144-424: The Enola Gay ( / ə ˈ n oʊ l ə / ) is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber , named after Enola Gay Tibbets , the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets . On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II , it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in warfare . The bomb, code-named " Little Boy ", was targeted at the city of Hiroshima , Japan, and destroyed about three-quarters of
288-619: A stepless cockpit design, without a separate windscreen for the pilots. Manufacturing the B-29 was a complex task that involved four main-assembly factories. There were two Boeing operated plants at Renton, Washington ( Boeing Renton Factory ), and one in Wichita, Kansas (now Spirit AeroSystems ), a Bell plant at Marietta, Georgia , near Atlanta ("Bell-Atlanta"), and a Martin plant at Bellevue, Nebraska ("Martin-Omaha" – Offutt Field ). Thousands of subcontractors were also involved in
432-581: A B-29, damaging it, but was shot down by return fire. One B-29 was lost, possibly the one damaged by Flt Lt Therdsak. On 14 April 1945, a second B-29 raid on Bangkok destroyed two key power plants and was the last major attack conducted against Thai targets. The B-29 effort was gradually shifted to the new bases in the Mariana Islands in the Central Pacific , with the last B-29 combat mission from India flown on 29 March 1945. In addition to
576-706: A call for the Smithsonian to put the aircraft on display, leading to an acrimonious debate about exhibiting the aircraft without a proper historical context. The cockpit and nose section of the aircraft were exhibited at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) on the National Mall , for the bombing's 50th anniversary in 1995, amid controversy. Since 2003, the entire restored B-29 has been on display at NASM's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center . The last survivor of its crew, Theodore Van Kirk , died on 28 July 2014 at
720-692: A charter boat. Tinian is part of the United States and the CNMI . Along with Guam , it is the westernmost US island in the Pacific. The Mariana Islands, of which Tinian is one, were the first islands settled by humans in Remote Oceania . It was also the first and the longest of the ocean-crossing voyages of the Austronesian peoples and is separate from the later Polynesian settlement of
864-542: A combined total of six 8,500-foot (2,600-meter) runways, were constructed. Today, the four runways at North Field are overgrown and abandoned. A five-year, $ 409 million contract has been awarded in 2024 to upgrade the North Field. One of the two West Field runways remains in use as part of Tinian International Airport . The Japanese originally built an airfield with two parallel runways. The Americans repaired it and then called it West Field. From here seven squadrons of
1008-399: A consequence of that requirement, Bell Atlanta (BA) produced a series of 311 B-29Bs that had turrets and sighting equipment omitted, except for the tail position, which was fitted with AN/APG-15 fire-control radar. That version could also have an improved APQ-7 "Eagle" bombing-through-overcast radar fitted in an airfoil-shaped radome under the fuselage. Most of those aircraft were assigned to
1152-604: A former B-52 pilot with the Strategic Air Command , became director of the National Air and Space Museum, and he made the Enola Gay ' s restoration a priority. Looking at the aircraft, Tibbets recalled, was a "sad meeting. [My] fond memories, and I don't mean the dropping of the bomb, were the numerous occasions I flew the airplane ... I pushed it very, very hard and it never failed me ... It
1296-525: A fully pressurized fuselage that would have to be de-pressurized prior to opening the bomb bay doors. The solution was to have bomb bays that were not pressurized and a long tunnel joining the forward and rear crew compartments. Crews could use the tunnel if necessary to crawl from one pressurized compartment to the other. In September 1941, the United States Army Air Forces ' plans for war against Germany and Japan proposed basing
1440-428: A greater flow of cooling air into the intakes, which had baffles installed to direct a stream of air onto the exhaust valves. Oil flow to the valves was also increased, asbestos baffles were installed around rubber push rod fittings to prevent oil loss, thorough pre-flight inspections were made to detect unseated valves, and mechanics frequently replaced the uppermost five cylinders (every 25 hours of engine time) and
1584-575: A gross takeoff weight of 155,000 pounds (70,000 kg). Almost a year later, in October 1946, the same B-29 flew 9,422 miles (15,163 km) nonstop from Oahu, Hawaii, to Cairo, Egypt, in less than 40 hours, demonstrating the possibility of routing airlines over the polar ice cap. Although considered for other theaters, and briefly evaluated in the UK, the B-29 was exclusively used in World War II in
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#17327659026331728-472: A land area of 108.1 km (41.7 sq mi). The population of the 2000 census was 3,540 persons, all living on the island of Tinian (Aguijan is uninhabited). The municipal seat and main village of the island of Tinian is San Jose , situated on the southwest coast. Tinian is about 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) southwest of Saipan , from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel . It has
1872-461: A land area of 39 square miles (100 km ), with its highest elevation on the Kastiyu plateau at 187 meters (614 ft). It is considerably flatter than Saipan. The island has limestone cliffs and caves. There is a variety of marine life and coral reefs surrounding the island. Its clear, warm waters are ideal for snorkeling, scuba diving, and sport fishing. Aguijan Island, a small island, lies to
2016-546: A major power plant. Bombs fell over two kilometers away, damaged no civilian structures, but destroyed some tram lines, and destroyed both a Japanese military hospital and the Japanese secret police headquarters. On 15 June 1944, 68 B-29s took off from bases around Chengdu, 47 B-29s bombed the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata , Fukuoka Prefecture , Japan . This was the first attack on Japanese islands since
2160-667: A night raid on Omura in Kyushu, Japan, the General H. H. Arnold Special (42-6365) was damaged and forced to divert to Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. The crew was interned. On 21 November 1944, Ding Hao (42-6358) was damaged during a raid on an aircraft factory at Omura and was also forced to divert to Vladivostok. The interned crews of these four B-29s were allowed to escape into American-occupied Iran in January 1945, but none of
2304-408: A number of locations. It was at Davis-Monthan from 1 September 1946 until 3 July 1949, when it was flown to Orchard Place Air Field , Park Ridge, Illinois , by Tibbets for acceptance by the Smithsonian. It was moved to Pyote Air Force Base , Texas, on 12 January 1952, and then to Andrews Air Force Base , Maryland, on 2 December 1953, because the Smithsonian had no storage space for the aircraft. It
2448-825: A second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. Enola Gay flew as the advance weather reconnaissance aircraft that day. A third B-29, The Great Artiste , flew as an observation aircraft on both missions. Transferred from the U.S. Air Force Wingspan: 43 metres (141 feet 1 inch) Length:30.2 m (99 ft) Height: 9 metres (29 feet 6 inches) Weight, empty: 32,580 kg (71,830 lb) Weight, gross: 63,504 kg (140,002 lb) Top speed: 546 km/h (339 mph) Engines: 4 Wright R-3350-57 Cyclone turbo-supercharged radials, 2,200 hp Crew: 12 (Hiroshima mission) Armament: two .50 caliber machine guns Ordnance: Little Boy atomic bomb Manufacturer: Martin Co., Omaha, Nebraska, 1945 A19500100000 The display of
2592-540: A severe drought in 1919. Efforts were resumed under the aegis of the Nanyo Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha in 1926, with new settlers from Okinawa as well as Fukushima and Yamagata Prefectures , and the introduction of coffee and cotton as cash crops in addition to sugar, and the construction of a Katsuobushi processing plant. By June 1944, some 15,700 Japanese civilians resided on Tinian (including 2700 ethnic Koreans and 22 ethnic Chamorro). In
