Corgi Aviation Archive Collector Series AA36601
Lockheed P-38J Lightning Diecast Model
USAAF 49th FG, 9th FS, #42-103993 Marge, Richard Bong, New Guinea, 1942 | Limited Edition
3990
Pieces Worldwide |
|
| 1:72 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Lockheed P-38J Lightning | | 6.25" | | 8.75" |
In May 1941 Richard Bong enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps where one of his flight instructors was Barry Goldwater, the unsuccessful 1964 presidential candidate against Lyndon Johnson. Lieutenant Bong received his wings and commission in January 1942 and in October he was flying combat missions in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Flying Lockheed P-38s with the 49th Fighter Group, he scored his first "kills" in late December. By April of 1944, Captain Bong has shot down 27 aircraft, surpassing Eddie Rickenbacker's American record of 26 credited victories during World War I. After extended leave in the U.S. Major Bong returned to New Guinea in September 1944 and continued flying during the Philippine campaign. There he ran his string to 40 victories in December 1944, the same month he received the Medal of Honor. Bong's Medal of Honor citation stated that he flew combat missions despite his status as an "instructor". In fact, he was the P-38 standardization officer for 5th Fighter Command, thee being no position for instructors in a war zone. His rank of major would have qualified him for a squadron but he always flew as a flight (four plane) or element (two plane) leader. On September 24, 2002, which would have been Dick Bong's 82nd birthday, the Richard I. Bong WWII Heritage Center opened to the public in Superior, Wisconsin. The converted aircraft hangar contains a museum, a film screening room, and his fully restored famous P-38 Lightning, "Marge", named after his eventual wife. The work on the aircraft, begun in 1994 and coordinated by volunteers from the Duluth, Minnesota Air National Guard, required more than 16,000 hours of labor.
Designed to meet a USAAC requirement for a high-performance fighter, the P-38 Lightning was first flown on January 27th, 1939. The easily recognizable P-38 had twin-booms, twin turbo-supercharged engines, a central pod for the pilot, contra-rotating propellers and tricycle landing gear. Its roles included dive bombing, level bombing, ground strafing and photo reconnaissance. When equipped with drop tanks it was also flown as a long-range escort fighter. The Lightning's armament was clustered in the nose of the plane, which gave the pilot a direct line of site to the target and also gave the weapons a "buzz saw" effect that was useful for strafing. © Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc.
Corgi's 1:72 scale P-38s have separately applied turbocharger detail and accurate twin engine radiator scoops mounted on the booms. The large canopy provides a clear view of the pilot figure and radio equipment located in the rear bay. Most releases include landing gear complete with tires that have a textured tread pattern, and gear doors that are easy to install for ground display. Some of the most remarkable releases in this series are fighter bombers with four machine gun barrels surrounding a center-mounted 20mm cannon barrel.
© Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The Corgi "Aviation Archive" range presents highly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of military and civilian aircraft. The vast Aviation Archive range has become the standard by which all other diecast airplane ranges are judged. Each Corgi model is based on a specific aircraft from an important historical or modern era of flight, and has been authentically detailed from original documents and archival library material. Famous airplanes and aviators from both military and commercial airline aviation are all honored.
Corgi "Aviation Archive" diecast airplanes feature:
- Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear with rotating wheels.
- Poseable presention stand to display the aircraft "in flight".
- Many limited editions with numbered certificate of authenticity.
- Detailed, hand-painted pilot and crew member figures.
- Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.
- Selected interchangeable features such as speed-brakes, opened canopies and access panels.
- Selected moving parts such as gun turrets, control surfaces and swing-wings.
© Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc.
