>>4487920Selective dye coupling layers.
The cross-section of Kodachrome film consists of layers which are, from top-to-bottom: blue sensitive (of which the non-sensitized portions will be dyed yellow), yellow filter, blue-green sensitive (dyed magenta), blue-red sensitive (dyed cyan), acetate base, rem-jet anti-halation backing.
The blue-green and blue-red sensitive layers are primarily sensitive to green and red light, respectively, but are sensitive to blue light as well. The yellow filter layer is added to prevent blue light from penetrating to these layers during exposure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-14_processKodachrome films are non-substantive. Unlike substantive transparency and negative color films, Kodachrome film does not incorporate dye couplers into the emulsion layers. The dye couplers are added during processing. This means that Kodachrome emulsion layers are thinner and less light is scattered upon exposure, meaning that the film could record an image with more sharpness than substantive films. Transparencies made with non-substantive films have an easily visible relief image on the emulsion side of the film. Kodachrome 64 and 200 can record a dynamic range of about 2.3D or 8 f-stops, as shown in the characteristic curves. Kodachrome 25 transparencies have a dynamic range of around 12 f-stops, or 3.6–3.8D.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KodachromeThe reason these LF shots look good in Kodachrome was because they would have looked good on any film, they were staged shots by the DOD for propaganda purposes. Doesn't detract from how good they look, every one of those pictures from WW2 was staged, there's a whole article about it somewhere
The other thing with large format is simple physics, higher resolution. More real estate, more image quality.
I actually got to shoot Kodachrome in 2010 and loved it. Marvelous stuff. I have negscans from it somewhere I will find them and post here.