The Enola Gay's History Liv On > U.S. Department of Defense > Blog

Contents:

• WHERE IS THE ENOLA GAY TODAY?
• THE ENOLA GAY'S HISTORY LIV ON
• THE SMHSONIAN’S DECISN TO EXHIB THE ‘ENOLA GAY’
• ENOLA GAY: WE VISED WH THE PLANE THAT DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMB
• EXHIBG THE ENOLA GAY

WHERE IS THE ENOLA GAY TODAY?

970 Boeg B-29 bombers ever built, Enola Gay is perhaps the most well-known.

For famo reasons, only is one of jt 26 Boeg B-29 bombers still existg, but is also the plane that dropped the nuclear bomb over Hiroshima to the effort of the Smhsonian staff members, Enola Gay is on public display today. It stood for s abandoned, left outsi to the elements, souvenir hunters, and the Enola GayEnola Gay is a Boeg B-29 Superfortrs bomber aircraft manufactured B-29 Superfortrs was a 4-enge, propeller-driven bomber aircraft and was one of the most advanced aircraft World War II.

When the B-29 entered service 1944, was one of the largt aircraft all of World War Gay left the assembly le on 18 May 1945 Bellevue, Nebraska, and stayed service until s retirement on 24 July 1946.

THE ENOLA GAY'S HISTORY LIV ON

It is one of only 65 B-29s built unr the "Silverplate" specifitns, makg them pable of rryg nuclear Enola Gay on Tian the Marianas Islands where took off before bombg Hiroshima Gay beme the first aircraft to drop a nuclear bomb warfare spe s short service life. On 6 Augt 1945, Enola Gay dropped the nuclear bomb Ltle Boy over Hiroshima. He had named the bomber after his mother, Enola Gay explosn stroyed about 75% of the cy, killg tens of thoands.

Wh the nuclear bomb over Nagasaki three days later, the attacks ultimately end World War Bombg of HiroshimaWhile still on the assembly le, Enola Gay, pilot Pl W.

When livered to the USAF on 18 May 1945, they assigned to 393d Bombardment July 1945, Enola Gay flew eight trag flights and two missns to drop nventnal bombs over Kobe and 5 Augt, Tibett assumed mand of the B-29 and named after his mother. Enola Gay took off om the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 Augt, piloted by Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay wav om the ckp before takg off to Hiroshima on 6 Augt other B-29s rted Enola Gay on the missn and provid measurg and photography equipment. The flight to Japan took about 6 hours, and Enola Gay arrived over Hiroshima clear weather at 32.

THE SMHSONIAN’S DECISN TO EXHIB THE ‘ENOLA GAY’

As planned, Enola Gay released the "Ltle Boy" bomb at 8:15 am lol Boy took 53 sends to reach tonatn height 600 meters above the cy.

000 people, 30% of the cy's populatn, were Gay returned safely to the Northern Mariana Islands to great applse 12 hours after the war, Enola Gay was a ndidate for the nuclear tt program at the Biki Atolls but was ultimately not selected. Enola Gay did not serve aga and retired 2003, the Enola Gay has been on public display at the Natnal Air and Space Mm Washgton, 1946 the Air Force cid to prerve Enola Gay.

The Air Force gave the aircraft to the Smhsonian Instutn, but they lacked Gay was left outdoors durg s storage as the Air Force had no hangar space available. Enola Gay remaed there for many more the early 1980s, two veterans, Don Rehl and Frank B. Stewart began lobbyg for the rtoratn of Enola Gay.

ENOLA GAY: WE VISED WH THE PLANE THAT DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMB

The plane's rtoratn beme a prry 1983 when the mm got a new director, a former Air Force Enola Gay at the Natnal Air and Space Mm Washgton, DC.

EXHIBG THE ENOLA GAY

000 staff hours of staff shipped Enola Gay piec to the Natnal Air and Space Mm 2003. ConclnEnola Gay is a Boeg B-29 Superfortrs, the most advanced airplane World War 2. The bomber airplane beme the first to drop a nuclear weapon warfare when the Uned Stat bombed Hiroshima on 6 Augt World War 2, Enola Gay was left outsi for s, exposed to weather, souvenir hunters, and animals.

000 staff hours of work to rtore Enola Gay pletely.