thicker armour, and a "bustle" in the back of the turret for a radio set. It also dispensed with the cupola on top of the turret. In the photo from "Sahara" the cupola is where the crewman on the far right is emerging from.
The British bought 2,855 of the M3s, although what they originally wanted was for American manufacturers to build the British Matilda and Crusader types. 
While the M3 was finally withdrawn in Europe by the time of the Sicilian Campaign the type was lived on in several variants: as a Tank Recovery Vehicle, as a Prime Mover (artillery tractor), and most notably as the basis for the M7 Priest self-propelled gun. They took the basic design of the M3, opened up the top and mounted a 105 mm howitzer in the center of the vehicle to the left of the sponson that originally held the 75 mm gun on the tank. The sponson area became the "pulpit" for the gun commander. When supply problems for British owned Priests became too great (the British generally didn't use the 105 mm gun) they removed the gun and used these "Defrocked Priests" as some of the first armoured personnel carriers.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, WW2)

Dialog of Giants: 1942
... cranes at Douglas Dam." Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. View full size. WOW Terrific photo, imagine what it took ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/30/2017 - 11:41am -

June 1942. "Tennessee Valley Authority -- construction cranes at Douglas Dam." Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. View full size.
WOWTerrific photo, imagine what it took just to build the support infrastructure to build the dam and during the war years when resources were in high demand for the war effort.
Douglas DamThe dam was built to provide power to Oak Ridge for the Manhattan Project, whose factories produced the materials used in the atomic bomb. Astonishingly built in only 13 months.
Star WarsThey could have been the beginning of AT-ATs.
Clyde CranesThese cranes were manufactured to exclusive design by Clyde Iron Works in Duluth, MN.  The company is gone but several cranes are still around including two at the Port of Duluth.
Clyde cranes still workingHere is a mid-sized Clyde, still working full time.
https://youtu.be/-WMqNYO22W8
Reportedly, this one was originally steam, as were most of the barge-mounted Clyde derricks.  US Corps of Engineers has several former steam Clydes, smaller than this one, on the Great Lakes.
A few years ago, I watched the 2 big dock cranes at Superior (Duluth) WI, using a spreader bar to buddy lift windmill generators that were too heavy for either crane alone.
Some of the largest floating cranes, many times this size, but still recognizable as Clyde design, were built by Clyde's successor, Amclyde.  These are all ocean based, and there are a lot of them out there.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Industry & Public Works)

Clerk 37: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. 4 x 5 Kodachrome These pictures are wonderful - however, I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 3:24pm -

October 1942. "Clerk in North American Aviation stockroom, checking to see if the proper numbers of parts were received and placed in the proper bin. Inglewood, California. This plant produces the battle-tested B-25 (Billy Mitchell) bomber, used in General Doolittle's raid on Tokyo, and the P-51 (Mustang) fighter plane which was first brought into prominence by the British raid on Dieppe." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
4 x 5 KodachromeThese pictures are wonderful - however, I thought that Kodachrome was only available in 35mm ... ??
[Maybe you're thinking of consumer roll film. Kodachrome sheet film, a mainstay of professional photography for many years, was available in several sizes, up to 8 by 10 inches. - Dave]
So beautifulSo pretty! Those cameras must really have been quality back then!
[It's more the film (Kodachrome) and the size of the film (5 by 4 inches). - Dave]
I am wondering...If she was pregnant?  I noticed the bottom button of her shirt is unbuttoned and she just looks a little wide in that area.
Stunning clarity with this film, I have to say.
4x5 sheet filmYou can still get film like this, in slide or negative format. I believe that Kodachrome, per se, is unavailable, but Kodak still makes 4x5 and 8x10 Ektachrome, and Fuji has a competing product as well. The film costs anywhere from about $3.50 to about $10 per photo, depending on which size and brand you buy.
The cameras that use this film start around $1000 with a basic lens, and the price easily ticks over $5000 or $10,000 for fancier setups.
I do not own a large format camera; the time required to master the setup intimidates me more than the cash.
KodachromeKodachrome was introduced in professional sizes September 1938. 2.25 x 3.25", 3.25 x 4.25", 4x5", 5x7", 8x10" & 11x14". Sheet film sizes were discontinued in April 1951.
Sweet EmulsionWhoever invented Kodachrome at Kodak really hit upon something special. These 4x5 transparencies are almost beyond belief in their quality. The color rendition, sharpness and detail are phenomenal. I bet seeing the originals on a light table would blow your socks off.
We need to see photographs like this in the age of digital just to be reminded of what film is capable of. 
Clerk 808I suspect she's actually Clerk 808, in Section 37.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Fledglings: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 4:11pm -

