The 'Enola Gay' (Model number B-29-45-MO, Serial number 44-86292, Victor number 82) was built by the Glenn L. Martin Company (now Lockheed Martin) at its Bellevue, Nebraska plant, located at what is now known as Offut Air Force Base. The bomber was one of 15 B-29s with the 'Silverplate' modifications necessary to deliver atomic weapons. 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. 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's base at Wendover Army Air Field, Utah, on 14 June 1945. Thirteen days later, the aircraft left Wendover for Guam, where it received a bomb-bay modification, and flew to North Field, Tinian, on 6 July 1945. 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, 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. At 2:45 AM the morning of 6 August 1945 the 'Enola Gay' with a crew of 12, commanded by Colonel Tibbets, lifted of near the end of the 8,500-ft long runway at Tinian at a speed of 155 MPH. In 10 minutes they were over Saipan at an altitude of 4,700-ft. All aircraft accompanying the 'Enola Gay' flew separately to Iwo Jima where they rendezvoused at 2,440 m (8,010-ft) and set course for Japan. The aircraft arrived over the target in clear visibility at 9,855 m (32,333-ft). 'Little Boy', the nuclear bomb the 'Enola Gay' carried was 12-ft long and 28 inches in diameter and weighed about 9,000 pounds. The release at 08:15 (Hiroshima time) went as planned, and 'Little Boy' took 43 seconds to fall from the aircraft flying at 31,060-ft (9,470 m) to the predetermined detonation height about 1,968-ft (600 m) above the city.After the release the 'Enola Gay' turned 155 degrees and traveled 11.5 mi (18.5 km ) before it felt the shock waves from the blast. The 'Enola Gay' returned safely to its base on Tinian touching down at 2:58 PM, after 12 hours 13 minutes (Wikipedia and other sources). This picture was taken on 3 June 2015, Sig...