2736-433: A source of strength to me since boyhood, and particularly during the soul-searching period when I decided to give up a medical career to become a military pilot. At a time when Dad had thought I had lost my marbles, she had taken my side and said, "I know you will be all right, son." In the early morning hours, just prior to the 6 August mission, Tibbets had a young Army Air Forces maintenance man, Private Nelson Miller, paint
2880-557: A staging base for continuous heavy bomber attacks on the Japanese Islands. Immediately after the island's seizure by the US, construction began on the largest airbase of WWII , which covered the entire island (except its three highland areas). The Tinian Naval Base was a 40,000-personnel installation. The Navy Seabees (110th NCB) laid out the base in a pattern of city streets resembling New York City 's Manhattan Island and named
3024-622: Is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber , designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War . Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Flying Fortress , the Superfortress was designed for high-altitude strategic bombing , but also excelled in low-altitude night incendiary bombing , and in dropping naval mines to blockade Japan. B-29s dropped
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#17327659026333168-522: Is just south of the Northern Marianas' most inhabited island, Saipan , but north of the populated Rota to the south. The island has many World War II historical sites, cattle ranches, and beaches. There was a 5-star casino that operated from 1998 to 2015; the remaining are other hotels/resorts and a golf course. The main Saipan access is a short airplane ride from the international airport or
3312-435: Is primarily on the subsistence level. The largest employers on the island are the government and the casino, which was legalized in 1989. As of March 2006, the island has plans to put in four new casinos. The 2010 census showed a population of 3,136 for the island. Tinian Airport (TIQ) is small and serviced by Star Marianas Air , which operates daily scheduled flights to Saipan . Freedom Air , which previously served
3456-538: The 2000 census was 3,540 persons, all living on the island of Tinian (Aguijan is uninhabited). The municipal seat and main village of the island of Tinian is San Jose , situated on the southwest coast. Mayor Edwin P. Aldan was inaugurated in January 2019, succeeding Joey San Nicolas . The House of Taga is a latte stone site, one of the most significant structures in the Marianas. The stones are quarried limestone, each approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) in length. Of
3600-423: The 58th Bombardment Wing flew combat and reconnaissance missions throughout Southeast Asia and finally into the Japanese home islands , as part of the bombing of Japan . After WWII, West Field was Tinian's airport called Gurguan Point Airfield; and today is Tinian International Airport . The Japanese had constructed three small fighter strips on Tinian, but none were suitable for bomber operations. Under
3744-604: The B-32 ), Lockheed (the Lockheed XB-30 ), and Douglas (the Douglas XB-31 ). Douglas and Lockheed soon abandoned work on their projects, but Boeing received an order for two flying prototypes , which were given the designation XB-29, and an airframe for static testing on 24 August 1940, with the order being revised to add a third flying aircraft on 14 December. Consolidated continued to work on its Model 33, as it
3888-596: The Battles of Saipan and Tinian . The pits were originally constructed to load the bombs since they were too large to be loaded conventionally. The B-29s were maneuvered over a pit with their bomb bay doors open to facilitate loading. After the end of World War II, Tinian became part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands , controlled by the United States. The island continued to be dominated by
4032-758: The Doolittle raid in April 1942. The first B-29 combat losses occurred during this raid, with one B-29 destroyed on the ground by Japanese fighters after an emergency landing in China, one lost to anti-aircraft fire over Yawata, and another, the Stockett's Rocket (after Capt. Marvin M. Stockett, Aircraft Commander) B-29-1-BW 42-6261, disappeared after takeoff from Chakulia, India, over the Himalayas (12 KIA, 11 crew and one passenger). This raid, which did little damage to
4176-525: The Enola Gay without reference to the historical context of World War II, the Cold War, or the development and deployment of nuclear weapons aroused controversy. A petition from a group calling themselves the Committee for a National Discussion of Nuclear History and Current Policy bemoaned the display of Enola Gay as a technological achievement, which it described as an "extraordinary callousness toward
4320-530: The Himalayas , either by transport aircraft or by B-29s themselves, with some aircraft being stripped of armor and guns and used to deliver fuel. B-29s started to arrive in India in early April 1944. The first B-29 flight to airfields in China (over the Himalayas, or " The Hump ") took place on 24 April 1944. The first B-29 combat mission was flown on 5 June 1944, with 77 out of 98 B-29s launched from India bombing
4464-610: The Northern Mariana Islands , about six hours' flight time from Japan, accompanied by two other B-29s, The Great Artiste , carrying instrumentation, and a then-nameless aircraft later called Necessary Evil , commanded by Captain George Marquardt, to take photographs. The director of the Manhattan Project , Major General Leslie R. Groves Jr. , wanted the event recorded for posterity, so
Enola Gay - Misplaced Pages Continue
4608-608: The Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in the Pacific, but was not chosen to make the test drop at Bikini Atoll . Later that year, it was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution and spent many years parked at air bases exposed to the weather and souvenir hunters, before its 1961 disassembly and storage at a Smithsonian facility in Suitland, Maryland . In the 1980s, veterans groups engaged in
4752-518: The Pacific Theatre . The use of YB-29-BW 41-36393 , the so-named Hobo Queen , one of the service test aircraft flown around several British airfields in early 1944, was part of a "disinformation" program from its mention in an American-published Sternenbanner German-language propaganda leaflet from Leap Year Day in 1944, meant to be circulated within the Reich, with the intent to deceive
4896-692: The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1952. They were attached to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit and used in trials conducted on behalf of the British Ministry of Supply . Both aircraft were placed in storage in 1956 and were sold for scrap in 1957. At the end of WWII, Soviet development of modern four-engine heavy bombers lagged behind the West. The Petlyakov Pe-8 —the sole heavy bomber operated by
5040-519: The Santo Tomas and the Jesus María . The Spanish formally occupied Tinian in 1669, with the missionary expedition of Diego Luis de San Vitores who named it Buenavista Mariana (Goodsight Mariana). From 1670, it became a port of call for Spanish and occasional English, Dutch, and French ships as a supply station for food and water. The native population, estimated at 40,000 at the time of
5184-500: The Silverplate and successor-name "Saddletree" specifications built for the Manhattan Project with Curtiss Electric reversible pitch propellers. The other differences came through added equipment for varied mission roles. These roles included cargo carriers (CB); rescue aircraft (SB); weather ships (WB); and trainers (TB); and aerial tankers (KB). Some were used for odd purposes such as flying relay television transmitters under
5328-541: The Silverplate series, being extensively modified to carry nuclear weapons. Early consideration was given to using the British Lancaster as a nuclear bomber, as this would require less modification. However, the superior range and high-altitude performance of the B-29 made it a much better choice, and after the B-29 began to be modified in November 1943 for carrying the atomic bomb, the suggestion for using
