Framed and Signed Print of Airforce Pilot Paul Tibbet’s - Airforce Captain to Drop the First of 2 Atomic Bombs - see description for more history on pilot
Lot #246
Item: f240-5854952

Brainerd, MN

This Lot is:

Closed

Thu, Dec 4, 2025 8:45pm CST

High Bidder: #383172

Current Bid:

$86.00

Next Required Bid: $91.00

Location / Contact:
13584 Burgwald Rd, Brainerd, MN 56401
Phone: 218-838-8751

Lot Description:

11.75” across x 14.75” tall


Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. (23 February 1915 – 1 November 2007) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the aircraft captainwho flew the B-29 Superfortressknown as the Enola Gay (named after his mother) when it dropped a Little Boy, the first of two atomic bombs used in warfare, on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

Paul Tibbets
Tibbets, c. 1960
Birth namePaul Warfield Tibbets Jr.
Born23 February 1915
Quincy, Illinois, U.S.
Died1 November 2007 (aged 92)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Branch
  • United States Army
    • Army Air Forces
  • United States Air Force
Years of service1937–1966
RankBrigadier General
Commands340th Bombardment Squadron
509th Composite Group
308th Bombardment Wing
6th Air Division
Battles / wars
  • World War II
    • Operation Torch
    • Combined Bomber Offensive
    • Air raids on Japan
    • Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Purple Heart
Air Medal (4)
Alma materUniversity of Florida (BA)
University of Cincinnati
Other workCharter Pilot and President of Executive Jet Aviation
Signature

Tibbets enlisted in the United States Army in 1937 and qualified as a pilot in 1938. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he flew anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic. In February 1942, he became the commanding officer of the 340th Bombardment Squadron of the 97th Bombardment Group, which was equipped with the Boeing B-17. In July 1942, the 97th became the first heavy bombardment group to be deployed as part of the Eighth Air Force, and Tibbets became deputy group commander. He co-piloted the lead plane in the first American daylight heavy bombermission against German-occupied Europe on 17 August 1942 that was piloted by Colonel Frank Alton Armstrong, Jr. (the 97th Bomb Group CO); and the first American raid of more than 100 bombers in Europe on 9 October 1942. Tibbets was chosen to fly Major General Mark W. Clark and Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower to Gibraltar. After flying 14 (possibly 25) combat missions, he became the assistant for bomber operations on the staff of the Twelfth Air Force.

Tibbets returned to the United States in February 1943 to help with the development of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. In September 1944, he was appointed the commander of the 509th Composite Group, which would conduct the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the war, he participated in the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapon tests at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946, and was involved in the development of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet in the early 1950s. He commanded the 308th Bombardment Wing and 6th Air Division in the late 1950s, and was military attaché in India from 1964 to 1966. After leaving the Air Force in 1966, he worked for Executive Jet Aviation, serving on the founding board and as its president from 1976 until his retirement in 1987.

After the war he received wide publicity, including motion picture portrayals, and became a symbolic figure in the debate over the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

Inspection By Appointment Only -

Auction Closing:

Thu, Dec 04, 2025
07:15 pm

Removal:

Sun, Dec 07, 2025
10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Removals are by appointment within the schedule above.

Bidding Increments:

Bid Range Minimum Increment
$0.01 - $75.00 $1.00
$75.01 - $150.00 $5.00
$150.01 - $250.00 $10.00
$250.01 - $500.00 $25.00
$500.01 - $1,000.00 $50.00
$1,000.01 - $5,000.00 $75.00
$5,000.01 - $50,000.00 $100.00
$50,000.01 - $75,000.00 $250.00
$75,000.01 - $100,000.00 $500.00
$100,000.01 - $2,500,000.00 $1,000.00

Buyer's PremiumCap
15.00%$1,500.00


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Manager: Sharon Christensen


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13584 Burgwald Rd
Brainerd
MN, 56401


