This is the artwork painted by Dean Cornwell to be used in a poster for Fisher Bodies, car turned to aircraft makers from General Motors, and entitled ‘On Target’ – a slight misnomer as it actually features the Boeing B-29 Superfortress’ navigator’s station and navigator, rather than the bombardier.

It has an intense – almost Old Dutch Master – detail and feel about it, though some of the technology has been made more prominent and visually brought forward, and the perspective is a bit odd on the right. Here’s the poster as finally produced.

The reason the instrumentation has been highlighted is that it is, in fact, the subject, as explained in the text. No one knew it then, but in June 1945, the war (in the Pacific) had less than two months to run.

James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.

Image via Flickr, here.