This new decal
sheet from Cutting Edge
Modelworks includes markings for one very famous P-38 Lightning.
This aircraft is a P-38J-15-LO
Lightning #42-103993 flown by America's Ace of Aces Capt. Richard (Dick) I. Bong with
the 5th Fighter Command. There
have been many decals released for this bird and this new sheet goes down it's
own path using new research to back up this sheet....plus you'll find some of
the more traditional decal options if you're the type of modeller that doesn't
want to create waves. Let me explain.
Dick Bong was
America's "Ace of Aces", with 40 confirmed air-to-air combat
victories......all against Japanese aviators. I read books about him and
the stories are classic and quite amazing. For awards he received;
-
Medal
of Honor (America's highest award)
-
Distinguished Service Cross
-
2 Silver
Stars
-
7 Distinguished Flying
Crosses
-
15 air Medals.
He was very
active in a War Bond drive with Marge flying a special 2 seater P-38 and sadly
he died on Aug 6 1945 (day that the Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb on
Hiroshima) as he was test flying one of the new P-80 jet fighter 44-85048 in
Burbank, California. Dick Bong's girlfriend was
"Marge".......Marjorie Vattendahl was first his girlfriend, then
fiancee and finally his wife.
This P-38 is dedicated to her....the
plane is called "Marge". The nose art is a
picture of his girlfriend that was blown up and varnished to the aircraft.
This process didn't last long and new pictures had to be attached to the
aircraft every few missions. All photos of this plane with this nose art
are always in black and white, so it's always been assumed the photo of Marge on
the nose was a black and white photo. In actual fact, the black and white
photo was hand colourized by a 5th Fighter Command A-2 (Intelligence) member Jim
Nichols, who Bong asked to take care of the artwork he had in mind. Now if
you prefer to use the black and white version of the photo, then that noseart is
also included on this decal sheet. Dick flew many P-38's with similar but
distinctly different markings. This decal sheet focuses on his P-38J-15-LO
42-103993. This is the only P-38 to carry the name Marge.....other P-38's
had the picture of Marge on them, but no known photos exist of any other P-38's
with the name Marge painted on the aircraft. The script for the name
"Marge" is in red with white drop down shadow for the letter
"M" and not for the rest of the letters in the name. It is
possible that white drop down shadows were painted on the other letter, but no
known photos exist. The name Marge is included twice on this decal
sheet.....once with white drop down shadows for only the letter "M"
and the second possible version with white drop down shadows for all the letters
is also included if you decide to go that route. This plane carried 25
victory markings and was lost Mar 24 1944 while on a reconnaissance flight with
Capt. Tom Malone at the controls......Tom parachuted to safety.
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