Inside the cockpit of the Enola Gay

[Richard Cranium]

No frills; all business......


http://www.davidpalermo.com/data/slideshow/4/enolagay/index.html

[BrianShaughnessy]

Cool! thanks 

   Saw the fuselage of Enola Gay more than 20 years ago at the Paul Garber facility in MD when they were just starting the restoration.      Probably got some old pic someplace but I doubt I'll find it anytime soon.

[last426]

Hmmm, looks like a decent bird.   Kim

[Richard Cranium]

The instrument of one of our first attacks on innocent civilians -- about 40,000 people going about their everyday duties dead in an instant.  Seems we would have learned something.  Oh, we did.  Now we kill civilians without getting our hands dirty by flying drones from thousands of miles away against imaginary targets and blowing them to bits.  Much cleaner.  Happy New Year.  Kim

Here, have a song...........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du3WhHrrNgs&feature=related

[tan top]

   intresting stuff , thanks for posting the link RC   

[BigBlackDodge]

The instrument of one of our first attacks on innocent civilians -- about 40,000 people going about their everyday duties dead in an instant.  Seems we would have learned something.  Oh, we did.  Now we kill civilians without getting our hands dirty by flying drones from thousands of miles away against imaginary targets and blowing them to bits.  Much cleaner.  Happy New Year.  Kim

Seriously? Ever heard of fire bombing?

What about what the Japanese Empire did to that part of the world? Or do you approve of that?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre

Thats just one city.

Karma's a bitch.


BBD

[Tilar]

The instrument of one of our first attacks on innocent civilians -- about 40,000 people going about their everyday duties dead in an instant.  Seems we would have learned something.  Oh, we did.  Now we kill civilians without getting our hands dirty by flying drones from thousands of miles away against imaginary targets and blowing them to bits.  Much cleaner.  Happy New Year.  Kim

Ask the people that died in Pearl Harbor how they feel about it.

[Ponch ®]

The instrument of one of our first attacks on innocent civilians -- about 40,000 people going about their everyday duties dead in an instant.  Seems we would have learned something.  Oh, we did.  Now we kill civilians without getting our hands dirty by flying drones from thousands of miles away against imaginary targets and blowing them to bits.  Much cleaner.  Happy New Year.  Kim

FWIW,  they never fucked with us again, did they?

[Todd Wilson]

The instrument of one of our first attacks on innocent civilians -- about 40,000 people going about their everyday duties dead in an instant.  Seems we would have learned something.  Oh, we did.  Now we kill civilians without getting our hands dirty by flying drones from thousands of miles away against imaginary targets and blowing them to bits.  Much cleaner.  Happy New Year.  Kim

FWIW,  they never fucked with us again, did they?

You are exactly right.


The politicians have forgot that when you go to war with a country you kill every living thing in that country and do it until they surrender.    The Afgan war could be over in a week.


Todd

[Mike DC]

                              
The politicians are gonna do whatever keeps the taxpayer money flowing to the M/I complex. 


   

[Richard Cranium]

Hmmm, looks like a decent bird.   Kim

Why edit your crackpot views instead of defending them? 

[Richard Cranium]

Here's another cockpit view of another glorious instrument of death; the P51 Mustang.....

http://www.stclairphoto-imaging.com/360/P51-Mustang/P51_swf.html

[chargermike]

cool vid. this plane holds an important part of AMERICAN HISTORY. no matter how you feel about it. this plane changed the course of history and ended a very bloody world war. many died that day but how many more around the world would have died if we would not stoped them. dont blame america for ending a war we didnot start. the japs. would have done this to america if they would have had the bomb. hitler would have built many and used them to gain world control. sometime peace is achived thru death. we cant change history but we can learn from it. and i think we have. funny how noone ever blames the japs for attacking the United states. if you throw the first punch you dont get to make the rules. they punched first we punched last and hardest. they taped out. your freedom and the life you have now is because many americans died to stop hitler and japan. were not pro war country were just who the world calls when you need help. YOUR WELCOME.

[gtx6970]

cool vid. this plane holds an important part of AMERICAN HISTORY. no matter how you feel about it. this plane changed the course of history and ended a very bloody world war. many died that day but how many more around the world would have died if we would not stoped them. dont blame america for ending a war we didnot start. the japs. would have done this to america if they would have had the bomb. hitler would have built many and used them to gain world control. sometime peace is achived thru death. we cant change history but we can learn from it. and i think we have. funny how noone ever blames the japs for attacking the United states. if you throw the first punch you dont get to make the rules. they punched first we punched last and hardest. they taped out. your freedom and the life you have now is because many americans died to stop hitler and japan. were not pro war country were just who the world calls when you need help. YOUR WELCOME.

took the words right out of my mouth,,thank you

[1BAD68]

I just saw on the MH Channel that they estimated over a million Japs and several hundred thousand US soldiers would have perished if we had the ground assault they were planning instead of dropping the big one's.

