The men who flew the planes that changed history forever
In short: Beyond the scientists in labs, specific individuals were tasked with delivering the first nuclear weapons. This video explores the pilots and crews who executed the missions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
While J. Robert Oppenheimer led the Manhattan Project's scientific development, the operational execution fell to military personnel. The bombing of Hiroshima was carried out by Colonel Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr., who piloted the Enola Gay, along with his crew. The subsequent bombing of Nagasaki was carried out by Major Charles W. Sweeney and his crew in the Bockscar.
The video provides context on the physical reality of these missions, describing how a Boeing B-29 Superfortress departed from Tinian at 2:45 a.m. on August 6, 1945. It details the delivery of 'Little Boy,' a 9,700-pound uranium-235 bomb that resembled an 'obese metal baseball bat' rather than a traditional weapon.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Men Who Dropped the Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Also: Who was involved in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? | Britannica
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