Enola Gay Atomic Bomb hand-drawn document for sale

Moments before takeoff, the airbase doctor gave them each a cyanide tablet. To be used if they were captured.

But the Enola Gay crew weren't scared of the Japanese.

Eight minutes after takeoff, weaponeer Deak Parsons climbed into the bomb bay. And armed the bomb - midflight… Using only torchlight.

But not for a moment were they scared the bomb might explode on them.

In fact, the aircrew destined to drop the first atomic bomb were scared of just 2 things:

1. Would the bomb actually explode as planned on Hiroshima?
2. Would the plane be able to get away from the blast in time?

And how do we know these were their 2 worries?

Because I have just taken possession of an extraordinary document. Handwritten and handdrawn by the Enola Gay’s navigator: Theodore J “Dutch” Van Kirk.

"Dutch" Van Kirk - navigator on board the Enola Gay

The man who navigated the Enola Gay for 6 hours from the Tinian airbase to the bombing site above Hiroshima.

In just moments from now, this remarkable document can be yours.

And here it is:

An original signed pencil sketch of the Hiroshima bombing on an off-white 11 x 8.5 sheet.

Created by the same hand that plotted the Enola Gay's course

Drawn, written and signed by Van Kirk - date unknown.

Take a closer look.

He writes:

"The major concerns about the mission were:

a) Would the bomb work or be a dud
b) getting away from the bomb blast

Remember that this had never been done before - it was a great unknown. After the bomb exploded there was a great sense of relief - it had worked and it didn't destroy or damage the airplane."

Van Kirk has drawn a large mushroom cloud, with the caption: “Mushroom cloud, about 60,000 ft. above the target of Aioi Bridge - Center of Hiroshima”.

And added at the center of the explosion: "Atomic Bomb Explosion 1980 ft. above ground zero."

Paul Fraser Collectibles | An original signed pencil sketch of the Hiroshima bombing

A sobering diagram of the Hiroshima blast

He has also drawn the Enola Gay’s position at the time of the explosion, and adds: "Enola Gay Altitude 31,060, heading about 60° speed 259 knots."

The Enola Gay was nine miles from the blast

Signed in pencil: "Theodore J. Van Kirk - Navigator - Enola Gay - Hiroshima - 6 Aug 1945.”

"Dutch" signs his full name

It’s a sobering yet fascinating record of the first atomic bomb.

And especially desirable when you consider the importance of Van Kirk to the success of the operation.

Theodore J. Van Kirk’s role in the Hiroshima flight

The Enola Gay crossed the Japanese shore at 8:30am at their bombing altitude of 30,700 feet.

Van Kirk received a coded message from the weather plane ahead. The cloud cover over Hiroshima was minimal. They would hit the primary target as planned.

Hiroshima rose into view at 9:07am. Van Kirk navigated the aircraft to 152 miles east of the centre: the start of the bomb run. Van Kirk took a heading due west towards the target.

Van Kirk’s navigation had brought them to the target precisely on time. Now it was over to bombardier Tom Ferebee, peering through the bombsight.

The bomb fell at 9:15am - just 17 seconds behind planned release time.

The Enola Gay instantly became 4.5 tonnes lighter and rose violently. As planned, captain Paul Tibbets made a hard, 155-degree turn right, away from Hiroshima. With full power.

43 seconds after release, the atomic bomb exploded as planned - just 600 metres above Hiroshima.

Some 80,000 people were killed instantly. More than half of the city was destroyed.

But the bomb had worked, and the plane and its airmen had survived. It was mission accomplished for the Enola Gay.

Van Kirk set a course back to the airbase - 6 hours away.

The world would never be the same again.

Who was Enola Gay?

On September 29, 1892, the small Iowa town of Glidden welcomed a newborn girl.

Her parents christened her Enola Gay - after the heroine in an American novel her father was reading: Enola: Or Her Fatal Mistake.

Aged 20, Enola married a local man. And Enola Gay Haggard became Enola Gay Tibbets. They had two children, including Paul in 1915.

In 1945, towards the end of WW2, Paul now found himself as a bomber pilot, stationed in the far east on a top secret mission.

The day before he captained the Hiroshima attack, Paul Tibbets named his plane after his mother.

Tibbets later recalled:

"My thoughts turned at this point to my courageous red-haired mother, whose quiet confidence had been a source of strength to me since boyhood, and particularly during the soul-searching period when I decided to give up a medical career to become a military pilot. At a time when Dad had thought I had lost my marbles, she had taken my side and said, "I know you will be all right, son.”

Enola was said to be amused that the plane was named after her.

She died in 1966.

Value for money

In 2016, Van Kirk’s personal log from the Hiroshima flight sold for $372,500.

Today you can own another important piece of the Hiroshima story - for a fraction of the price.

Just £6,500 ($8,120).

I have fully authenticated this item for your complete peace of mind. You also get 28-day no quibble returns. And free global delivery.

Captain Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk's views on the Hiroshima bombing

"You fight a war to win. There were over 100 numbered military targets within the city of Hiroshima.

"It wasn't a matter of going up there and dropping it on the city and killing people.

"It was destroying military targets in the city of Hiroshima — the most important of which was the army headquarters charged with the defense of Japan in event of invasion."

2005 interview with Time magazine

Van Kirk is no longer with us. “Dutch” was the last surviving member of the crew, and died in 2014 at the age of 93.

This is your opportunity to own a hugely rare document that is impossible to recreate.

You have 3 ways to buy

Buy online now
Email: Info@paulfrasercollectibles.com
Phone: +44 (0)1534 639 998

Remember - this item has just arrived in stock. This email you're reading is the first opportunity I've had to reveal it. It will be of interest to many.

Until next time,

Paul Fraser

PS - This document is written by the same hand that plotted the Enola Gay’s course to Hiroshima. As such, it is a key piece of world history.

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