Lot 114

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Description:

"Little Boy" Atomic Bomb Model Signed by 9 Crewmen of the Enola Gay, Top Secret, Straight Flush, & USS Indianapolis

A detailed model of the "Little Boy Atomic Bomb", signed by nine crew members of those involved in the historic dropping of the world's first atomic bomb. Measuring 9.75" x 3.125" x 2.5", made in the Philippines, undated. The model is a 1:12 scale reproduction of the famous bomb, with fuses and assembled plates all present. With an aluminum technical plate that lists the many specifications of the bomb. The model is mounted to a black wooden base, measuring 17" x 6". Both the bomb and base have been signed with silver felt tip pen, and include the following:

"Don Cole/Asst. FLT Eng. 'Top Secret' #72"
"George H. Cohen Flt Eng. 'Top Secret'"
"Ira C. Weatherly/Pilot Straight Flush Hiroshima 6 Aug '45"
"Russell E Gackenbach/Navigator - Necessary Evil/Hiroshima 6 August 1945"
"Jack Widowsky/Navigator #72 'Top Secret'"
"Morris Jeppson/Weapon Test Officer"
"Paul Tibbets"
"For the boys of the U.S.S. Indianapolis/Michael N. Kuryla Jr. coxswain"
"Dutch Van Kirk/Navigator/Enola Gay/Hiroshima 6 Aug 1945"

The model has some slight silver ink transference from when it was signed, else very fine. All bold and clear signatures. While numerous similar models can be found, we have not been able to find any record of a model with so high a number of impressive signatures! A single signed example is currently offered on Amazon for over $11,000!

The "Little Boy" atomic bomb contained two uranium-235 components and was assembled on July 16, 1945, aboard the USS Indianapolis. The Enola Gay set off from North Field, Tinian, on August 6, and was accompanied by two other B-29s: The Great Artiste and Necessary Evil. The Straight Flush served as weather reconnaissance, while the Top Secret was assigned as a backup strike plane, should the Enola Gay not complete the mission. "Little Boy" was dropped over the southwestern Japanese metropolis of Hiroshima, and exploded with the energy of 15 kilotons of TNT. The bomb wiped out 70 percent of the city, immediately killing 80,000 people; tens of thousands more would later die of radiation exposure. Three days later, the "Fat Man" bomb would be dropped on Nagasaki, killing between 40-75,000 people.

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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Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice, unless you inform us otherwise, immediately upon your receipt of invoice***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.


After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item.


Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

April 14, 2021 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000