October 1942. "Another B-25 bomber rolls off the final assembly line to join other ships in the outdoor assembly area. North American Aviation Inc. Inglewood, California." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

A Cup of Fire: 1942
... uses." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. Captivating I don't know if ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 3:57pm -

February 1942. "Casting a billet from an electric furnace, Chase Brass and Copper Co., Euclid, Ohio. Modern electric furnaces speeding the production of brass and other copper alloys for national defense. Here the molten metal is poured or cast from the tilted furnace into a mold to form a billet. The billet later is worked into rods, tubes, wires or special shapes for a variety of uses." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.
CaptivatingI don't know if it's the fire or the size of the machine next to the men, but there's something about this picture that's absolutely captivating.
Chase BrassNow it's the site of the Euclid Square Mall.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, WW2)

First Flight: 1942
... 1942. View full size. 5x4 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the OWI. Taking a Hard Look I love how the guard is looking ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 11:03pm -

B-25 bombers on the outdoor assembly line at North American Aviation, almost ready for their first test flight. Kansas City, Kansas. October 1942. View full size. 5x4 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the OWI.
Taking a Hard LookI love how the guard is looking at the B-25 in the foreground like he had never seen one before. Maybe it was his first day on the job.
Flight planIt's amazing, by today's standards, how small these aircraft really were.
My father loved airplanes. Back in the 1930s, he'd go out to the local grass landing strip, pay the fee and get a ride in the old "barnstorming" biplanes of the day.
When WWII came along, he wanted to join the air force.
However, he was a big man who carried a few extra pounds.
The air force refused him on the basis of his weight.
Looking at these aircraft, I can see why.
He ended up in the Navy and went "missing in action" in 1943.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Outta My Way: 1942
... driver -- Fort Knox, Kentucky." Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size. Creepy! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2017 - 3:51pm -

June 1942. "Tank driver -- Fort Knox, Kentucky." Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Creepy!When the random thumbnail popped up, I saw a death's head looking out.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, WW2)

Wingwoman: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. This reminds me so much of This reminds me so much of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 12:02pm -

October 1942. Inglewood, California. North American Aviation drill operator in the control surface department assembling horizontal stabilizer section of an airplane. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
This reminds me so much ofThis reminds me so much of the popular "Rosie the Riveter" poster.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Killing Machine: 1942
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. Tank Driver His face is so ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 3:22pm -

June 1942. Army tank driver at Fort Knox, Kentucky. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.
Tank DriverHis face is so sharp and clear, I can't stop looking at him - I think I'm in love.  I wonder who he was?
The TankBased on the shape of the driver's observation port (or whatever it's called) this is probably an M3 Medium - known to the British as the General Lee type. To our left, the driver's right is the sponson for the tank's main armament, a 75 mm hull mounted gun. Above him is a 37 mm turret mounted gun. The British disliked the height of the turret on this tank, and replaced the turret with a lower profile one to make a type they called the General Grant. The Russians, who got 1,300 via Lend-Lease, called them the "coffin for seven brothers." The Grant/Lee type were withdrawn from combat in Europe by mid-1943 but continued to operate in the China-Burma-India theater of the Pacific war until V-J Day
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, WW2)

Mobilized: 1942
... to scenes of action." 4x5 inch acetate negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size. Lunch Boxes ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/04/2021 - 3:30pm -

