USAAF
20th AF
1945
Justin Taylan 2004
Pilot Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr.
Aircraft History
Built by Martin-Omaha.
Wartime History
Took off from North
Field Airstrip on Tinian and
flew to Hiroshima,
Japan and dropped the first atomic bomb, August 6, 1945.
Restoration
Converted to Silverplate Victor number 82. Stored at the NASM
Paul Garber Facility, and restored from 1984 - 1999 for the 50th
Anniversary remembrances of the end of WWII.
50th Anniversary Partial Display
During the 50th anniversary, restored pieces
of the aircraft were displayed at the National
Air & Space Museum. Due to size limitations only the
wings, engine and cockpit were displayed. The rest of the aircraft
remains in storage at NASM Paul Garber Facility. The display
raised controversy over the presentation of the material and
the fact that this was the first time the Enola Gay had ever
been displayed in public.
Full
Restoration & Public
Display
Today, the Enola Gay is fully restored, and displayed in the WWII Aircraft
gallery in the new NASM Udvar-Hazy
Center.
B-29
Photo Archive
