Bill Yenne nostalgically recalls his father’s story of a disguised Boeing factory during WWII, known as Wonderland, built to deceive enemy bombers. The secrecy of Boeing Wonderland, and other camouflaged aircraft factories, highlights the communal effort to protect the West Coast from attacks. Major John Ohmer, Jr. leads a remarkable creative challenge to hide aviation facilities, tapping Hollywood talent to construct elaborate fake suburbs on roofs and runways. The unique mix of art and engineering in the deceptive villages aimed to confuse potential enemy reconnaissance. Ohmer’s clever deception strategy utilized flat artwork and realistic details to create a convincing aerial facade above crucial aviation sites.
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/boeing-wonderland-the-fake-cities-on-americas-west-coast/