5472-551: The South Seas Mandate . The island was settled by ethnic Japanese, Koreans, and Okinawans , who developed large-scale sugar plantations. Under Japanese rule, extensive infrastructure development occurred, including the construction of port facilities, waterworks, power stations, paved roads and schools, along with entertainment facilities and Shinto shrines . Initial efforts to settle the island met with difficulties, including an infestation of scale insects , followed by
5616-665: The Soviet Air Forces —first flew in 1936. Intended to replace the obsolete Tupolev TB-3 , only 93 Pe-8s were built by the end of WWII. During 1944 and 1945, four B-29s made emergency landings in Soviet territory after bombing raids on Japanese Manchuria and Japan. In accordance with Soviet neutrality in the Pacific War , the bombers were interned by the Soviets despite American requests for their return. Rather than return
5760-730: The Yalu River , and for attacks on dams. The aircraft also was used for numerous leaflet drops in North Korea, such as those for Operation Moolah . A Superfortress of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron flew the last B-29 mission of the war on 27 July 1953. Over the course of the war, B-29s flew 20,000 sorties and dropped 200,000 tonnes (220,000 tons) of bombs. B-29 gunners were credited with shooting down 27 enemy aircraft. In turn 78 B-29s were lost; 57 B-29 and reconnaissance variants were lost in action and 21 were non-combat losses. Soviet records show that one MiG-15 jet fighter
5904-545: The atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki , the only aircraft ever to drop nuclear weapons in combat . One of the largest aircraft of World War II, the B-29 was designed with state-of-the-art technology, which included a pressurized cabin , dual-wheeled tricycle landing gear , and an analog computer -controlled fire-control system that allowed one gunner and a fire-control officer to direct four remote machine gun turrets. The $ 3 billion cost of design and production (equivalent to $ 51 billion in 2022), far exceeding
Enola Gay - Misplaced Pages Continue
6048-470: The "Silverplate" modified aircraft of the 509th Composite Group remained the only aircraft capable of delivering the atomic bomb, and so the unit was involved in the Operation Crossroads series of tests, with B-29 Dave's Dream dropping a "Fat Man"-type bomb in Test Able on 1 July 1946. Some B-29s, fitted with filtered air sampling scoops, were used to monitor above-ground nuclear weapons testing by
6192-478: The $ 1.9 billion cost of the Manhattan Project , made the B-29 program the most expensive of the war. The B-29 remained in service in various roles throughout the 1950s, being retired in the early 1960s after 3,970 had been built. A few were also used as flying television transmitters by the Stratovision company. The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 with the service name Washington from 1950 to 1954 when
6336-407: The 315th Bomb Wing, Northwest Field, Guam. The crew would enjoy, for the first time in a bomber, full-pressurization comfort. This first-ever cabin pressure system for an Allied production bomber was developed for the B-29 by Garrett AiResearch . Both the forward and rear crew compartments were to be pressurized, but the designers had to decide whether to have bomb bays that were not pressurized or
6480-527: The 8,500-man Japanese garrison, 313 survived the battle. At the time, there were an estimated 15,700 Japanese civilians (including 2,700 ethnic Koreans) on the island. Many hundreds were also killed in the crossfire, took their own lives, or were executed by the Japanese military to avoid capture by the Americans. Tinian is approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometres) from mainland Japan and was suitable as
6624-605: The Air Corps issued a formal specification for a so-called "superbomber" that could deliver 20,000 lb (9,100 kg) of bombs to a target 2,667 mi (4,292 km) away, and at a speed of 400 mph (640 km/h). Boeing's previous private venture studies formed the starting point for its response to the Air Corps formal specification. Boeing submitted its Model 345 on 11 May 1940, in competition with designs from Consolidated Aircraft (the Model 33, which later became
6768-458: The Americans, nearly the entire northern end of the island was occupied by the runways, almost 11 miles (18 km) of taxiways and the airfield area, designed to accommodate the entire 313th Bombardment Wing complement of Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers. North Field was the departure point of the 509th Composite Group specialized Silverplate nuclear weapons delivery B-29 bombers Enola Gay and Bockscar , which respectively carried
6912-422: The B-29 even if they did attain that altitude. The General Electric Central Fire Control system on the B-29 directed four remotely controlled turrets armed with two .50 Browning M2 machine guns each. All weapons were aimed optically, with targeting computed by analog electrical instrumentation. There were five interconnected sighting stations located in the nose and tail positions and three Plexiglas blisters in
7056-402: The B-29 found its niche on the other side of the globe. In the Pacific, B-29s delivered a variety of aerial weapons: conventional bombs, incendiary bombs, mines, and two nuclear weapons. On 6 August 1945, this Martin-built B-29-45-MO dropped the first atomic weapon used in combat on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, Bockscar (on display at the U.S. Air Force Museum near Dayton, Ohio) dropped
7200-604: The B-29 in Egypt for operations against Germany, as British airbases were likely to be overcrowded. Air Force planning throughout 1942 and early 1943 continued to have the B-29 deployed initially against Germany, transferring to the Pacific only after the end of the war in Europe. By the end of 1943, plans had changed, partly due to production delays, and the B-29 was dedicated to the Pacific Theater. A new plan implemented at
7344-412: The B-29 in many later bombers and transports. Production of the B-29 was phased out after WWII, with the last example completed by Boeing's Renton factory on 28 May 1946. Many aircraft went into storage, being declared excess inventory, and were ultimately scrapped as surplus. Others remained in the active inventory and equipped the Strategic Air Command when it formed on 21 March 1946. In particular,
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#17327659026337488-734: The B-29. Twenty B-29s remain as static displays, but only two, FIFI and Doc , still fly. Before World War II , the United States Army Air Corps concluded that the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, which would be the Americans' primary strategic bomber during the war, would be inadequate for the Pacific Theater , which required a bomber that could carry a larger payload more than 3,000 miles. In response, Boeing began work on pressurized long-range bombers in 1938. Boeing's design study for
7632-600: The B-29s were returned after Stalin ordered the Tupolev OKB to examine and copy the B-29 and produce a design ready for quantity production as soon as possible. Because aluminum in the USSR was supplied in different gauges from that available in the US (metric vs imperial), the entire aircraft had to be extensively re-engineered. In addition, Tupolev substituted his own favored airfoil sections for those used by Boeing, with
7776-636: The Germans into believing that the B-29 would be deployed to Europe. American post-war military assistance programs loaned the RAF 87 Superfortresses, to equip eight RAF Bomber Command squadrons. The aircraft was known as the Washington B.1 in RAF service and served from March 1950 until the last bombers were returned in March 1954. Deployment was restricted to long-range training for strategic attacks against
