<-- **** DONE: 1/48 P-38J Lightning - Twin Engined Aircraft of WWII

[Robert Porter]

Always thought the picture of his wife was amazingly well painted on the P-38's nose, like a photograph !

I wondered about that, it looks too good to be freehand paint but I assume thats what it is. Talented artist whomever rendered it.

 

[Wurger]

....Sad that he died on the same day the Hiroshima bomb was dropped here in the states working as a test pilot on one of our first jets, the P-80 shooting star.

True...

 

[Wurger]

Always thought the picture of his wife was amazingly well painted on the P-38's nose, like a photograph !

Yep...

 

[Wurger]

And a couple shots more of the kite I found via the net....

 

[Robert Porter]

Thanks! That picture is unreal, its almost like they blew a photo up and shellacked it onto the plane.

 

[Wurger]

Not sure but I might have read somewhere that his crew chief actually applied a photo of his wife, Marge, to the side of his aircraft. Judging by the pic below it is true.

 

[Wurger]

And one more image found...

 

[Robert Porter]

And one more image found...

View attachment 358104

It really does look like a blown up photo. I will have to dig and see if I can find any more info on it. But I agree it looks like a photo, you could see wrinkles in your first shot fairly clearly.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

IIRC the image of marge on Bong's P-38 was a photo blown up and then varnished on the side of the aircraft. Although many photos show this aircraft with 26 kills, Bong actually got his 26th kill in an aircraft named "Down Beat" assigned to the 80th FS.

 

[Robert Porter]

IIRC the image of marge on Bong's P-38 was a photo blown up and then varnished on the side of the aircraft. Although many photos show this aircraft with 26 kills, Bong actually got his 26th kill in an aircraft named "Down Beat" assigned to the 80th FS.

I wondered, it looked too good to be painted free hand!

 

[Airframes]

Yep, it was an enlarged photo. It was a process which became quite popular, and can also be seen on a number of late war 9th AF P-47's.
I'm not sure about Bong's aircraft (might have been varnished in place), but certainly some aircraft had the image fixed in place by a process similar to the dry-mounting system developed by Ademco, where an adhesive tissue is bonded on to the back of the photographic print, in a purpose designed, heated 'press' (it can also be done 'manually', using an electric iron similar to a domestic clothes iron)..
This 'tissue' has a 'double sided' adhesive film, which will then allow the treated print to be 'dry mounted', again by heat and pressure, onto various substrates, a popular example being canvas, or a 'canvas texture' stiff paper, to give a 'canvas' picture which then resembles an oil painting. It was very popular up to the 1970s and 80s, particularly in the 'States, for wedding and portrait photography.
The photographic image can actually be 'stripped' from the photo paper base, leaving the developed photo emulsion on the dry-mounting tissue, to allow the image to then be bonded onto various materials - flat, curved, tubular etc etc - such as wood, ceramics, metal, glass and so on.
As far as I know, the system, known as ADMT - Ademco Dry Mounting Tissue (or Technique, when describing the process) - is still being manufactured and used today.

 

[Wurger]

The enlarged part of the pic posted in the #23 reveals that the Marge's image could have been attached with something that looks like a clear adhesive tape. Please have a look at the picture edges. Also please make a focus on the surface of the image. It seems to be quite lumpy.

 

[fubar57]

Welcome to the GB Robert and great info guys. These guys are the best when it comes to colors, markings and details so don't be afraid to ask questions before proceeding. I've had some inquiries take a page or two before continuing .

 

[Robert Porter]

The enlarged part of the pic posted in the #23 reveals that the Marge's image could have been attached with something that looks like a clear adhesive tape. Please have a look at the picture edges. Also please make a focus on the surface of the image. It seems to be quite lumpy.

View attachment 358132

Its definitely got something around the edges, otherwise I am sure airflow would have removed it during flight. Very cool info!

 

[Robert Porter]

Welcome to the GB Robert and great info guys. These guys are the best when it comes to colors, markings and details so don't be afraid to ask questions before proceeding. I've had some inquiries take a page or two before continuing .

Thanks! And yes, the amount and quality of advice and information I get here is outstanding! And I for one am very grateful! This promises to be a fun exercise participating in the GB! I have never done it before so it is a new experience for me.

 

[Crimea_River]

By the way, I'm a judge and have no scruples. Any reasonable bribe accepted.....

 

[Airframes]

I'm also a judge, and very strict and 'proper'.
I'm also partial to cakes with marzipan, and the odd glass of Scottish White Wine. These can be shipped to .............

 

[Robert Porter]

Who me? Bribe? Never! Now then just so I can send you a detailed printed guide to my model could you please send me the shipping addresses for both?

 

[Wayne Little]

Glad to see you up and running Robert.

Agree with the other Guys the Marge image is definitely an enlarged Photo.

Some years ago a magazine did an article on Marge and included reproduced 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 photo's for models, I should look for it as it's in a pile somewhere....

 

[Wurger]

I'm also a judge, and very strict and 'proper'.
I'm also partial to cakes with marzipan, and the odd glass of Scottish White Wine. These can be shipped to .............

I'm with Terry. But contrary to him I prefer the Spirits. I don't like marzipan because it causes heartburn in my stomach. So I prefer the poppy.