An Atomic Bomb Model For Sale

"Little Boy" Bomb signed by Morris Jeppson On August 6, 1945, shortly after the Enola Gay rose from its runway on Tinian Island in the Pacific, Morris "Dick" Jeppson descended into the bomb bay to commerce arming our weapon nick-named "Little Boy". It was the first atomic bomb to be used as a weapon. The weapon was developed by the Manhattan Project during World War II. It derived its explosive power from the nuclear fission of uranium 235. The Hiroshima bombing was the second artificial nuclear explosion in history, after the Trinity test, and the first uranium-based detonation. No full test of a gun-type nuclear weapon had occurred before the "Little Boy" device was dropped over Hiroshima. The only test explosion of a nuclear weapon had been of an implosion-type weapon using plutonium as its fissionable material, on July 16, 1945 at the Trinity test. The "Little Boy" bomb was constructed through the Manhattan Project during World War II. Because enriched uranium was known to be fissionable, it was the first approach to bomb development pursued. The vast majority of the work in constructing "Little Boy" came in the form of the isotope enrichment of the uranium necessary for the weapon. Enrichment at Oak Ridge, Tennessee began in February 1943, after many years of research. Morris "Dick" Jeppson was a young second lieutenant in the US Air Force and was designated as the weapons test officer on the Enola Gay. He served as assistant weaponeer on the Enola Gay, which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945. Jeppson, along with Rear Admiral William Sterling Parsons were responsible for arming the bomb during the flight from Tinian to Japan. Jeppson's role was to remove the safety plugs from the weapon just before reaching the target area, a job that later caused controversy.