"plumb bob" wrote in message
news:N7kEb.423166$ao4.1358042@attbi_s51...
It's just a chunk of metal (snippety snip)
Just get it patched up and move on, really.
The history is far more important than the tool.

I agree. We wear out historical artifacts by both loving and hating them
too much. Museums patch them up and keep them out there. Like publicity
for media stars, maybe there's no such thing as a bad visitor to a museum.
As in "Mommy, why was that man so upset and why did he put a dent in the
airplane?" "Because a lot of people died in WWII, would you like to read
about it?"

Reading about the event is more rewarding. "Enola Gay" by Thomas and Witts
(1977) was OK with lot's of flying as I recall. "Fly Boys" by Bradley is a
good contemporary account of many aspects of the Pacific conflict including
the bomb, Japanese culture, and the fire bombing of Japanese cities.

I had a chance to tour the a/c while it was being restored. Sticking my
head up thru the bomb bay doors made it unforgettable. Of course 'touring'
is a misnomer. It's much smaller and tighter inside than I would have ever
imagined.