7920-612: The Japanese Showa steel mill in Anshan , Manchuria . On 20 August 1944, Cait Paomat (42-93829), flying from Chengdu, was damaged by anti-aircraft gunfire during a raid on the Yawata Iron Works. Due to the damage it sustained, the crew elected to divert to the Soviet Union. The aircraft crashed in the foothills of Sikhote-Alin mountain range east of Khabarovsk after the crew bailed out. On 11 November 1944, during
8064-524: The Japanese area, thousands of colonists arrived, and it was used for agriculture and military purposes. The Japanese military did not garrison Tinian until the latter stages of World War II when the Japanese realized its strategic importance as a possible base for American Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers. The island was seized by the Allies during the Battle of Tinian from July 24 to August 1, 1944. Of
8208-463: The Japanese capital since the Doolittle Raid in April 1942, 73rd Bomb Wing wing commander Brigadier General Emmett O'Donnell Jr. acted as mission command pilot in B-29 Dauntless Dotty . The campaign of incendiary raids started with the bombardment of Kobe on 4 February 1945, then peaked early with the most destructive bombing raid in history (even when the later Silverplate -flown nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are considered) on
8352-474: The L-11 and projectile were dropped off at Tinian on 26 July 1945. On 5 August 1945, during preparation for the first atomic mission, Tibbets assumed command of the aircraft and named it after his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets, who, in turn, had been named for the heroine of a novel. When it came to selecting a name for the plane, Tibbets later recalled that: ... my thoughts turned at this point to my courageous red-haired mother, whose quiet confidence had been
8496-400: The Lancaster never came up again. The most significant modification was the enlargement of the bomb bay enabling each aircraft to carry either the Thinman or Fatman weapons. These Silverplate bombers differed from other B-29s then in service by having fuel injection and reversible props . Also, to make a lighter aircraft, the Silverplate B-29s were stripped of all guns, except for those on
8640-425: The Marianas. US forces invaded Saipan on 15 June 1944. Despite a Japanese naval counterattack which led to the Battle of the Philippine Sea and heavy fighting on land, Saipan was secured by 9 July. Operations followed against Guam and Tinian , with all three islands secured by August. Naval construction battalions ( Seabees ) began at once to construct air bases suitable for the B-29, commencing even before
8784-414: The Model 334 was a pressurized derivative of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress with nosewheel undercarriage . Although the Air Corps lacked funds to pursue the design, Boeing continued development with its own funds as a private venture. In April 1939, Charles Lindbergh convinced General Henry H. Arnold to produce a new bomber in large numbers to counter the Germans' bomber production. In December 1939,
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#17327659026338928-450: The Nagasaki mission has been described as tactically botched, although the mission did meet its objectives. The crew encountered a number of problems in execution and had very little fuel by the time they landed at the emergency backup landing site Yontan Airfield on Okinawa . Enola Gay ' s crew on 6 August 1945 consisted of 12 men. The crew was: Asterisks denote regular crewmen of the Enola Gay . Of mission commander Parsons, it
9072-419: The Soviet Union, which was beyond the range of the RAF's Avro Lincolns . The phase-out was occasioned by deliveries of the English Electric Canberra bombers. Three Washingtons modified for ELINT duties and a standard bomber version used for support by No. 192 Squadron RAF were decommissioned in 1958, being replaced by de Havilland Comet aircraft. Two British Washington B.1 aircraft were transferred to
9216-402: The Soviets themselves already having their own Wright R-1820 -derived 18 cylinder radial engine, the Shvetsov ASh-73 of comparable power and displacement to the B-29's Duplex Cyclone radials available to power their design. In 1947, the Soviets debuted both the Tupolev Tu-4 ( NATO ASCC code named Bull), and the Tupolev Tu-70 transport variant. The Soviets used tail-gunner positions similar to
9360-408: The Spanish arrival, shrank to less than 1400 due to European-introduced diseases and conflicts over land. The survivors were forcibly relocated to Guam in 1720 for better control and assimilation. Under Spanish rule, the island was developed into ranches for raising cattle and pigs, which were used to provision Spanish galleons en route to Mexico . After the Spanish–American War of 1898, Tinian
9504-539: The US and the USSR by sampling airborne radioactive contamination . The USAF also used the aircraft for long-range weather reconnaissance (WB-29), for signals intelligence gathering (EB-29) and photographic reconnaissance (RB-29). The B-29 was used in 1950–53 in the Korean War . At first, the bomber was used in normal strategic day-bombing missions, although North Korea's few strategic targets and industries were quickly destroyed. More importantly, in 1950 numbers of Soviet MiG-15 jet fighters appeared over Korea, and after
9648-458: The United States military and was administered as a sub-district of Saipan until 1962. Since 1978, it has been a municipality of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands . During the 1980s, one of the runways on North Field was kept active to allow US Air Force C-130s to take off and land in support of U.S. Marine Corps training exercises in the island's north end. The two northern airstrips, Alpha and Bravo, were cleared of vegetation, and
9792-435: The United States, arriving at the 509th's new base at Roswell Army Air Field , New Mexico , on 8 November. On 29 April 1946, Enola Gay left Roswell as part of the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific. It flew to Kwajalein Atoll on 1 May. It was not chosen to make the test drop at Bikini Atoll and left Kwajalein on 1 July, the date of the test, reaching Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Field , California,
9936-445: The advanced bases from Japanese ground attack. The XX Bomber Command , initially intended to be two combat wings of four groups each, was reduced to a single wing of four groups because of the lack of availability of aircraft, automatically limiting the effectiveness of any attacks from China. This was an extremely costly scheme, as there was no overland connection available between India and China, and all supplies had to be flown over
10080-441: The age of 93. The Enola Gay (Model number B-29-45-MO, Serial number 44-86292, Victor number 82) was built by the Glenn L. Martin Company (later part of Lockheed Martin ) at its bomber plant in Bellevue, Nebraska , located at Offutt Field, now Offutt Air Force Base . The bomber was one of the first fifteen B-29s built to the " Silverplate " specification— of 65 eventually completed during and after World War II—giving them
10224-442: The aircraft left Wendover for Guam , where it received a bomb-bay modification, and flew to North Field , Tinian , on 6 July. It was initially given the Victor (squadron-assigned identification) number 12, but on 1 August, was given the circle R tail markings of the 6th Bombardment Group as a security measure and had its Victor number changed to 82 to avoid misidentification with actual 6th Bombardment Group aircraft. During July,
10368-510: The aircraft's fuselage, following an earlier incident in which a protester had thrown red paint over the gallery's carpeting. The exhibition closed on 18 May 1998 and the fuselage was returned to the Garber Facility for final restoration. Its restoration work began in 1984, and eventually required 300,000 staff hours. While the fuselage was on display, from 1995 to 1998, work continued on the remaining unrestored components. The aircraft
10512-612: The aircraft, the Soviets reverse engineered the American B-29s and used them as a pattern for the Tupolev Tu-4 . On 31 July 1944, Ramp Tramp ( serial number 42-6256), of the United States Army Air Forces 462nd (Very Heavy) Bomb Group was diverted to Vladivostok , Russia , after an engine failed and the propeller could not be feathered . This B-29 was part of a 100-aircraft raid against
