On August 6, 1945, an airship named Enola Gay dropped the first atomic weapon that had been used in combat on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, Bockscar, another aircraft, dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. That day, Enola Gay flew as the advance weather reconnaissance aircraft to make sure that the mission would go smoothly.
The Enola Gay was named by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Tibbets, after his mother, Enola. Tibbets led the first atomic attack mission against Japan. Enola Gay was built at what is now known as Offutt Air Force Base under the program name "Silverplate" which were bombers that were produced specially made for atomic bombing missions.
The 100 foot long aircraft was eventually transferred by the U. S. Air Force to the Smithsonian Museum on July 4, 1949. The Enola Gay was then disassembled and stored indoors at the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland where it underwent restoration from 1984 to 1995. It was displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in a war exhibit in May 1995. It was finally moved to its permanent location at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center where its assembly was officially completed on August 18, 2003.
The Enola Gay was named by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Tibbets, after his mother, Enola. Tibbets led the first atomic attack mission against Japan. Enola Gay was built at what is now known as Offutt Air Force Base under the program name "Silverplate" which were bombers that were produced specially made for atomic bombing missions.
The 100 foot long aircraft was eventually transferred by the U. S. Air Force to the Smithsonian Museum on July 4, 1949. The Enola Gay was then disassembled and stored indoors at the Paul E. Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland where it underwent restoration from 1984 to 1995. It was displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in a war exhibit in May 1995. It was finally moved to its permanent location at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center where its assembly was officially completed on August 18, 2003.
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