B-29 PhotoShop 1945?
Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:15 am
Friends,
Do you think that the guns turrets have been added into this photo, if it is even a photo?
The whole photo looks strange to me, but 42-83370 is a real B-29-5-BA that Bob Mann list being as being assign to 234 BU at Clovis AAF NM. Also the tail radio call number is in correct location and size with a ship number size and location that is similar to FU-KEMAL 42-6352 being scrap in this photo.
What say you all?
Tom Michel
Do you think that the guns turrets have been added into this photo, if it is even a photo?
The whole photo looks strange to me, but 42-83370 is a real B-29-5-BA that Bob Mann list being as being assign to 234 BU at Clovis AAF NM. Also the tail radio call number is in correct location and size with a ship number size and location that is similar to FU-KEMAL 42-6352 being scrap in this photo.
What say you all?
Tom Michel
Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:20 am
i'm as blind as a bat & can tell that is phoney as balogoney
Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:15 am
USAAF airbrush artistry, just slightly better than Soviet airbrushing techniques(the Russians must have used an undercoating gun for most of their stuff clear into the early 70's). 
You younger types need to remember that 'photo shop' didn't exist during that point in time (in fact not until very very recently), but then again how many of you have ever used a rotary dial phone that was permanently attached to the wall by a fabric wrapped cord and a party line?
Or remember when cars had metal instrument panels with chrome steel knobs that stuck out of the surface, and only 56 Fords came with seat belts, when it was OK to ride in the back of a pickup truck? When a computer was the size of a three bedroom house?
And you kids think you've got it tough-
You younger types need to remember that 'photo shop' didn't exist during that point in time (in fact not until very very recently), but then again how many of you have ever used a rotary dial phone that was permanently attached to the wall by a fabric wrapped cord and a party line?
Or remember when cars had metal instrument panels with chrome steel knobs that stuck out of the surface, and only 56 Fords came with seat belts, when it was OK to ride in the back of a pickup truck? When a computer was the size of a three bedroom house?
And you kids think you've got it tough-
Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:13 am
Gee thanks, inspector. Now I really feel my age.
Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:14 am
Definately airbrushing. I do like how they put the P-61 top turret on though. That would have been a nice touch!
Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:27 am
When I was a kid, we actually had to get up, walk over to the TV, and change the channel with a rotary dial (one for VHF and another for UHF.) Of course, there were only a half-dozen channels anyway (the big three networks, a PBS station, and an independent or two) and they all signed off around 1:00 a.m. and came back on at 6:00. Oh, and you had to use a dial to rotate the rooftop antenna to pick up any of them. You also had to manually adjust the volume, fine tuning, and vertical and horizontal holds.
Cars of course came with AM radios. You could get FM as an option, and if you were really modern, you could add an aftermarket eight-track tape player.
SN
Cars of course came with AM radios. You could get FM as an option, and if you were really modern, you could add an aftermarket eight-track tape player.
SN
Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:48 am
You were lucky, television , we used to dream of television!! We never had us any electricity. There were a hundred and sixty of us livin in a shoebox in t'middle of road!!! (Use Yorkshire accent when reading!)
Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:06 am
Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:07 am
wow.., you had a shoebox?
You were lucky!!!
You were lucky!!!
Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:31 am
Double.
Last edited by Second Air Force on Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:34 am
the330thbg wrote:Definately airbrushing. I do like how they put the P-61 top turret on though. That would have been a nice touch!
You're not far from the truth, Smis. The last couple of blocks of B-29A production had streamlined upper forward turrets, quite similar to that on the P-61. I have the serial number break somewhere, I think it was around the latter part of the -70 block or so (somewhere around 44-62220 as I recall). I can't remember if the last Wichita ships got them or not, but I don't think they did.
That is an interesting rendering you started the thread with, Tom. From a training document?
Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:28 am
i thought the B-50's had the enormous upper front turrets. This was most likely taken from a magazine. Post-war Air Force.
Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:44 am
It's an illustration, not a retouched photo, IMO.
Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:04 pm
the330thbg wrote:i thought the B-50's had the enormous upper front turrets. This was most likely taken from a magazine. Post-war Air Force.
Yes, you're right about the B-50 streamlined upper forward, but it was first installed just at the end of B-29 production. There are a few photos on the web and I may have one or two around here to illustrate it. I'll make a try to find something for you. Here's a link to a -70:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B29-20thaf.jpg
Chad, I agree, that's why I wondered if it came from a circular or training document of some kind. 2AF had some interesting informational circulars with such illustrations in them.
Scott
Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:08 pm
looks like cartoon style to me. 