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| Signatures on this item | |
| *The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
| Name | Info |
 Marjorie Bong Drucker (deceased) *Signature Value : £55 | Marjorie Bong Drucker was married to Major Richard Ira Bong, the all-time highest scoring American fighter pilot ace - referred to as the 'Ace of Aces' on February 10, 1945. Their marriage in 1945 was called the 'marriage of the year.' Her picture on Major Bong's P-38 has become the legendary 'Marge' plane, flown in the South Pacific during WW 11, and on Major Bong's war bond tour of the United States in 1944. He was killed, on August 6, 1945, testing the new Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star jet in Southern California. Major Bong was 24 years old at the time of his death, and Marge became a widow at the tender age of 21. Her book, Memories, The Story of Dick and Marge Bong, will be published in 1995. Memories covers a detailed account of their courtship and wedding, both of which were war-time media events. It also descirbes how she coped with her husband's death and the years following. Marge has two daughters, Kristina and Karen, from her later marriage to Murray Drucker, a publisher of dog ii. tagazines, who died in 1991. After a succesful career in the fashion field, Marge became involved in Murray's publishing business, and started her own dog publication. 1996 marked the 40th consecutive year of continuous publishing of the Boxer Reviezv magazine, in which she uses her professional name of Kris Dahl. Marge, a resident of Los Angeles, has been actively involved in recent years in the new Richard Ira Bong Heritage Center in Poplar Wisconsin, Dick's home town. She devotes considerable time to fund raising activities for the Center, and attends many P-38 reunions around the country. She has been invited to many of these functions as a speaker, and in August of 1995 Marge was the honored guest of Townsville Australia for a major anniversary celebration commemorating the end of WW 11 in the Pacific. The Heritage Center museum will enclose Major Bong's P-38 'Marge,' and it is hoped that the Center will not only be a tribute to America's greatest fighter ace, but to all veterans which served their country with courage during the Second World War. She died on 27th September 2003. |
| The Aircraft : | |
| Name | Info |
| Lightning | Designed by Kelly Johnson the P38 made its maiden flight on the 27th January 1939 and introduced into service in 1941. they cost $134,284 at the time each and a total of 10,037 were built. The Lockheed P-38 was introduced as a inceptor fighter but soon proved a valuable long range bomber escort for the 8thUS Air Force's B-17 and-24 bombers as they bombed targets further into Germany. |
| Artist Details : Stan Stokes |
| Click here for a full list of all artwork by Stan Stokes |
 Stan Stokes Stan Stokes is a California native with more than 37 years as a full time professional artist, who developed a passion for vintage cars, trains and airplanes at an early age. Model building and RC planes filled the many hours of the young enthusiasts free time. However, unlike most other young aviation enthusiasts Stokes also displayed a great gift for artistic talent. After studying art in College, Stan decided to pursue a career as a professional artist. Stokes initially focused his great talents on depicting uniquely realistic landscapes of the western desert and mountain scenes. More than thirty years ago a good friend suggested that Stan combine his passion for aviation history and flying with his artistic talents, and render an aircraft or two. The rest is history. Stan has won many prestigious awards including the Benedictine Art Award in 1975 and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums Golden Age of Flight award in 1985. In May of 2000, Stan was honored with the National Museum of Naval Aviations R. G. Smith Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation Art. Commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Stans 12 x 120 foot mural of the History of the Flying White House is on permanent display in the Air Force One Pavilion. In addition Stans painting of the USS Ronald Reagan is hanging in the Legacy Room of the library. In 2005 Stan also completed a painting of our nations next aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, which is on permanent display at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Stan has also completed several impressive murals for the Palm Springs Air Museum including: The Tuskegee Airmen at 12 x 60 feet and contains 51 portraits of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Dauntless at Midway at 12 x 34 feet and Corsair on Approach at 19 x 55 feet. Stans work also hangs in the Air Force art collection, the Pentagon, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Stan has had the pleasure of meeting and working with many of his boyhood aviation heroes, including the late General Jimmy Doolittle, the late Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager, and many many others. A true aviation history buff, Stan often spends more time pouring over research materials for his paintings to assure their accuracy to the smallest detail than he does behind the canvas. Noted for his incredible detail and strikingly realistic illustration, Stans canvases have a life-like three-dimensional effect that often leaves viewers spellbound. Today his work encompasses not only aviation and space but also portraits, landscapes, ships, classic cars and his new collection of cat-related fine art paintings. Stan particularly enjoys the tough assignment. During his 37 years as a professional artist, he has been asked to produce literally hundreds of paintings documenting historical events, people and places. Although Stan has logged many hours flying his own airplanes, in recent years pleasure flying has had to take a backseat to the artistic demands of his backlog. Stan was commissioned to paint more than twenty original paintings for an aviation museum being in the Philippines. Since the mid-1980s NASA has also tapped Stans talents from time to time and he has completed more than fifteen paintings ranging from the space shuttles to the SR 71 Blackbird. Stan has also painted numerous works for the cutting edge genius in aviation and space design, Burt Rutan. More about Stan Stokes |
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This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com |
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Drucker, Marjorie Bong 
(signed in person)