October 1942. "Great numbers of C-47 transport planes move along the assembly lines at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant at Long Beach, California. The versatile C-47 performs many important tasks for the Army. It ferries men and cargo across oceans and mountains, tows gliders and brings paratroopers and their equipment to scenes of action." 4x5 inch acetate negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Lunch BoxesI carried one of those for almost 35 years. When I retired, my wife gave it away without telling me. Horror!  I still loved her.
Big BizWars are certainly good for industry. The sheer volume of aircraft, tanks, guns, ships, freight trains, trucks, armored vehicles, submarines, ammunition, bombs, etc, and all its infrastructure,  produced in short order from all sides was staggering.
Smoke 'em if you got 'emPretty sure that's a cigarette machine under the left wingtip.
The Gooney BirdArguably (but not for me) the greatest aircraft ever built.
This Could Be One of Those PlanesWith what I believe is a C-47 behind them, this is my father when he was on a war bond tour in September 1943. He had served early in the war as a tank commander in North Africa and was injured. Because of his war record he was selected to accompany several movie stars of the time to help sell war bonds. My father is the army man kneeling in front. The lady directly behind him is an actress named Helen Walker. Next to her is Albert Dekker, of Dr. Cyclops fame. The lady to the right of him is actress Elyse Knox. She would later be married to Tom Harmon and is the mother of Mark Harmon.
Plate or door?What is that square plate or door above the pilot's station on the top of the fuselage?  Some kind of door?  A plate covering some kind of electronic equipment?
The round one that's inboard and aft a bit is for the Navigator's acrylic dome I believe.
Clean plant!Can you imagine in today's world trying to mobilize like America did in WWII?
Railroads trying to handle the traffic?  For that matter, just the people bonding together.
Unbelievable output by our factories, many repurposed to produce war materiel.
Amazing.
The Old DaysWhen you could find a cigarette machine in your workplace conveniently near where your locker and lunch are located.
Gooney BirdsWas the affectionate term for the venerable C-47. A quarter century after this photo the Air Force gave me my first (uncomfortable) airplane trip in one of them. 
The plate above the flight deck is an escape hatch.  What is known as an "astrodome" was, indeed, a plexiglass dome for the navigator to take celestial bearings.
Food safety?I would hope all those lunch boxes we're seeing on top of the lockers are there post-lunch instead of pre-lunch. Maybe refrigeration wasn't that big of a concern back then.
[What planet did you grow up on? You are evidently not one of the eighty zillion schoolkids who ate from unrefrigerated lunchboxes back in the day. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, Factories, WW2)

Mobilized: December 1941
... Ohio." View full size. 4x5 nitrate negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. (The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 4:11pm -

December 1941. "New recruits for America's armies. Scout cars ready for delivery. White Motor Company, Cleveland, Ohio." View full size. 4x5 nitrate negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.
(The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Cleveland, WW2)

River of Fire: 1941
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. Youngstown, OH A friend just ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 3:29pm -

November 1941. "Slag runoff from one of the open-hearth furnaces at Republic Steel in Youngstown, Ohio. Slag is drawn off the furnace just before the molten steel is poured into ladles for ingotting." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.
Youngstown, OHA friend just introduced me to this blog and I was so excited to see this picture.  My grandfather worked at this steel mill. He probably didn't get there until the 50s, but I'm sure it looked the same.
Light of the mills.I grew up on the near north side of Youngstown and during WWII we could read our comic books on my front porch by the light of the furnaces. It was a great place in the 1940s and 50s. 
Steel Mill PhotosCan anyone direct me to more Steel Mill photos on Shorpy?
[Use the Search box at the top of the page. - Dave]
Flushing the monkey.Open-hearth furnaces had one tap hole and when tapped everything came out. Steel first then the slag. This a blast furnace. The slag notch on a blast furnace is several feet higher in the hearth than the iron notch which is at the very bottom. The bustle pipe above the workman's head and the tuyere  just to the right of where he is standing  are the giveaways.  Here the slag is being tapped off before it can reach the tuyeres and in anticipation of tapping the iron. Many years ago I knew an ex steel worker who had retired in the late fifties. He told me where he had worked the slag notch was called the monkey and tapping off the slag was "flushing the monkey."
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Industry & Public Works)

Doing Her Part: 1942
... plane." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. I miss you Please, please, please, bring back my Kodachrome. I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 5:39pm -

October 1942. Inglewood, California. "Young woman employee of North American Aviation working over the landing gear mechanism of a P-51 fighter plane." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
I miss youPlease, please, please, bring back my Kodachrome.  I miss you dearly!
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

A Swell Soiree: 1942
... together. View full size. Medium format negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. What names! French Vineyard ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 11:19am -

