Petrol & Powder
07-29-2014, 08:26 PM
The last surviving member of the Enola Gay mission over Hiroshima has died.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28548475
I first read about Van kirk in Paul Tibbets' book "Return of the Enola Gay"
Paul Tibbets could pick his own crew. When selecting the navigator, Tibbets picked Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk as the man that would guide his B-29 on the 12 hour and 13 minute flight that would help to end World War II.
In 1945 navigation lacked Satellites, GPS receivers, LORAN transmitters, inertial navigation systems and modern systems.
Sextants, compasses, mechanical watches and tables such as "The American Practical Navigator, by Bowditch" were the tools of the day. Navigators of that era had abilities that are largely lost today. They had enormous responsibilities even when that were not called upon to deliver the product of the Manhattan Project.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28548475
I first read about Van kirk in Paul Tibbets' book "Return of the Enola Gay"
Paul Tibbets could pick his own crew. When selecting the navigator, Tibbets picked Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk as the man that would guide his B-29 on the 12 hour and 13 minute flight that would help to end World War II.
In 1945 navigation lacked Satellites, GPS receivers, LORAN transmitters, inertial navigation systems and modern systems.
Sextants, compasses, mechanical watches and tables such as "The American Practical Navigator, by Bowditch" were the tools of the day. Navigators of that era had abilities that are largely lost today. They had enormous responsibilities even when that were not called upon to deliver the product of the Manhattan Project.