Enola Gay - Subsequent History

Subsequent History

On 6 November 1945, Lewis flew the Enola Gay back to 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 Operation Crossroads and flew to Kwajalein 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, and reached Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Field, California, 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, 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 a number of locations:

• 1 September 1946: Davis-Monthan AFB.
• 3 July 1949: Orchard Place Air Field, Park Ridge, Illinois, flown there by Brig Gen Tibbets for acceptance by the Smithsonian.
• 12 January 1952: Pyote Air Force Base, Texas, moved after O'Hare International Airport's location was announced.
• 2 December 1953: Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
• 10 August 1960: disassembly at Andrews AFB begun by personnel of the Smithsonian.
• 21 July 1961: components transported to the Smithsonian storage facility at Suitland, Maryland.

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 12½ ft for use in 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 mph.