August 1942. "A poster comes to life. Another democratic institution, beer and pretzels. Chief radioman Evans, at extreme left, reaches for a slice of the ham which Mrs. Woolslayer is serving. Sergeant Vineyard is wearing the paper hat. Allegheny Steel, Pittsburgh." One in a series of dozens of photos taken of the three men in a WW2 poster after they decided to get together. View full size. Medium format negative by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.
What names!French Vineyard might be a remarkable (if unGoogleable) name, but Woolslayer is pretty amazing too.
By the way, Wikipedia tells me the Duquesne Brewing Co. closed its doors in 1972. Another local brewery down the tubes.
And notice the ketchup bottleIf it's ketchup, it's GOT to be Heinz.  Especially if it's a Pittsburgh photograph!  Great picture.
(The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, Pittsburgh, WW2)

Killer B: 1942
... bomber plant, Kansas City." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. View full size. You give us those nice bright colors ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 12:18pm -

July 1942. "Production. B-25 bombers. Mounting a 1700-horsepower Wright Whirlwind engine to the firewall of a B-25 bomber. Fairfax bomber plant, Kansas City." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. View full size.
You give us those nice bright colors Kodachrome remains the photo standard. What a loss!
That Stopped the Corrosion....That zinc chromate paint was a necessary factor in keeping the corrosion of aluminum to a minimum.(whew!) Considering the fact that many B-25's ended up in the Pacific theatre, it was a wise choice. Admittedly, it's a great color for the Kodachrome format.
Caption CXI'm suremit's in the original caption, but you might note that no B-25 version was powered by the Wright Whirlwind. Virtually all were powered by Wright Twin Cyclones.
Fairfax Airportin Kansas City Kansas, built 6,608 B-25's and sent 862 to Russia, the 1700hp engines were Wright R-2600-92 and were 14 cylinders in double row.
Good view of the de-icing bootA useful safety innovation from B.F. Goodrich.  Developed in the 1920s, these rubber boots on the wing leading edges could be inflated with compressed air to crack off accumulations of ice. Ice on the wings reduces the airfoil efficiency, sometimes to the point that there's insufficient lift to maintain altitude.
Man on the chainNote the classic aviation style overalls, and on his belt, a ring to hold "tool chits," brass tags that were turned in at tool room for specialty tools.
Thems was the daze...
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Long Beach: 1942
... front." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information. This aircraft While you may be ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 4:54pm -

October 1942. "American mothers and sisters, like these women at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant in Long Beach, California, give important help in producing dependable planes for their men at the front." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the Office of War Information.
This aircraftWhile you may be right about it being a B-17, I am not certain it is. This cannot be the area where the B-17 wing carries through the fuselage, because it was low-wing and hugely thick. This is most likely the horizontal stabilizer area in the back of the plane. If you look at the original in the top left you can see a structure which is probably the leading edge of the tail fin and above their heads are support structures for the vertical tail. What has me confused are those reinforcement strips below them.
Any idea....why type of airplane they're working on?  I've found sources saying Douglas built B-17s at the Long Beach factory. This seems to be one.  The section they're working in could be where the wings meet the fuselage.
[The B-17F "Flying Fortress" bomber, A-20 "Havoc" assault bomber and C-47 transport were among the aircraft made at the Long Beach plant. - Dave]
AirplaneCould those strips be part of a cradle underneath the fuselage? Hard to tell because of the shadows, but they look like they may have some sort of padding between them and the plane.
FrumpMother is getting kinda frumpy, but sister is attractive.
Ever Noticed?The Kodachromes with the most comments feature women.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)

Boilermaker: 1942
... making boilers for a ship." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. View full size. Combustion Engineering Sixty-six years later ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 7:51pm -

June 1942. "Combustion Engineering Co., Chattanooga. Welder making boilers for a ship." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. View full size.
Combustion EngineeringSixty-six years later it still looks exactly the same in that factory.  They are still making boilers.
Matt C
Chattanooga, TN
Combustion EngineeringWorked for CE many times in the field. Things don't change much -- this picture could have been taken today. What he's working on is called a spool piece.
- Bill Ricards, Boilermaker Local 169, Michigan
Welding Cables are lighter todayI am sure you are correct about the boiler but welding has changed some over the years we do not have to use a big fat copper cable like that anymore.
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, WW2)

War Machine: 1942
... Calif. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. WWII Photos These Aircraft factory photos are great, I love ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 12:42pm -

October 1942. Cowling and control rods are added to motors for B-25 bombers as they move down the assembly line at North American Aviation, Inglewood, Calif. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.
WWII PhotosThese Aircraft factory photos are great, I love seeing them since I work in aviation.
[Well thanks. I think there may be a few more at the bottom of the shoe box. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)
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