10656-457: The aircraft. The components were transported to the Smithsonian storage facility at Suitland, Maryland , on 21 July 1961. The Enola Gay remained at Suitland for many years. By the early 1980s, two veterans of the 509th, Don Rehl and his former navigator in the 509th, Frank B. Stewart, began lobbying for the aircraft to be restored and put on display. They enlisted Tibbets and Senator Barry Goldwater in their campaign. In 1983, Walter J. Boyne ,
10800-513: The bird population, including native birds, is ok. Examples of native bird species on Tinian include Mariana Fruit-Dove ( Ptilinopusroseicapilla ), Micronesian Honeyeater ( Myzomela rubratra ), and Tinian Monarch ( Monarcha takatsukasae ). The population of Tinian was 2,044 (as of 2020 ), which corresponds to less than 5% of all residents of the Northern Mariana Islands and a population density of 20 people per km . Most of
10944-465: The bomber made eight practice or training flights and flew two missions, on 24 and 26 July, to drop pumpkin bombs on industrial targets at Kobe and Nagoya . Enola Gay was used on 31 July on a rehearsal flight for the actual mission. The partially assembled Little Boy gun-type fission weapon L-11, weighing 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg), was contained inside a 41-by-47-by-138-inch (100 cm × 120 cm × 350 cm) wooden crate that
11088-449: The bombings. After attempts to revise the exhibit to meet the satisfaction of competing interest groups, the exhibit was canceled on 30 January 1995. Martin O. Harwit , Director of the National Air and Space Museum, was compelled to resign over the controversy. He later reflected that The dispute was not simply about the atomic bomb. Rather, the dispute was sometimes a symbolic issue in a "culture war" in which many Americans lumped together
11232-401: The central fuselage. Five General Electric analog computers (one dedicated to each sight) increased the weapons' accuracy by compensating for factors such as airspeed, lead , gravity, temperature and humidity. The computers also allowed a single gunner to operate two or more turrets (including tail guns) simultaneously. The gunner in the upper position acted as fire control officer, managing
11376-461: The city. Enola Gay participated in the second nuclear attack as the weather reconnaissance aircraft for the primary target of Kokura . Clouds and drifting smoke resulted in Nagasaki , a secondary target, being bombed instead. After the war, the Enola Gay returned to the United States, where it was operated from Roswell Army Air Field , New Mexico . In May 1946, it was flown to Kwajalein for
11520-411: The city. Enola Gay traveled 11.5 mi (18.5 km) before it felt the shock waves from the blast. Although buffeted by the shock, neither Enola Gay nor The Great Artiste was damaged. The detonation created a blast equivalent to 15 kilotons of TNT (63 TJ). The U-235 weapon was considered very inefficient , with only 1.7% of its fissile material reacting. The radius of total destruction
11664-513: The commander of the 509th Composite Group , on 9 May 1945, while still on the assembly line . The aircraft was accepted by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 18 May 1945 and assigned to the 393d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy , 509th Composite Group. Crew B-9, commanded by Captain Robert A. Lewis , took delivery of the bomber and flew it from Omaha to the 509th base at Wendover Army Air Field , Utah , on 14 June 1945. Thirteen days later,
11808-502: The defensive armament and remote-controlled sighting equipment removed from the B-29s under his command. The affected aircraft had the same reduced defensive firepower as the nuclear weapons-delivery intended Silverplate B-29 airframes and could carry greater fuel and bomb loads as a result of the change. The lighter defensive armament was made possible by a change in mission from high-altitude, daylight bombing with high explosive bombs to low-altitude night raids using incendiary bombs. As
11952-543: The direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a promise to China, called Operation Matterhorn , deployed the B-29 units to attack Japan from four forward bases in southern China , with five main bases in India , and to attack other targets in the region from China and India as needed. The Chengdu region was eventually chosen over the Guilin region to avoid having to raise, equip, and train 50 Chinese divisions to protect
12096-486: The distribution of turrets among the other gunners during combat. The tail position initially had two .50 Browning machine guns and a single M2 20 mm cannon . Later aircraft had the 20 mm cannon removed, sometimes replaced by a third machine gun. In early 1945, Major General Curtis Lemay , commander of XXI Bomber Command —the Marianas-based B-29-equipped bombing force—ordered most of
12240-747: The end of September. Gonzalo de Vigo deserted in the Maugs from the Trinidad and in the next four years, living with the Chamorros , visited thirteen main islands in the Marianas and possibly Tinian among them. The first clear evidence of European arrival was by the Manila galleon Santa Margarita commanded by Juan Martínez de Guillistegui, that wrecked in the southeast of Saipan in February 1600 and whose survivors stayed for two years till 250 were rescued by
12384-422: The end of ground fighting. In all, five major airfields were built: two on the flat island of Tinian , one on Saipan , and two on Guam . Each was large enough to eventually accommodate a bomb wing consisting of four bomb groups, giving a total of 180 B-29s per airfield. These bases could be supplied by ship and, unlike the bases in China, were not vulnerable to attack by Japanese ground forces. The bases became
12528-565: The entire engines (every 75 hours). Pilots, including the present-day pilots of the Commemorative Air Force 's Fifi , one of the last two remaining flying B-29s, describe flight after takeoff as being an urgent struggle for airspeed (generally, flight after takeoff should consist of striving for altitude). Radial engines need airflow to keep them cool, and failure to get up to speed as soon as possible could result in an engine failure and risk of fire. One useful technique
12672-413: The farthest nonstop distance (6,400 miles or 10,300 kilometers) to that date flown by U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft and the first-ever nonstop flight from Japan to Chicago . Two months later, Colonel Clarence S. Irvine commanded another modified B-29, Pacusan Dreamboat , in a world-record-breaking long-distance flight from Guam to Washington, D.C., traveling 7,916 miles (12,740 km) in 35 hours, with
12816-551: The flight was terminated due to a serious engine fire. On 18 February 1943, the second prototype, flying out of Boeing Field in Seattle, experienced an engine fire and crashed. The crash killed Boeing test pilot Edmund T. Allen and his 10-man crew, 20 workers at the Frye Meat Packing Plant and a Seattle firefighter. Changes to the production craft came so often and so fast that, in early 1944, B-29s flew from
12960-431: The height of American power was to be celebrated. It was, in this judgment, a crucial symbol of America's "good war", one fought justly for noble purposes at a time when America was united. Those who in any way questioned the bomb's use were, in this emotional framework, the enemies of America. The forward fuselage went on display on 28 June 1995. On 2 July 1995, three people were arrested for throwing ash and human blood on
13104-531: The inhabitants are Chamorros (about 75%) and members of various other groups of islands in the Caroline Islands . There are also minorities of Filipino, Bangladeshi, East Asian, and European-descended people. Tinians are United States citizens. Much of the local economy of Tinian is dependent on tourism. However, tourist infrastructure is relatively poorly developed. The village of San Jose has several smaller hotels, restaurants, and bars. Agriculture
