Description:

Enola Gay Dutch Van Kirk Signed Boeing B-17G Poster

Vintage poster of the interior cockpit of a Boeing B-17G. This impactful poster with the dark image is the perfect backdrop for Theodore (Dutch) Van Kirk's bold signature with his autograph missions and dates rendered in vibrant silver felt tip. "Dutch Van Kirk / US Army Air Corp / Navigator Red Gremlin 1942-42 / Enola Gay 1945". 22" x 18". The poster is in very good condition with but one 1" intact tear along the top edge, some flattened faint creases and small touches of rubbing.

PLEASE NOTE:  This poster has been rolled for an extended period and will ship rolled.

Dutch Van Kirk joined the Army Air Force Aviation Cadet Program in October 1941. On April 1, 1942, he received both his commission and navigator wings and transferred to the 97th Bomb Group, the first operational Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England. The crew of the "Red Gremlin" also included pilot Paul Tibbets and bombardier Tom Ferebee. Van Kirk would later fly with these men on the Hiroshima mission.

From August to October 1942, the crew flew 11 missions out of England. They were the lead aircraft, responsible for group navigation and bombing. In October 1942, they flew General Mark Clark to Gibraltar for his secret North African rendezvous with the French prior to Operation Torch. In November, they ferried General Eisenhower to Gibraltar to command the North African invasion forces. After German reinforcements began pouring into the port of Bizerte, Tunisia, posing a serious threat to Allied strategy, a new mission emerged. On November 16, 1942, the crew led their group in an attack that took the Germans by surprise at Sidi Ahmed Air Base at Bizerte.

Van Kirk returned to the U.S. in June 1943 after flying a total of 58 missions overseas. He served as an instructor navigator until reuniting with Tibbets and Ferebee in the 509th Composite Group at Wendover Field, Utah, in late 1944. The group flew the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, with Tibbets as commander and Van Kirk as the group navigator. From November 1944 to June 1945 they trained continually for the first atomic bomb drop, which occurred August 6, 1945.

The B-17 was the first Boeing military aircraft with a flight deck instead of an open cockpit and was armed with bombs and five .30-caliber machine guns mounted in clear “blisters.” Generally considered the definitive B-17 design, all changes made in the B-17F production run were incorporated into the final version. These included the Bendix remotely-operated chin turret, bringing the defensive armament to thirteen .50 caliber machine guns. The waist gun windows were staggered, another carryover from the YB-40. This allowed more freedom of movement for the waist gunners

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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June 30, 2021 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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