He had his first airplane ride at 12, and from then on he was hooked on flying. Paul Tibbets flew 25 missions in B-17s, including the first American Flying Fortress raid against occupied Europe. But Tibbets gained his fame-and notoriety-on August 6, 1945. On that day, the Enola Gay lifted off North Field with Tibbets and his crew en route to Hiroshima. At 9:15 am the world's first atomic bomb expl