13248-518: The island, filed for bankruptcy in October 2013 and suspended all operations in March 2014. The ferry boat service that operated twice daily between Tinian and Saipan ran at a loss estimated to be US$ 1 million a year and has since ceased. The local government is the Municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan, which also includes the uninhabited island Aguijan . The municipality has a land area of 108.1 km (41.7 sq mi). The population of
13392-406: The jet-powered Canberra entered service. The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers, transports, tankers, reconnaissance aircraft, and trainers. For example, the re-engined B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II became the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop, during a 94-hour flight in 1949. The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter airlifter, which was first flown in 1944,
13536-474: The launch sites for the large B-29 raids against Japan in the final year of the war. The first B-29 arrived on Saipan on 12 October 1944, and the first combat mission was launched from there on 28 October 1944, with 14 B-29s attacking the Truk atoll. The 73rd Bomb Wing launched the first mission against Japan from bases in the Marianas, on 24 November 1944, sending 111 B-29s to attack Tokyo . For this first attack on
13680-462: The limestone coral that had been disturbed by roots was excavated and replaced by Marines of the 9th Engineer Support Battalion , 3rd FSSG, 3rd Marine Division then stationed at Camp Hansen, Okinawa in late 1981. That unit had been transported by sea aboard the USS ; Cayuga (LST-1186) . The military presence began to be replaced by tourism in the 1990s, but still plays an important role in
13824-443: The local economy. On November 4, 1986, the Northern Marianas, including Tinian, became a part of the United States, and the people there became US Citizens. Primary business on the island in the postwar period included fishing, cattle, and tourism. In the 1990s, an ill-fated attempt at operating casinos began. There are still many ranches and some 1–2 thousand cattle on Tinian. In 2009, STAR Marianas Air , based out of Tinian,
13968-458: The logistical problems associated with operations from China, the B-29 could reach only a limited part of Japan while flying from Chinese bases. The solution to this problem was to capture the Mariana Islands , which would bring targets such as Tokyo , about 1,500 mi (2,400 km) north of the Marianas within range of B-29 attacks. The Joint Chiefs of Staff agreed in December 1943 to seize
14112-466: The loss of 28 aircraft, future B-29 raids were restricted to night missions, largely in a supply-interdiction role. The B-29 dropped the 1,000 lb (450 kg) VB-3 "Razon" (a range-controllable version of the earlier Azon guided ordnance device) and the 12,000 lb (5,400 kg) VB-13 " Tarzon " MCLOS radio-controlled bombs in Korea, mostly for demolishing major bridges, like the ones across
14256-488: The name just under the pilot's window. Regularly assigned aircraft commander Robert A. Lewis was unhappy to be displaced by Tibbets for this important mission and became furious when he arrived at the aircraft on the morning of 6 August to see it painted with the now-famous nose art. Hiroshima was the primary target of the first nuclear bombing mission on 6 August, with Kokura and Nagasaki as alternative targets. Enola Gay , piloted by Tibbets, took off from North Field , in
14400-474: The name of Stratovision . Tinian Tinian ( / ˈ t ɪ n i ən , ˌ t iː n i ˈ ɑː n / ) is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan , it forms Tinian Municipality , one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern Marianas. Tinian's largest village is San Jose . Tinian
14544-465: The next day. The decision was made to preserve the Enola Gay , and on 24 July 1946, the aircraft was flown to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base , Tucson, Arizona , in preparation for storage. On 30 August 1946, the title to the aircraft was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution and the Enola Gay was removed from the USAAF inventory. From 1946 to 1961, the Enola Gay was put into temporary storage at
14688-561: The night of 9–10 March 1945 on Tokyo. From then on, the raids intensified, being launched regularly until the end of the war. The attacks succeeded in devastating most large Japanese cities (with the exception of Kyoto and four that were reserved for nuclear attacks), and gravely damaged Japan's war industries. Although less publicly appreciated, the mining of Japanese ports and shipping routes ( Operation Starvation ) carried out by B-29s from April 1945 reduced Japan's ability to support its population and move its troops. The most famous B-29s were
14832-589: The original components. The Enola Gay became the center of a controversy at the Smithsonian Institution when the museum planned to put its fuselage on public display in 1995 as part of an exhibit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The exhibit, The Crossroads: The End of World War II, the Atomic Bomb and the Cold War, was drafted by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum staff, and arranged around
14976-567: The planes return. Tibbets was the first to disembark and was presented with the Distinguished Service Cross on the spot. The Hiroshima mission was followed by another atomic strike. Originally scheduled for 11 August, it was brought forward by two days to 9 August owing to a forecast of bad weather. This time, a nuclear bomb code-named " Fat Man " was carried by B-29 Bockscar , piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney . Enola Gay , flown by Captain George Marquardt's Crew B-10,
15120-455: The primary ability to function as nuclear "weapon delivery" aircraft. These modifications included an extensively modified bomb bay with pneumatic doors and British bomb attachment and release systems, reversible pitch propellers that gave more braking power on landing, improved engines with fuel injection and better cooling, and the removal of protective armor and gun turrets. Enola Gay was personally selected by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets Jr. ,
15264-439: The prior period, B-29 raids were also launched from China and India against many other targets throughout Southeast Asia , including a series of raids on Singapore and Thailand. On 2 November 1944, 55 B-29s raided Bangkok's Bang Sue marshaling yards in the largest raid of the war. Seven RTAF Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa s from Foong Bin (Air Group) 16 and 14 IJAAF Ki-43s attempted intercept. RTAF Flt Lt Therdsak Worrasap attacked
15408-402: The problem, with production personnel being sent from the factories to the modification centers to speed availability of sufficient aircraft to equip the first bomb groups in what became known as the " Battle of Kansas ". This resulted in 150 aircraft being modified in the five weeks, between 10 March and 15 April 1944. The most common cause of maintenance headaches and catastrophic failures
15552-537: The production lines directly to modification depots for extensive rebuilds to incorporate the latest changes. AAF-contracted modification centers and its own air depot system struggled to handle the scope of the requirements. Some facilities lacked hangars capable of housing the giant B-29, requiring outdoor work in freezing weather, further delaying necessary modification. By the end of 1943, although almost 100 aircraft had been delivered, only 15 were airworthy. This prompted an intervention by General Hap Arnold to resolve
15696-476: The project. The first prototype made its maiden flight from Boeing Field , Seattle , on 21 September 1942. The combined effects of the aircraft's highly advanced design, challenging requirements, immense pressure for production, and hurried development caused setbacks. Unlike the unarmed first prototype, the second was fitted with a Sperry defensive armament system using remote-controlled gun turrets sighted by periscopes and first flew on 30 December 1942, although
