When you look at the bombers, remember being in a bomber in WWII was a suicide mission. It was statistically impossible to fly the required number of flights and live. You can probably count the number of fliers who flew the required number of flights on the thumbs of both hands, possibly one, that lived through the war. Good old Kodachrome, no longer available. These are some very well done photos from WWII...in color no less! Rare Color Pictures from Avery Willis of 27 rare color images from all over the world during the war. An unidentified US pilot stands up in the cockpit of his plane on the tarmac on Midway Islands, 1942. A group of Curtiss P-40 Warhawks escorted a pair of Consolidated B-24D Liberators on a Lokflight near the Aleutian islands, Alaska, 1944. A group of Curtiss P-40 Warhawks escorted a pair of Consolidated B-24D Liberators on a flight near the Aleutian islands, Alaska, 1944. A pair of servicemen and a quartet of schoolboys sit on bridge over the Thames, Henley-on-Thames, England, May 1944. American servicemen drive in jeeps through an unidentified and nearly completely destroyed town, Italy, May 1944. The crew of a B-26 Marauder outside their plane, nicknamed Ginger, 1944. Supreme Allied Commander American General Dwight D. Eisenhower, his deputy, British Chief Air Marshal Arthur Tedder , and the principal commander of Allied ground forces in Europe, British General Bernard L. Montgomery, stand in a US armored vehicle as they review a tank exercise, Salisbury, England, 1944. The flight deck crew prepares planes for launch from the USS Lexington (CV-16), en route near New Guinea, early April, 1944. Close-up, in-flight view of a Douglas SBD Dauntless piloted by American Lt. George Glacken (left) with his gunner Leo Boulanger, near New Guinea, early April, 1944. Pair of American servicemen moving a large bomb at an ammunition dump in 1944. American troops unloading supplies on the shores of Guadalcanal Island in 1943. A soldier sleeps in the sun. An unidentified American soldier sits and eats his meal (which includes chicken, mashed potatoes, bread, and pineapple) atop rows of a stockpiled ammunition shells, England, May 1944. American Army trucks parked next to the St. Lucia fountain in 1943. A worker at Electric Boat Co. in New London, Conn. in 1943. British and South African soldiers hold up Nazi trophy flag while combat engineers on bulldozers clear a path through the debris of the bombed out city of Cassino in 1943. A US Army Corps of Engineers solider packs 1/2 pound tins of the explosive TNT under one end of an abandoned German tank in preparation for detonation during military operations in the El Guettar Valley, Tunisia, early 1943. An American gun crew in camouflaged emplacement awaiting orders to fire during the desert fighting between German and American forces in the El Guettar Valley in 1943. El Guettar Valley, Tunisia in 1943. Members of the flight and ground crews of a B-17 bomber named 'Honey Chile II' make adjustments to their plane prior to a mission, Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England, fall 1942. The crew and plane originate from the 97th Bombardment Group of the 8th Bomber Command (later 8th Air Force) which was stationed at Polebrook from June until November of 1942. Cadets at Corpus Christie Naval Air Training Station. Curtiss Wright's chief test pilot H. Lloyd Child (center) writes on a clipboard as he stands with other pilots on a tarmac near the company’s manufacturing plant, Buffalo, New York, 1941. An American soldier sits behind the wheel of a Willys MB jeep, shortly before the United States joined World War II, 1941. Three American Marines in dress uniforms talk aboard an unidentified ship during the US Navy's Pacific fleet maneuvers near Hawaii, September 1940. Crew removing plane which has made a slight crash landing aboard the aircraft carrier Enterprise CV-6 during the US Navy's Pacific Fleet maneuvers in 1940. Crew aboard the aircraft carrier Enterprise CV-6 listening to instructions during the US Navy's Pacific Fleet maneuvers around Hawaii in 1940. Photographers standing in front of Pappy's Pram, a B-26 Marauder at base, 1943. Wonderful Images Across the Globe -- Scott Frederick 474th Fighter Group World War II
When you add color to the pics , they seem to take on different tone than the B&W pics. I saw some pics one time that showed places during the war , bombed out and all, and then the same places pictured as they are today. Interesting.
While not quite that rare it was a tough job. One of my ex's uncles flew as part of a Lancaster crew (gunner) for the RAF and is still living up in Maple Ridge. The war did take it's toll on him and his brother's though. Several busted marriages from heavy drinking and one suicide. Left a note apologizing to their Mum that said he just couldn't deal with the nightmares. Nice pictures.
I am in a constant argument with my wife's friends and family because most Russians (actually all of the former Soviet Union) were not taught or even told about the West's participation in the war. They knew nothing about all the supplies that were shipped by us and the Commonwealth that kept them afloat during the real dark days early in the war. They know nothing of 'the other front' where the Commonwealth bombed the Germans by night and Americans bombed them by day which slowed Germany's production, transportation and denied them resources. Hell, I remember at one family party when the wife's very mouthy Aunt was raving on and I had had enough and stood up and asked. "So tell me, why did you guys start the war in the first place by invading Poland?" They didn't know. Yep! They didn't know that they cut a deal with Hitler and invaded Poland 2 weeks after Hitler did in return for Eastern Poland. I give the Soviets their due because they did most of the killing in Europe and their losses were horrible but it always gets on my nerves when they say "We won the war." But, many Americans do the same thing and it always gives me much joy to blast their small world to bits with facts maybe even more than the old former Soviets.
My Grand Dad was part of the "New" deployment of the M-26 heavy tanks to Europe on +3 day of the D-Day landings, and he took that tank all the way to Germany! He only had a few opportunities to take pictures ( all in B.W) but they are awesome, and provided him with a life time of memories both good and bad! I always enjoy seeing photos from WW-II, especially in color, it really connects the generations, and while the uniforms and the weapons and equipment have changed, a war still looks like a war, and some how seeing it in color removes the time stamp and brings the images to the viewer almost like they were there!
