- quality wooden model WWI and WWII airplanes -
- quality wooden model WWI and WWII airplanes -
B-29 Superfortress, USAF 'Enola Gay'
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Scale 1:90 Length 13.2" Wingspan 18.8"
Photography by Action Asia Photo |
The Boeing B-29 was designed in 1940 as an eventual replacement for the B-17 and B-24. The first one built made its maiden flight on September 21, 1942. In December 1943 it was decided not to use the B-29 in the European Theater, thereby permitting the airplane to be sent to the Pacific area where its great range made it particularly suited for the long over-water flight required to attack the Japanese homeland from bases in China. During the last two months of 1944, B-29s began operating against Japan from the islands of Saipan, Guam and Tinian. Nearly 4,000 were built to fight in the Pacific theatre. On August 6, 1945, Enola Gay was the aircraft that dropped the first atomic bomb - known as "Little Boy" - over Hiroshima. The blast leveled much of the city and total fatalities (including later radiation induced deaths) exceeded 200,000 people. Just three days later the second atomic bomb called "Fat Man" was dropped over Nagasaki by a different plane. Though the amount of energy generated by "Fat Man" was significantly larger than that of "Little Boy", the damage given to the Nagasaki was slighter than that given to Hiroshima due to the difference in geographic structure of the two cities. It is estimated that 70,000 people died by the end of the year because of "Fat Man".. The result was the immediate capitulation of Japan. With the advent of the conflict in Korea in June 1950, the B-29 was once again thrust into battle. For the next several years it was effectively used for attacking targets in North Korea. Length: 99 ft
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