Something wrong with this photo

[yosimitesam]

What are the 2 (or 3?) groundcrew wearing that are standing under (in) the bomb-bay? It looks like a couple of civilian women garishly dressed. I thought at first this photo was taken at some kind of air-show but it appears genuine 1940's. The photo is from "Warefare History Network" and the caption reads: 'Ground crews at a base on Saipan prepare B-29 "18th C.B." for a mission. The SeaBee mascot holding a machine gun is painted on the nose.' Do you see what I see in this photo? Am I crazy? Is it just some photo artifact? Were the photo-censors having a bit of fun?

 

[cvairwerks]

Looks like damage to the original negative or slide to me from the initial development.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, a water or chemical mark on the emulsion or, if a transparency, it's possibly heat damage, maybe from a projector.

 

[Frog]

Agree, an anomaly during development : as footwear, even in the shadows, you guess they are wearing ankle boots, not high heel pumps...

 

[Airframes]

More likely caused during the drying process, after the fixer/stop bath, or could have happened afterwards as mentioned above.

 

[Sabrejet]

500th Bombardment Group aircraft.

 

[kalani]

What are the 2 (or 3?) groundcrew wearing that are standing under (in) the bomb-bay? It looks like a couple of civilian women garishly dressed. I thought at first this photo was taken at some kind of air-show but it appears genuine 1940's. The photo is from "Warefare History Network" and the caption reads: 'Ground crews at a base on Saipan prepare B-29 "18th C.B." for a mission. The SeaBee mascot holding a machine gun is painted on the nose.' Do you see what I see in this photo? Am I crazy? Is it just some photo artifact? Were the photo-censors having a bit of fun?

View attachment 848472

damaged negative strip, have had this happen to some of mine that were improperly fixed.

 

[Juanita]

Looks like its been AI generated.
The weirdness around the B-29 nose.
The chaps weird shorts (cross between shorts and a skirt?)
The inappropriate placement of personnel and shadows.
There is also something weird about the aircraft in the background but I can't put my finger on it.

 

[Sabrejet]

Looks like its been AI generated.
The weirdness around the B-29 nose.
The chaps weird shorts (cross between shorts and a skirt?)
The inappropriate placement of personnel and shadows.
There is also something weird about the aircraft in the background but I can't put my finger on it.

You need to read the posts above; not everything is AI.

 

[WARSPITER]

The bombs loaded sign looks a bit photoshopped as to placement. It doesn't seem to 'sit' properly and there is no hint of any shadow
to match rest of the picture.

Might have been a cut and paste job for a publication at the time.

 

[Sabrejet]

Infuriating to read this.

Items from the service of Technical Sergeant Lisle George Neher, Dfc, who served as a Central Fire Control Gunner on the Boeing B-29 Superfortress "Hell's Belle" in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Neher was born on 24 August 1924 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Between 1935 and 1940, his family had moved to Buffalo, New York, before settling in Alexandria, Virginia. On 17 December 1942, he registered for the draft and enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, having been a volunteer for the United States Civil Air Patrol. In September 1944, Neher and the crew of the "Hell's Belle" deployed with the 881st Bombardment Squadron, 500th Bombardment Group to Isley Field on Saipan and was assigned to the 73rd Bombardment Wing, 20th Air Force. Neher received eight Air Medal citations for the numerous missions he participated in, included the five fire bombing missions that took place in March 1945. Neher returned to Alexandria in after being honorably discharged. He then became an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration before beginning his 33 year career as a United Airlines pilot. Neher died on 13 September 2016 and was interned with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery on 5 April 2017. The collection consists of 250 35mm Kodachrome color slides, primarily of the "Hell's Belle" crew that included Captain Richard D. Sullivan [Aircraft Commander], First Lieutenant Bruce F. Craig [Copilot], Sergeant Jack N. Lebid [Radio Operator], First Lieutenant Richard M. Hufty [Navigator], Sergeant Angelo M. Campanini [Radar Operator], First Lieutenant. Edwin J. Seder, [Flight Engineer], First Lieutenant Warren G. Glover [Bombardier], Sergeant Elmo C. Steeves [Gunner], Sergeant George Andrews [Ring Gunner], Sergeant John M. Birchett [Tail Gunner]. Also depicted are Isley Field, relaxation centers on Hawaii, and natural scenery of both Saipan and Hawaii.

B-29 "18th. C.B." being loaded with supplies, Saipan, 1945 | The Digital Collections of the National WWII Museum : Oral Histories

www.ww2online.org