15840-524: The railroad shops in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand . Five B-29s were lost during the mission, none to hostile fire. On 5 June 1944, B-29s raided Bangkok , in what is reported as a test before being deployed against the Japanese home islands . Sources do not report from where they launched and vary as to the numbers involved—77, 98, and 114 being claimed. Targets were Bangkok's Memorial Bridge and
15984-593: The rest of Remote Oceania. They were settled around 1500 to 1400 BC by migrants departing from the Philippines . This was followed by a second migration from the Caroline Islands by the first millennium AD, and a third migration from Island Southeast Asia (likely the Philippines or eastern Indonesia ) by 900 AD. Thousands of years ago, the island was settled by a people who built stone structures all over Tinian called taga. Tinian, together with Saipan ,
16128-622: The restored Enola Gay . Critics of the planned exhibit, especially those of the American Legion and the Air Force Association , charged that the exhibit focused too much attention on the Japanese casualties inflicted by the nuclear bomb, rather than on the motives for the bombing or the discussion of the bomb's role in ending the conflict with Japan. The exhibit brought to national attention many long-standing academic and political issues related to retrospective views of
16272-848: The second bomb, called Fat Man , on Nagasaki three days later. Bockscar is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force . Following the surrender of Japan, called V-J Day , B-29s were used for other purposes. A number supplied POWs with food and other necessities by dropping barrels of rations on Japanese POW camps. In September 1945, a long-distance flight was undertaken for public relations purposes: Generals Barney M. Giles , Curtis LeMay , and Emmett O'Donnell Jr. piloted three specially modified B-29s from Chitose Air Base in Hokkaidō to Chicago Municipal Airport , continuing to Washington, D.C. ,
16416-475: The seeming decline of American power, the difficulties of the domestic economy, the threats in world trade and especially Japan's successes, the loss of domestic jobs, and even changes in American gender roles and shifts in the American family. To a number of Americans, the very people responsible for the script were the people who were changing America. The bomb, representing the end of World War II and suggesting
16560-460: The signage around the aircraft provided only the same succinct technical data as is provided for other aircraft in the museum, without discussion of the controversial issues. It read: Boeing's B-29 Superfortress was the most sophisticated propeller-driven bomber of World War II, and the first bomber to house its crew in pressurized compartments. Although designed to fight in the European theater,
16704-631: The south, and Tatsumi Bank, a fishing forum, lies to the southeast. There is a variety of flora and fauna; the Tinian monarch is the island's only endemic bird species and is threatened by habitat loss. The island has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of Micronesian megapodes , white-throated ground doves , Mariana fruit doves , Micronesian myzomelas , rufous fantails , Saipan white-eyes and Micronesian starlings . Surveys of bird populations in 1982, 1996, and 2008 have found that
16848-495: The streets accordingly. The former Japanese town of Sunharon was nicknamed "The Village" because its location corresponded to that of Greenwich Village . A large square area between West and North Fields, used primarily for the location of the base hospitals and otherwise left undeveloped, was called Central Park . Some of the roads named from NYC include Broadway, 42nd Street, Lenox Avenue, Riverside Drive and Eighth Avenue. Two runway complexes, West Field and North Field, having
16992-553: The tail. Pilot Charles Sweeney credits the reversible props for saving Bockscar after making an emergency landing on Okinawa following the Nagasaki bombing. Enola Gay , flown by Colonel Paul Tibbets , dropped the first bomb, called Little Boy , on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. Enola Gay is fully restored and on display at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center , outside Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C. Bockscar , piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney , dropped
17136-569: The takeoff was illuminated by floodlights. When he wanted to taxi, Tibbets leaned out the window to direct the bystanders out of the way. On request, he gave a friendly wave for the cameras. After leaving Tinian, the three aircraft made their way separately to Iwo Jima , where they rendezvoused at 2,440 meters (8,010 ft) and set course for Japan. The aircraft arrived over the target in clear visibility at 9,855 meters (32,333 ft). Navy Captain William S. "Deak" Parsons of Project Alberta , who
17280-535: The target, with only one bomb striking the target factory complex, nearly exhausted fuel stocks at the Chengdu B-29 bases, resulting in a slow-down of operations until the fuel stockpiles could be replenished. Starting in July, the raids against Japan from Chinese airfields continued at relatively low intensity. Japan was bombed on: B-29s were withdrawn from airfields in China by the end of January 1945. Throughout
17424-541: The twelve large Latte structures, only one is still standing. The site is one of seven locations on Tinian on the National Register of Historic Places listings in the Northern Mariana Islands . Major Beaches on Tinian include: In 2022, Chiget Beach was reopened for use after being cleared. The issue was unexploded ordnance on the beach. One of the unique natural wonders is called the blowhole, in which water gets shot up 10 meters. Snorkeling and scuba diving
17568-426: The two atomic bombs named Little Boy and Fat Man , that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki . Remains of the US bomber base and Atom Bomb Pits, and the remains of Japanese fortifications are located at North Field. A memorial on the old airfield at the loading pits is roofed with glazed panels in metal framing for safer viewing. Both pits were reopened in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary Commemoration of
17712-464: The university's Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel. The lightweight aluminum variable-pitch propeller is powered by a 1,250 kVA electric motor, providing a wind speed up to 200 miles per hour (320 km/h). Two engines were rebuilt at Garber and two at San Diego Air & Space Museum . Some parts and instruments had been removed and could not be located. Replacements were found or fabricated, and marked so that future curators could distinguish them from
17856-678: The victims, indifference to the deep divisions among American citizens about the propriety of these actions, and disregard for the feelings of most of the world's peoples". It attracted signatures from notable figures including historian Gar Alperovitz , social critic Noam Chomsky , whistle blower Daniel Ellsberg , physicist Joseph Rotblat , writer Kurt Vonnegut , producer Norman Lear , actor Martin Sheen and filmmaker Oliver Stone . 38°54′39″N 77°26′39″W / 38.9108°N 77.4442°W / 38.9108; -77.4442 Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress
18000-506: The wingspan dimensions. The wing of the Renton-built B-29A-BN used a different subassembly process and was a foot longer in span. The Georgia-built B-29B-BA weighed less through armament reduction. A planned C series with more reliable R-3350s was not built. Moreover, engine packages changed, including the type of propellers and range of the variable pitch. A notable example was the eventual 65 airframes (up to 1947's end) for
18144-776: Was about one mile (1.6 km), with resulting fires across 4.4 square miles (11 km). Americans estimated that 4.7 square miles (12 km) of the city were destroyed. Japanese officials determined that 69% of Hiroshima's buildings were destroyed and another 6–7% damaged. Some 70,000–80,000 people, 30% of the city's population, were killed by the blast and resultant firestorm, and another 70,000 injured. Out of those killed, 20,000 were soldiers and 20,000 were Korean slave laborers. Enola Gay returned safely to its base on Tinian to great fanfare, touching down at 2:58 pm, after 12 hours 13 minutes. The Great Artiste and Necessary Evil followed at short intervals. Several hundred people, including journalists and photographers, had gathered to watch
