Incase you would like to see what the Enola Gay looks like 71 years later...
I was lucky enough to do some work on the Enola Gay in 2005 and later in 2006. Here are some photos of the forward pressure compartment. If there is interest I can post shots of other areas inside the fuselage.
The blue box is the special equipment box that controlled the bomb. This appears to be one that was used for operation Crossroads and is not the one used on the August 6 mission.
Control mounted on top of the radio ops table for various radios and AC including the ART-13 and SCR-522. The Silverplate aircraft used an extra ART-13 and SCR-522 radio for the mission. I believe that this panel is a part of the Silverplate mods.
This is the hydraulic tank mounted above the navigators cabinet. aft left corner of the forward pressure compartment just aft of the Navigator.
The area aft of the upper forward turret well. The handles are there to use while exiting the tunnel. Its a lot easier with these for sure
The main and standby inverters that make 115 volt 400 cycle power for instrumentation and radios. This is below the nav cabinet
An overall view of the radio operators station. No SCR-274N set here
The tunnel to the aft pressure compartment that runs over both bomb bays. The strap for the navigators back rest is in place as is the astrocompass in the astrodome
The back of the flight engineers panel with silverplate mod of an extra BC-1366 interphone jack box for the special equipment operator. There was another seat mounted here too.
An overview of the navigators cabinet area and aft pressure bulkhead. The APN-9 LORAN is visible in the cabinet
The handset for the Central Station Fire Control system. The navigator would input true air speed, true altitude and outside air temp so the computer for the gunnery system could compensate for these parameters. The Enola Gay just had the tail turret installed as the other four turrets were removed as a part of the Silverplate mods
The navigator's station. This shot cannot be taken with the upper forward turret installed as its pressure vessel would extend almost all the way to the floor. Note the radar scope for the APQ-13 radar set
The Navigator's instrument panel. The Air Position Indicator (API) is the instrument on the left. Quite the high tech instrument. Once set or zeroed and adjusted for variation it would give a digital readout of latitude and longitude
Below the nav table. On the left are tow of the turbo amplifiers for the engines turbo controls. The device behind the amps is the air mileage unit for the API and the four black boxes are for the Curtis Electric prop controls.
The main reason for my visit; the Norden Bombsight. Arguably the most famous of the Nordens, Victor 4120. The actual one that Tom Ferebee used to drop the bomb on Hiroshima on august 6th.
I noticed that it was missing the directional panel on the stabilizer and its control arm was bent. I offered the parts from my own bombsight to make it complete. I asked and was given permission to install the parts hence my reason for this trip. What a great honor to say the least.
With the sight head removed you can see the missing directional panel and its bent arm on the left side abeam the round clutch disc
The replacement arm and the original bent one
The directional panel and its arm installed where it belongs. The directional panel is an important part of the autopilot and it transmits information to the C-1 amplifier for yaw control
A better view of the directional panel and its cannon plugs hooked up. The cylindrical part of the right side of the panel is the dash pot. This is full of fluid and is adjustable to dampen the yaw input to the autopilot.
The bombardiers door controls which are mounted on the armor plate in front of the pilots instrument panel and rudder pedals.
The bombardiers control panel
I'm not one for photos of myself but I couldn't resist this one. Its not often that you get to hold the very bombsight that was used on the mission of August 6th. Bernie took the photo. Thanks Bernie ol' buddy ol' pal!
I noticed that the bombsight had some internal problems which I found quite odd. The rate control which was supposed to be connected to the rate indice was not moving it as it should. Bernie gave me permission to open it up and see what was going on.
Much to my amazement the rate motor and other components were missing inside of the sight. A long story made short when the sight was donated to the Smithsonian in 1946 the navy wanted certain classified parts removed for national security reasons. They did quite the hack job in doing so by cutting wires etc.
Lots missing here. I offered to replace the parts on my next visit.
The computer part of the sight. This is the brains made of hand fit gears
There she is all back together and more complete than before. More internal parts to go back in but that was for 2006
Copilots throttles and side panel
Copilots instrument panel
Pilots panel
More of the Curtis Electric prop controls under the nav table just aft of the pilots armor plate
One shelf above the Curtiss electric components is the blind landing equipment. Localizer and glideslope receivers. Nav instrument panel to the left
Pilots isle stand. Interesting that they used an ARC-3 VHF set in addition to the SCR-522. Curtiss Electric prop controls forward left side of the stand
The panel next to the flight engineer and his aft facing seat
Overall view of the Flight Engineer's station
The copilots armor plate which is also the headrest for the Flight Engineer and a good spot for placards and decals
FE controls
Interesting the instrument for Bomb Bay air upper and lower. It looks like a simple carb temp instrument set up for bomb bay temp/ It must have been hot in there in the South Pacific so maybe there was a critical temp for the bomb on the ground or at altitude. I assume that this is also a Silverplate mod
Dutch Vankirks nav table. I also donated a fan that was missing in the Enola Gay. It can be seen on the nav table before it was installed over the pilots.
Venturing into the forward bomb bay. This is the air compressor system for the forward bomb bay doors which were pneumatic and opened in a heart beat
That's all for now. I can post bombay and aft if desired.
_________________
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Taigh Ramey
Vintage Aircraft, Stockton, California
http://www.twinbeech.com'KEEP ‘EM FLYING…FOR HISTORY!'
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