Phone: 218-838-8751

SHIPPING TERMS: Please check the box on your invoice before the following Sunday after the auction ends. If you need shipping don't pay until we add the shipping to your invoice. We will contact you when your invoice is ready for payment. Shipping fees cannot be calculated in advance. Items need be packaged, weighed and measured before shipping fees can be calculated. Once the items have been packaged for mail, picking up your item will no longer be an option. Shipping will be available for smaller items at the cost of shipping in addition to our processing fees. Our processing fee structure is as follows: $5 handling fee per package. Shipping is available on this auction. Each item will note whether shipping is available or not, please view the item detail and verify that it says “Shipping Y

Thank you for bidding! If you are picking up your items, you may pay online or at the removal. Please have your bidder number or invoice handy. To have your items shipped, please follow these instructions: Please check the box if you require the item to be shipped. Once the box is checked we will package the items and add the shipping costs to your invoice. Don't pay your invoice until the shipping costs have been added to your invoice. We will contact you once the shipping costs have been added. Once paid, your items will be boxed and shipped within 7-10 days. If not paid the items will be considered abandoned and disposed of at affiliates discretion. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN

We are open for pick up from 10am-6pm on scheduled pick-up day. No need to schedule a time for pick up. See ya when you get here. If for some reason you are unable to pick up on scheduled day, please call Sharon at 218-838-8751. Thank you!

Bid History

46 Bid(s)
Bidder Placed High Bid
383172
Dec 04 06:51pm
$86.00
224221 ^
Dec 04 06:50pm
$81.00
383172
Dec 04 06:50pm
$81.00
224221 ^
Dec 04 06:49pm
$76.00
383172
Dec 04 06:49pm
$75.00
224221 ^
Dec 04 06:49pm
$72.00
383172
Dec 04 06:49pm
$71.00
224221 ^
Dec 04 06:49pm
$70.00
383172
Dec 04 06:49pm
$69.00
224221
Dec 04 05:56pm
$68.00
383172
Dec 04 12:06pm
$67.00
224221 ^
Dec 03 01:47pm
$66.00
383172
Dec 03 01:47pm
$65.00
224221 ^
Dec 03 01:46pm
$64.00
383172
Dec 03 01:46pm
$63.00
224221 ^
Dec 03 01:46pm
$62.00
383172
Dec 03 01:46pm
$61.00
224221 ^
Dec 03 01:46pm
$60.00
383172
Dec 03 01:46pm
$59.00
224221 ^
Dec 03 01:46pm
$58.00
383172
Dec 03 01:46pm
$57.00
224221
Dec 02 08:31pm
$56.00
383172
Nov 27 07:44pm
$52.00
224221 ^
Nov 27 07:44pm
$51.00
383172
Nov 27 07:44pm
$50.00
224221 ^
Nov 27 07:44pm
$46.00
383172
Nov 27 07:44pm
$45.00
224221 ^
Nov 27 07:44pm
$41.00
383172
Nov 27 07:44pm
$40.00
224221 ^
Nov 27 07:44pm
$36.00
383172
Nov 27 07:44pm
$35.00
224221 ^
Nov 27 07:44pm
$31.00
383172
Nov 27 07:44pm
$30.00
224221 ^
Nov 27 07:43pm
$29.00
383172
Nov 27 07:43pm
$28.00
224221
Nov 27 08:52am
$26.00
383172
Nov 26 09:42am
$22.00
224221 ^
Nov 26 07:34am
$21.00
412325
Nov 26 07:34am
$20.00
224221
Nov 25 09:53pm
$16.00
383172
Nov 25 08:52pm
$11.00
238703 ^
Nov 25 08:51pm
$10.00
383172
Nov 25 08:51pm
$10.00
238703 ^
Nov 25 08:51pm
$9.00
383172
Nov 25 08:51pm
$8.00
238703
Nov 25 12:17pm
$5.00