44-27296 V-84 was named Some PunkinsHave no idea if this is a help ?
In the now old -
Squadron/Signal "Superfortress the Boeing B-29" by Steve Birdsall.
Pages 38/39 a list of the Atom Bombers
The 393rd Squadron B-29's were :
71 - 44-27303 -"Jabbitt III" - Capt.John Wilson.
72 - 44-27302 - "Top Secret" - Lt.Charles McKnight.
73 - 44-27300 - " Strange Cargo" - Lt.Joseph Westover.
77 - 44-27297 - "Bockscar" - Capt.Frederick Bock.
82 - 44-86292 - "Enola Gay" - Capt.Robert Lewis/Col. Paul Tibbets.
83 - 44-27298 - " Full House" - Capt. Ralph Taylor.
84 - 44-27296 -......................- Capt. James Price.
85 - 44-27301 - " Straight Flush" - Capt. ClaudeEatherly.
86 - 44-27299 - "Next Objective " - Lt.Ralph DeVore.
88 - 44-27304 - ..................... - Capt. George Marquardt.
89 - 44-27353 - " The Great Artiste" - Lt.Charles Albury/ Major.Charles Sweeney.
90 - 44-27354 - ..................... - ........................... . [ "The Big Stink"/"Dave's Dream"??].
91 - 44-27291 - " Necessary Evil" - Lt.Norman Ray.
94 - 44-27346 - .................... - Lt.Col.Thomas Classen.
95 - 44-86347 - " Laggin Dragon" - Capt. Edward Costello.
NOTE: Some of the aircraft nicknames the 393rd Squadron were not applied until after the atomic bombing missions.
When the 509th CG arrived on Tinian they carried the Units distinctive marking, a black arrowhead in a circle. This was soon replaced by spurious markings - 497th Group insignia, a large "A" was applied to aircraft 71,72,73,84. Airplanes 77,85,86and 88 carried 444th Group markings ( triangle N )including the colored belly band; numbers 82,89,90 and 91 carried 6th Group tail insignia ( circle R); and the final three aircraft 83,94 and 95 bore the 39th Group's tail marking ( square P).
The aircraft were still easily identifiable - the phony 497th and 444th markings were applied in a rather less exact way than in the actual Groups and the stripped B-29's carried individual Airplane numbers in a far higher range than normal bomber Groups.
And in -
CAMOUFLAGE AND MARKINGS No.19 Boeing B-29 Superfortress USAAF 1942-1945 has on page 164 - " It is believed that each of these markings was applied to three aircraft of the 509thCG."
A photo of "Enola Gay" with the arrow/circle marking is also on this page and there is no name on the nose, only "82" on the after fuselage. There is a coloured tip on the tail(red).
After the dropping of the atomic bombs on the 6th and 9th August 1945 by, "Enola Gay " 44-86292, "82"(circle R); and "Bockscar" 44-27297,"77"(triangle N), the 509th CG reverted to its own Group device of an arrow-head in a circle.
Just to clarify the issue of how I have written the names of the aircraft in this post.
In no way am I suggesting that it is how the names appeared on the aircraft.
As to the information from Superfortress the Boeing B-29 and CAMOUFLAGE AND MARKINGS No.19 Boeing B-29 Superfortress USAAF 1942-1945. As far as I recall now, I copied the details as printed.
Alex
44-27304 V-88 was named Up An' Atom
44-27354 V-90 was Big Stink. It was renamed Dave's Dream for the Operation Crossroads A-bomb tests in mid-1946
And I think there is a typo.
44-27346 was not a Silverplate B-29 but ....
44-86346 was V-94 Luke the Spook
