Cities want atom bomb plane

      CARSON CITY -- The communities of Wendover and West Wendover on the Nevada-Utah border want the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, returned to the base where its crew trained for the historic mission.
      But the chances of success appear slim.
     

Col. Paul W. Tibbets, 31, stands beside the B-29 superfortress Enola Gay, which he piloted on the Aug. 6, 1945, flight to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The plane, named after Tibbets' mother, was brought to New York City months after the bombing run, and the crew joined a parade down Fifth Avenue. Associated Press file photo

The B-29 is owned by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and a spokesman said Friday they have other plans for the aircraft that helped bring about an end to World War II.
      Before its mission, the Enola Gay was delivered directly from the Omaha, Neb., factory to the Army Air Corps base in Wendover, Utah, for training exercises. While much of the base -- built in 1944 and called Wendover Field -- is gone, the hangar that housed the Enola Gay remains, although in a deteriorating condition.
      Nevada lawmakers, meeting as the Legislative Commission, will be asked next week to approve a resolution endorsing the relocation of the airplane to the former base.
      The request came from Nevada League of Cities Executive Director Tom Grady, who said in a letter that "a more appropriate and permanent home for the Enola Gay is in Wendover, Nevada-Utah."
      The resolution, approved by the League of Cities in August, says the border cities "have pledged to restore the Enola Gay Hanger No. 1 and other base facilities for the purpose of an air and land speed museum and memorial."
      Both communities along Interstate 80, separated only by the state line, plan to seek support for the relocation from state lawmakers, governors and Congressional representatives.
      The resolution says that having the Enola Gay and other equipment and memorabilia connected with the assembly, test drop and training for the bombing would make the communities a worldwide attraction.
      But even Chris Melville, the Wendover Airport manager who has worked on the proposal for several years, admits that the effort is a long shot.
      "My personal opinion as airport manager is that it isn't going to happen," he said. "They have no intention of releasing the Enola Gay to anyone.
      "But we'll keep trying," he said. "The Enola Gay would put us on the map."
      Mike Fetters, a spokesman for the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, said he understands the position of Wendover area residents. But the Enola Gay will not be moving to Wendover, he said.
      He said the plane "is one of the most priceless and historic artifacts in our collection. We're firmly committed to keeping her."
      Since a restored portion of the airplane went on display in the museum at the Capitol Mall in 1995, 3 million people have visited the exhibit, he said.
      The airplane, which is 90 feet long with a wingspan of 141 feet, is expected to make a move, however. The museum plans to open a new facility at Dulles International Airport in 2001 to house the complete Enola Gay as well as some other large air and space artifacts, Fetters said.