18288-822: Was followed in 1947 by its commercial airliner variant, the Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser . This bomber-to-airliner derivation was similar to the B-17 / Model 307 evolution. In 1948, Boeing introduced the KB-29 tanker, followed in 1950 by the Model 377-derivative KC-97 . A line of outsized-cargo variants of the Stratocruiser is the Guppy / Mini Guppy / Super Guppy , which remain in service with NASA and other operators. The Soviet Union produced 847 Tupolev Tu-4s , an unlicensed reverse-engineered copy of
18432-459: Was founded, and by the 2010s, small aircraft operated routes between Saipan, Guam, Tinian, and Rota, for example. The airline has fleet by 2016 consisting of 5 Piper Super-Chieftains and 6 Piper Cherokee Six es. The Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino shut down in 2016, with the company blaming Typhoon Souledor for a decrease in visitors. The Hong Kong-based company that operated what was the only casino on Tinian had its gambling license revoked and
18576-478: Was going bankrupt. On October 24, 2018, Typhoon Yutu made landfall on the island of Tinian as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon, becoming the most powerful storm on record to hit the Northern Mariana Islands, and causing an extensive amount of damage. A new casino, called Tinian Diamond Casino, was in the final stages of completion by 2022 and was working to reestablish a ferry between Tinian and nearby Saipan. However, it never opened. In late 2023, it
18720-479: Was hoped that the Air Force would guard the plane, but, lacking hangar space, it was left outdoors on a remote part of the air base, exposed to the elements. Souvenir hunters broke in and removed parts. Insects and birds then gained access to the aircraft. Paul E. Garber of the Smithsonian Institution became concerned about the Enola Gay ' s condition, and on 10 August 1960, Smithsonian staff began dismantling
18864-517: Was in command of the mission, armed the bomb during the flight to minimize the risks during takeoff. His assistant, Second Lieutenant Morris R. Jeppson , removed the safety devices 30 minutes before reaching the target area. The release at 08:15 (Hiroshima time) went as planned, and the Little Boy took 53 seconds to fall from the aircraft flying at 31,060 feet (9,470 m) to the predetermined detonation height about 1,968 feet (600 m) above
19008-532: Was possibly first sighted by Europeans of the Spanish expedition of Ferdinand Magellan when it made landfall in the southern Marianas on March 6, 1521. It was likely sighted next by Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa in 1522 on board the Spanish ship Trinidad , in an attempt to reach Panama after the death of Magellan. This would have happened after the sighting of the Maug Islands between the end of August and
19152-537: Was probably the most beautiful piece of machinery that any pilot ever flew." Restoration of the bomber began on 5 December 1984, at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland . The propellers that were used on the bombing mission were later shipped to Texas A&M University . One of these propellers was trimmed to 12.5 feet (3.8 m) for use in
19296-589: Was replaced in its primary role during the early 1950s by the Boeing B-47 Stratojet , which in turn was replaced by the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress . The final active-duty KB-50 and WB-50 variants were phased out in the mid-1960s, with the final example retired in 1965. A total of 3,970 B-29s were built. The variants of the B-29 were outwardly similar in appearance but were built around different wing center sections that affected
19440-560: Was reported that the US House and Senate approved $ 79 million for Tinian's Divert Airfield in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 . Tinian Municipality is one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands . It consists of Tinian and Aguiguan islands and their offshore islets. The municipality is the second southernmost in the Northern Marianas and has
19584-469: Was said: "There is no one more responsible for getting this bomb out of the laboratory and into some form useful for combat operations than Captain Parsons, by his plain genius in the ordnance business." For the Nagasaki mission, Enola Gay was flown by Crew B-10, normally assigned to Up An' Atom : Source: Campbell, 2005, pp. 134, 191–192. On 6 November 1945, Lewis flew the Enola Gay back to
19728-490: Was secured to the deck of the USS Indianapolis . Unlike the six uranium-235 target discs, which were later flown to Tinian on three separate aircraft arriving 28 and 29 July, the assembled projectile with the nine uranium-235 rings installed was shipped in a single lead-lined steel container weighing 300 pounds (140 kg) that was locked to brackets welded to the deck of Captain Charles B. McVay III 's quarters. Both
19872-519: Was seen by the Air Corps as a backup if there were problems with Boeing's design. Boeing received an initial production order for 14 service test aircraft and 250 production bombers in May 1941, this being increased to 500 aircraft in January 1942. The B-29 featured a fuselage design with circular cross-section for strength. The need for pressurization in the cockpit area also led to the B-29 being one of very few American combat aircraft of World War II to have
20016-535: Was shipped in pieces to the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia from March–June 2003, with the fuselage and wings reunited for the first time since 1960 on 10 April 2003 and assembly completed on 8 August 2003. The aircraft has been on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center since the museum annex opened on 15 December 2003. As a result of the earlier controversy,
20160-464: Was shot down by a B-29 during the war. This occurred on 6 December 1950, when a B-29 shot down Lieutenant N. Serikov. With the arrival of the mammoth Convair B-36 , the B-29 was reclassified as a medium bomber by the Air Force. The later B-50 Superfortress variant (initially designated B-29D ) was able to handle auxiliary roles such as air-sea rescue , electronic intelligence gathering, air-to-air refueling , and weather reconnaissance . The B-50D
20304-581: Was sold by Spain to the German Empire in 1899. Germany administered the island as part of German New Guinea . During the German period, there was no attempt to develop or settle the island, which remained under the control of its Spanish and mestizo landowners. In 1914, during World War I , the island was captured by Japan , which was awarded formal control in 1918 by the League of Nations as part of
20448-612: Was the engines. Although the Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial engines later became a trustworthy workhorse in large piston-engined aircraft, early models were beset with dangerous reliability problems. This problem was not fully cured until the aircraft was fitted with the more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 "Wasp Major" in the B-29D /B-50 program, which arrived too late for World War II . Interim measures included cuffs placed on propeller blades to divert
20592-478: Was the weather reconnaissance aircraft for Kokura , the primary target. Enola Gay reported clear skies over Kokura, but by the time Bockscar arrived, the city was obscured by smoke from fires from the conventional bombing of Yahata by 224 B-29s the day before. After three unsuccessful passes, Bockscar diverted to its secondary target, Nagasaki, where it dropped its bomb. In contrast to the Hiroshima mission,
20736-405: Was to check the magnetos while already on takeoff roll rather than during a conventional static engine-runup before takeoff. In wartime, the B-29 was capable of flight at altitudes up to 31,850 feet (9,710 m), at speeds of up to 350 mph (560 km/h; 300 kn) ( true airspeed ). This was its best defense because Japanese fighters could barely reach that altitude, and few could catch
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