B-29 Enola Gay Tail markings HELP PLEASE!!

[Edubarca]

Hello my friends, greetings from Colombia. I am in the process of investigating the ACCURATE tail markings of the Boeing B-29 Enola Gay. I have seen some photos that the rudder had a big R inside a black circle. I have also found some pictures showing the Enola Gay with an arrow pointing to the front also inside a big circle and the tip of the rudder painted red. I want my model to have the livery the Enola Gay had when it dropped the "Little Boy" bomb over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Any of you guys out there can help me so I can make my model as accurate as possible? I found on the web an article that states that the arrow inside the circle was the original marking for the 509 but that it was changed to the famous R inside the circle. However, it doesn't say if the Hiroshima mission had the arrow or the R also he mentions nothing about the red rudder tip. Thanks a lot!!


EDUARDO

 

[eddiesolo]

The Enola Gay was part of the 509th group. The original markings are the circle with arrow, the other markings are a ruse to confuse any enemy as to what bombing group-the R and the circle is one that was applied to confuse and show that it belonged to the 6th bomb group. Today she still has the R and circle that she flew with after her original insignia was replaced prior to the 6th August. She also sported a P in a circle IIRC at some point. 


In the pictures you could use either as both tail fins are correct for the representative times. Original: forward arrow in circle. Hiroshima: R in circle.

 

[Edubarca]

Thank you very much for the information. You missed the red rudder tip. Any comment on this? I supposed it was erased for the Hiroshima mission. 


Thanks again!!

 

[eddiesolo]

The red tip was indeed removed when she got her new tail markings.

 

[Edubarca]

Thank you very much. The model I will make is a card Polish kit in 1/33 scale and I am updating detail, colours etc. I will post the building sequence for all to see.


Thanks again!!


EDUARDO

 

[Edubarca]

Hello again.


Can you please tell me if you know, if the bottom parts of the wing also have the same light gray section as painted on top of the wings? I haven't seen any definite information about this. If you can help me, I appreciate it very much.


EDUARDO

 

[John Rixon]

1/33 card B29? This I have to see! Looking forward to seeing some pics.

 

[eddiesolo]

Hi there, the underneath wing sections do have the light grey area.


Si

 

[stona]

Good stuff Si.


Just to clarify, Enola Gay was NOT one of the three B-29s of the 309th that sported the P ( 39th Bomb Group, 314th Wing) on the tail, at least during its time on Tinian. This marking was in fact a white P in a black square, not that this is relevant to the time question.


Enola Gay may have had a P on the tail when it flew as part of Operation Crossroads, flying from Kwajalein atoll, in the Marshall Islands during July 1946.


The '82' on the aft fuselage and nose is the last two digits of the serial number.


Cheers


Steve

 

[Edubarca]

1/33 card B29? This I have to see! Looking forward to seeing some pics.

Yes my friend. It is printed by Polish GPM company. It is very detailed but still needs additional items to make it more scale like. Mine is going to be printed on chrome paper and will be very realistic. GPM also prints a standard bomber version with gun turrets etc. The size is overwhelming!! I'm enclosing the two covers of the card model and a picture included in the standard B-29 of the prototype as built by the printing company.  I plan to start construction somewhere during September when I finish my present project which is a card model of the Vatican St. Peter's Dome.  I not only make aircraft. I also like architecture models, old time ships and historic battle ships. 

 

[Edubarca]

Hi there, the underneath wing sections do have the light grey area.


Si

Thanks!! Do you happen to know what was this gray section? Just a coat of paint or different material than aluminum? 

 

[Edubarca]

Good stuff Si.


Just to clarify, Enola Gay was NOT one of the three B-29s of the 309th that sported the P ( 39th Bomb Group, 314th Wing) on the tail, at least during its time on Tinian. This marking was in fact a white P in a black square, not that this is relevant to the time question.


Enola Gay may have had a P on the tail when it flew as part of Operation Crossroads, flying from Kwajalein atoll, in the Marshall Islands during July 1946.


The '82' on the aft fuselage and nose is the last two digits of the serial number.


Cheers


Steve

Thanks!! I have never seen the Enola Gay with a P on the tail. But the plane had the R on the rudder on August 6, 1945 and not the forward arrow head?


Thanks


EDUARDO

 

[stona]

Thanks!! I have never seen the Enola Gay with a P on the tail. But the plane had the R on the rudder on August 6, 1945 and not the forward arrow head?


Thanks


EDUARDO

Correct (as Si said). The marking was changed before 6th August, so 'circle R' was the marking at the time of the Hiroshima attack.


All the Marianas based Bomb Groups used letters rather than symbols and their markings were substituted on the aircraft of the 509th (like Enola Gay) to avoid easy recognition of its aircraft.


The aircraft as it is at the NASM today, is as it was on that historic day. It makes for a very good reference, it is surely one of the most photographed aircraft in the world!


Cheers


Steve

 

[eddiesolo]

Thanks!! Do you happen to know what was this gray section? Just a coat of paint or different material than aluminum? 

It is a paint covering IIRC.

 

[Edubarca]

It is a paint covering IIRC.

Thanks but, with all due respect what on earth is "IIRC"

 

[stona]

It's an abbreviation to save typing 'If I Remember Correctly'.


Cheers


Steve

 

[Edubarca]

It's an abbreviation to save typing 'If I Remember Correctly'.


Cheers


Steve

Thanks, but do you happen to know just why they applied this coat of paint? Protection? Just curiosity.  Sometimes abbreviations are not fully understood by us guys from other countries!! Thanks again.


EDUARDO

 

[eddiesolo]

Thanks, but do you happen to know just why they applied this coat of paint? Protection? Just curiosity.  Sometimes abbreviations are not fully understood by us guys from other countries!! Thanks again.


EDUARDO

No idea, some had it others didn't. It could be just to stop too much glare from the underside on bombing runs, or reflection from underneath from high altitudes being visible from the ground. 

 

[Edubarca]

No idea, some had it others didn't. It could be just to stop too much glare from the underside on bombing runs, or reflection from underneath from high altitudes being visible from the ground. 

I see, So, I'll apply it on my card model. Thanks!

 

[stona]

  Sometimes abbreviations are not fully understood by us guys from other countries!! Thanks again.


EDUARDO

Don't worry Eduardo, sometimes we don't understand them ourselves