Capt. Richard Ira Bong - P-38J “Marge” (993/557) - 49th FG, 9th FS

[Vraciu]

This is the P-38J-15-LO s/n 42-103993 flown by Medal of Honor recipient and top scoring American fighter pilot (40 victories), Richard Ira Bong.  Named "Marge" after his future wife Marge Vattendahl it was flown by Bong while a Captain assigned to the 49th FG, 9th FS and is depicted on 3 April 1944 when his tally stood at 25.

After the war (Major) Bong was killed in the crash of a P-80 jet fighter at the age of 24.

Originally skinned by Kev367th it has been updated for AH3.  I kept a modified version of the original nose art photo of Marge as a tribute to his work.   I’m still working my way through the metal effect to improve it.  The stretching of the diffuse onto the 3D shape presents some challenges in that regard.   

Thumbnails are to offsite uncompressed versions of the photos posted below.

[whiteman]

 

[Greebo]

Very nice Vraciu, the metal/paint lighting differences really show up in those screenshots.

[Vraciu]

Thanks guys. 

I'm still tweaking the metal, G.  Hopefully I'll figure it out.  You know how it goes, with each new plane we find something to fix.  Lol

[Devil 505]

Excellent.

[Vraciu]

Excellent.

Thanks, D.

[Shuffler]

Nice update

[Vraciu]

Nice update

Thank you, Shuff.

[serun]

And still another nice new P-38!   

[Vraciu]

And still another nice new P-38!   

Thank you.   Greebo and I are doing what we can to update the old ones and throw in a few new ones as well.   Hopefully they'll be of use.   

[lyric1]

 

[Vraciu]

Thanks man.

[FTJR]

Wow V, nice one.

[Vraciu]

Wow V, nice one.

Thanks, man.

[Ciaphas]

seeing these portraits on these aircraft take me back to my A-10 days. We would take the doors downtown Song Tong and get portraits painted on them. That was before the "cry baby" airforce took over.