Original Item. Only One Available. This is a lovely signed print of “Lonely Flight to Destiny” by Craig Kodera. This example is not numbered, but is signed by five crew members of the B-29 “Bock’s Car” which dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The frame also includes three additional signatures of crew members acquired later, likely at shows. There are eight signatures total of crew members aboard the B-29 that ended World War II.

On August 8, 1945, Russia finally joined the Allies and declared war on Japan. Despite that and the atomic bombing of Hiroshime, the Japanese still did not surrender. By 10:00 that same night, a second atomic bomb was placed in a B-29 Superfortress named Bock's Car. The flight was anything but routine. A fuel pump malfunctioned, trapping 600 gallons of fuel. At the rendezvous over Kyushu, one of the two aircraft that were supposed to join Bock's Car was apparently at the wrong altitude; Bock's Car wasted valuable time searching for her. Then the primary target of Kokura was completely obscured by cloud cover, forcing a change to the secondary target of Nagasaki. The cloud cover was thick there, too, but the bombardier finally found a hole in the clouds. With fuel running low, Bock's Car released its atomic bomb shortly after 11"00 AM, Nagasaki time. On August 14, 1945, Emperor Hirohito personally said that Japan would surrender on American terms and broadcast his decision to the Japanese people. The formal surrender ceremonies took place aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. World War II was finally over.

The frame measures 22 ¼ x 25 ¼” and is in great shape overall. The print is signed by:

Charles D. Albury
Fred J. Olivi
James F. Van Pelt Jr.
John D. Kuharek
Raymond Gallagher    

And the print was additionally signed under the Silverplate by Bob Haider, A+E Mechanic. The bottom of the frame has two additional separate signatures of Charles W. Sweeney, Aircraft Commander and the man who dropped the bomb, and Frederick Ashworth, Weaponeer.

This is an outstanding frame commemorating the mission that ended WWII! Ready to hang and display.