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"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
October 1942. "Woman at work on bomber motor, Douglas Aircraft Co., Long Beach, California." Kodachrome by Alfred Palmer, Office of War Information. View full size.
After it's first startup a piston engine will never again shine so pretty. Looks like a Wright Cyclone R-2600, 1,600 hp beast mounted on Douglas' A-20 Havoc.
No, but she's the spitting image of Ruth Gemmell who played a similarly aged woman in a 1940 UK setting ~73 years later.
For one thing, I think this picture is posed as well as the other one with the 3 ladys also installing engines, you wouldn't be that clen and neat or wearing a loose hanging sweater and rings on your fingers doing any type of engine or mechanical work. Safety would require anyone to remove those items to prevent getting stuck on the equipment or any FOD (Foreign Object Damage) to engines while being assembled.
[As we have pointed out elsewhere, most of the Palmer photos were posed. Some were used as studies by illustrators painting recruitment and bond drive posters. - Dave]
As part of our world war II time line - we could include the working women who built the machines to doom Hitler.
[This one is more Ruby the Ratcheter - Dave]
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