Description:

1075. THEODORE J. VAN KIRK (b. 1921) American Army Air Corps officer, navigator of the Enola Gay during its mission to Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Most important partly-printed D.S. 24" x 18", a reprint of a side view blueprint of the atomic bomb "Little Boy" which was dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. At bottom is a descriptive note in blue ink by Van Kirk: "This is a blueprint of our Hiroshima Bomb 'Little Boy'. It was the first Uranium bomb made. The bomb was designed as a gun type bomb with a bullet of U235 fired into a target of U235 to create a critical mass and cause an atomic explosion. Theodore J. 'Dutch' Van Kirk Navigator - Enola Gay 6 Aug. 1945". Van Kirk has also added penciled in arrows, notations and additions to the drawing of the bomb, indicating: "EXPLOSIVE INITIATOR DEVICE", "URANIUM U235 BULLET FIRED INTO TARGET TO CREATE CRITICAL MASS", "HIGHLY SENSITIVE RADIO ANTENNAE", "URANIUM 235 HOLLOWED OUT TARGET", "NEUTRON SOURCE", "STEEL TAMPER", and "GUNPOWDER". A great Hiroshima item, in near fine condition. $1,200 - 1,500

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November 29, 2007 11:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

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