[thedodgeboys]

It's funny not haha funny but odd funny that it took bombing them twice before they gave up.
That was one stubborn ruler with a big ego.

[Todd Wilson]

cool vid. this plane holds an important part of AMERICAN HISTORY. no matter how you feel about it. this plane changed the course of history and ended a very bloody world war. many died that day but how many more around the world would have died if we would not stoped them. dont blame america for ending a war we didnot start. the japs. would have done this to america if they would have had the bomb. hitler would have built many and used them to gain world control. sometime peace is achived thru death. we cant change history but we can learn from it. and i think we have. funny how noone ever blames the japs for attacking the United states. if you throw the first punch you dont get to make the rules. they punched first we punched last and hardest. they taped out. your freedom and the life you have now is because many americans died to stop hitler and japan. were not pro war country were just who the world calls when you need help. YOUR WELCOME.

   Right on!!!!!!!!!


Todd

[stripedelete]

The bombing "argument" has been around since it was dropped.  It just doesn't hold water. Subsequent replies are covering the issue point by point. So, I will not be redundant. 

It is the "PC" nature of the post that troubles me.  I got that "we-are-screwed" knot in my stomach. 

I understand that not everyone grew up in a small town where you knew who fought in which theater, and which battles.  And, how many kids were "originally" in a family and where they were lost.  Or, the Gold Star Mother cars in the Memorial Day parade.  So, please, anyone in agreement with the original post, do some research.  Get your nose in a book. Not a blog.  Better yet, get to a Veterans home or legion post, while there are still some Pacific Vets still alive. They will put it into perspective.

In addition, if one GI made it home for Christmas "whole" because a drone impersonally incinerated some guy planting an IED or bailed out a unit in trouble - order 1,000 more!!!!!!

[bull]

It's funny not haha funny but odd funny that it took bombing them twice before they gave up.
That was one stubborn ruler with a big ego.

Two wasn't enough for some of them. Many Japanese leaders still didn't want to surrender, even after Nagasaki was knocked on its ass. Speaking of "odd funny," I read about a Japanese businessman who was on a business trip to Hiroshima when they dropped Little Boy there on Aug 6; the funny part is the guy lived in Nagasaki so after they leveled Hiroshima he went back home and got bombed again. He lived through both bombings and died of stomach cancer at the age of 93.

[Guns N Rotors]

The Enola Gay and her sister the Bock's Car most likely saved my fathers' life.

[flyinlow]

My Father flew a B24 over Germany during 1944. The  P-51's range let them protect the bombers for the whole mission reducing the bomber losses dramatically. They also decimated the Luftwaffe which helped make the Normandy landings possible to free the French and eventually a large part of Europe.
The B29 made the long range bombing of Japan possible and the two A bombs shortening the war and hastening the rebuilding of both Japan and Germany. My Father and Uncle might have had to turn around and go in harms way again in the pacific if it had not been for this decision.

Decades later I accompanied Dad to a few of the 454th Bombardment Group reunions. I was lucky enough to meet several of his former crewmates. These men had dropped  explosives and incendiary bombs on many Axis controlled cites. They where not war warmongers, they where 20 year olds along way from home,scared,but doing their duty. Many came home with injury's both visable and not. Most returned home, worked for a living, raising family's,some even designed and built Chargers.

I talked with them about the bombing and the decision to use the A bomb. They felt remorse over the loss of life , but to a man felt the choices where necessary to end the war. They where there. They laid it on the line. I will not dispute their choice's.

[Todd Wilson]

My Father flew a B24 over Germany during 1944. The  P-51's range let them protect the bombers for the whole mission reducing the bomber losses dramatically. They also decimated the Luftwaffe which helped make the Normandy landings possible to free the French and eventually a large part of Europe.
The B29 made the long range bombing of Japan possible and the two A bombs shortening the war and hastening the rebuilding of both Japan and Germany. My Father and Uncle might have had to turn around and go in harms way again in the pacific if it had not been for this decision.

Decades later I accompanied Dad to a few of the 454th Bombardment Group reunions. I was lucky enough to meet several of his former crewmates. These men had dropped  explosives and incendiary bombs on many Axis controlled cites. They where not war warmongers, they where 20 year olds along way from home,scared,but doing their duty. Many came home with injury's both visable and not. Most returned home, worked for a living, raising family's,some even designed and built Chargers.

I talked with them about the bombing and the decision to use the A bomb. They felt remorse over the loss of life , but to a man felt the choices where necessary to end the war. They where there. They laid it on the line. I will not dispute their choice's.

Thats great!  Really cool you got to attend some of the reunions.   So many people in this country have forgot WWII and what all everyone had to go thru.


Todd