gay gay pronunciation boeing bomber named mother pilot colonel selected aircraft assembly line august final stages world war aircraft drop atomic bomb bomb code named little boy targeted city hiroshima japan caused unprecedented destruction participated second atomic attack weather reconnaissance aircraft primary target clouds drifting smoke resulted secondary target nagasaki bombed instead war returned united_states operated new_mexico flown nuclear tests pacific chosen test drop later year transferred spent years parked air bases exposed weather hunters transported storage facility maryland 1980s veterans groups engaged aircraft display leading debate exhibiting aircraft proper historical context cockpit nose section aircraft exhibited downtown washington bombing 50th anniversary amid controversy entire restored display survivor crew died july age world war early history gay model number serial number victor number built nebraska plant located known bomber modifications necessary deliver atomic weapons modifications included extensively modified bomb bay doors british bomb attachment release systems pitch propellers gave braking power landing improved engines fuel injection better cooling removal protective armor gun turrets personally selected colonel commander assembly line aircraft accepted assigned commanded captain took delivery bomber flew base utah june thirteen days later aircraft left guam received bomb bay modification flew july initially given victor squadron assigned identification number august given circle tail markings security measure victor number changed avoid actual aircraft july bomber practice training flights flew missions july drop bombs industrial targets gay july rehearsal flight actual mission partially assembled gun type nuclear weapon contained inside inch inch inch wooden weighing pounds secured deck unlike target discs later flown separate aircraft arriving july assembled rings installed shipped single lead lined steel container weighing pounds locked deck captain quarters dropped july hiroshima mission august preparation atomic mission assumed command aircraft named mother named heroine novel came selecting plane later recalled thoughts turned point courageous red haired mother quiet confidence source strength particularly soul searching period decided medical career military pilot time dad thought lost taken said know right son painted aircraft august enlisted man regularly assigned aircraft commander unhappy displaced important mission furious arrived aircraft morning august painted famous nose art hiroshima primary target nuclear bombing mission august nagasaki alternative targets piloted took hours flight time japan accompanied great carrying instrumentation aircraft later called commanded captain photographs director manhattan_project major general wanted event recorded takeoff illuminated wanted taxi window direct way request gave friendly wave cameras leaving aircraft way separately meters set course japan aircraft arrived target clear visibility meters captain parsons project alberta command mission armed bomb flight minimize risks takeoff assistant second lieutenant removed safety devices minutes reaching target area release hiroshima time went planned little boy took seconds fall aircraft flying feet height feet city traveled felt shock waves blast shock great damaged created blast equivalent tnt weapon considered inefficient material radius total destruction mile resulting fires square miles km2 americans estimated square miles km2 city destroyed japanese officials determined hiroshima buildings destroyed damaged people city population killed blast resultant injured killed soldiers returned safely base great fanfare touching hours minutes great necessary evil followed short intervals people including journalists photographers gathered watch planes return presented spot nagasaki mission hiroshima mission followed atomic strike originally scheduled august brought forward days august owing bad weather time fat man nuclear weapon carried piloted major flown captain weather reconnaissance aircraft primary target reported clear skies time arrived city obscured smoke fires conventional bombing day unsuccessful passes diverted secondary target nagasaki dropped bomb contrast hiroshima mission nagasaki mission described mission meet objectives crew encountered number problems execution little fuel time landed emergency backup landing site okinawa crews hiroshima mission crew august consisted men crew colonel pilot aircraft commander captain pilot regularly assigned aircraft commander major captain dutch captain mission commander lieutenant radar man fly nuclear bombing aircraft second lieutenant assistant technical sergeant tail gunner technical sergeant flight engineer sergeant radar operator assistant flight engineer private class radio operator source campbell denote regular crewmen mission commander parsons said responsible getting bomb laboratory form useful combat operations captain parsons plain genius ordnance business nagasaki mission nagasaki mission flown normally assigned captain aircraft commander second lieutenant pilot second lieutenant navigator captain lieutenant radar technical sergeant flight engineer radio operator radar operator tail gunner assistant engineer source campbell subsequent history november lewis flew gay united_states arriving new base new_mexico november april left nuclear tests pacific flew chosen test drop bikini left july date test reaching california day decision preserve gay july aircraft flown arizona preparation storage august title aircraft transferred removed inventory temporary storage number locations september july flown illinois acceptance moved texas january maryland december storage space aircraft hoped air_force guard plane lacking hangar space left outdoors remote air base exposed elements hunters broke removed parts insects birds gained access aircraft head concerned condition august staff began aircraft components transported storage facility maryland july remained years early 1980s veterans navigator began lobbying aircraft restored display enlisted senator campaign pilot director restoration priority looking aircraft recalled sad meeting fond memories don mean dropping bomb numerous occasions flew airplane pushed hard failed probably beautiful piece machinery pilot flew restoration bomber began december storage facility maryland propellers bombing mission later shipped propellers trimmed feet use university speed wind tunnel lightweight aluminium variable pitch propeller powered electric motor providing wind speed miles hour engines rebuilt work slow meticulous component carefully cleaned parts instruments removed located replacements found fabricated marked future distinguish original components restoration exhibition controversy center controversy museum planned fuselage public display exhibit commemorating 50th anniversary atomic bombing hiroshima exhibit crossroads end world war atomic bomb cold war drafted staff arranged restored gay critics planned exhibit especially charged exhibit focused attention japanese casualties inflicted nuclear bomb motivations bombing discussion bomb role ending conflict japan exhibit brought national attention long standing academic political issues related retrospective views bombings result failed attempts revise exhibit order meet satisfaction competing interest groups exhibit canceled january director compelled resign controversy forward fuselage display june july people arrested throwing ash human blood aircraft fuselage following earlier incident thrown red paint gallery exhibition closed fuselage returned final restoration complete restoration display restoration work began eventually require staff hours fuselage display work continued remaining components aircraft shipped pieces virginia march june fuselage wings reunited time april assembly completed august aircraft currently center museum annex opened december gallery
Enola Gay