What Happened To The Enola Gay?
The Enola Gay arrived at Davis-Monthan Army Air Field, Arizona, in July 1946. In August, she was placed in storage, and dropped from the Army Air Forces inventory. Almost three years later, in July 1949, Tibbets flew her to Park Ridge, Ill. (now O’Hare Airport), for acceptance by the Smithsonian Institution for restoration and display. In January 1952, she was flown to Pyote Air Force Base, Texas, for temporary storage, before again being flown, in December 1953, to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, for temporary storage. During the next seven years, in a remote section of the base, the Enola Gay reportedly suffered from weather as well as damage from vandalism and souvenir hunters. In August 1960, disassembly began for transfer to the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility at Suitland, Md., which occurred in July 1961. The restoration of the Enola Gay began in early December 1984. In the mid-nineties, Tibbets found out that the Enola Gay was to be the centerpiec
