detonate.net - Historic Bomber Readied for Public Display

Historic Bomber Readied for Public Display

The plane that dropped the first atomic bomb is sitting in a hangar in Virginia, looking just like it did on August 6th, 1945. The Smithsonian has unveiled the Enola Gay for reporters and told the story of 20 years of restoration.

After World War II, the Enola Gay was stored outside for several years. In 1960, it was dismantled and put into storage.

The Smithsonian began restoring it in 1984, with the help of volunteers from around the world. Officials say hundreds of thousands of hours were spent cleaning the parts and reassembling them. The B-29 bomber was disassembled so completely that manuals from the manufacturer didn't describe how to put it back together. In some cases, workers had to make special tools to reassemble the plane. The Smithsonian says it's the most extensive restoration effort in the museum's history.

The Enola Gay will go on public display in December, when the National Air and Space Museum annex opens near Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Pretty cool that the goverment actualy kept the old girl around so long.