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through_the_lens | all galleries >> Galleries >> Cindy Flood, USA > Miss Marge in the hanger
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20-Jun-2012 Cindy Flood

Miss Marge in the hanger

Wisconsin

Sony Alpha NEX-7,Leitz 5 cm f/2 Summicron Collapsible
1/60s iso250 full exif

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hal 25-Jun-2012 07:49
Fascinating story Cindy.
Very many thanks and hope you see it fly
after being in cold storage for so long.
Cindy Flood24-Jun-2012 13:40
Thanks, everyone. Your comments are appreciated.
Tony, I don't think they try to fly her. I found out that in 1945, production of the P38 ended at 9,923 P-38 Lightnings being built. As of 2003, only 21 survived and of those only 7 were still flying.
This July, a P-38 Lightining, "Glacier Girl" is flying into Wittman field in Oshkosh. Glacier Girl was rescued from under a glacial icecap in Greenland in 1992. She was brought up piece-by-piece and flown to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She had been 268 feet below the ice for 50 years. She has now been restored and is back in flight. In 1942, six P-38's and two B-17's were lost in a trans-Atlantic ferry flight.
I hope I get an opportunity to see Glacier Girl flying over my house.
Michael Edwards24-Jun-2012 12:06
Wow, great details and fine, fine composition.
I really like this Cindy. Just right!!
Steve Mockford24-Jun-2012 11:24
Wonderful shot Cindy. I really appreciate the historical detail as well.
tony_england24-Jun-2012 08:19
An amazing image Cindy, some interesting history too. The skin of this aircraft is all wrinkly as they were, but the aircraft is in such amazing condition. Do you know if they fly her still?
Guest 23-Jun-2012 20:05
That is quite a documentary!
Guest 23-Jun-2012 18:36
I think I read a book about Richard Bong long ago. Love these old planes and your shot is excellent as always.
Cindy Flood23-Jun-2012 18:25
The rest of the story: After 40 kills and many honors, including the Congressional Medal of Honor, Richard Bong was ordered home. He and Marge married in upper Wisconsin. They moved to California so that Richard could test-pilot the first jets produced by Lockheed. He was killed six months later when his test plane stalled and crashed on take-off.
Terry_O23-Jun-2012 15:49
Great closeup, Cindy! Love the clarity and tons of interest you captured.
Frank Kavanagh Photography23-Jun-2012 15:35
Excellent shot, love these old war birds.
Lennart Waara23-Jun-2012 09:33
A great photo and very interesting documentation of a fighter plane and fighter pilot! I would have done this too if I had been in his pants!
Cindy Flood23-Jun-2012 03:02
Hal, I found this info online: ""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."
"
Cindy Flood23-Jun-2012 02:07
Thanks Hal and Fred.
This P38 has been restored and has been painted in the accurate markings of one of Major Richard Bong’s P-38s—named for his fiancé, Marge. This P38 is in the hanger at Air Venture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Their website states: "It is widely agreed that the three best American fighter planes of WW II were the North American P-51 “Mustang”, the Republic P-47 “Thunderbolt”, and the Lockheed P-38 “Lightning”. Of these three, the P-38 was the first to be deployed, the first to make a kill in aerial combat, the most advanced and versatile design, and the only one to be in continuous production throughout WW II. America’s two top WW II aces—Major Richard Bong (40 kills) and Major Thomas McGuire (38 kills) both flew P-38s."
Fred Gary23-Jun-2012 01:19
Great image, excellent detail. I take the badges next to Marge's name are confirmed kills.
hal 23-Jun-2012 01:19
What a stiking photo.
There were many war planes with girls painted on the sides,
during WW2, but l've never seen one with a photograph on it. And a studio photo at that.
And flown the full 25 missions. l'll bet there are some stories to tell about this
airplane. Fascinating photograph, Cindy