Flying Circus - Fighter Sweep at Tadji Drome

L/E of 199 Giclee Prints
S/N by the Artist
Image Size: 24" x 18"
Paper Size: 29" x 24"

Plane Type:P-38 Lightning

Being able to "cherry pick" your missions, and flying with an experienced partner certainly has its advantage and Captain Richard I. Bong and Major Thomas J. Lynch had exactly that. Attached to Fifth Fighter Command, the two aces often flew together to locations or on missions where they knew that there was a good chance of action.

3 March, 1944 over Tadji airfield near Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea they had already successfully tag-teamed a Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" bomber into the trees when they engaged five Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony" fighters. Here Dick Bong pulls up from a successful pass to both clear his tail and maintain a position of advantage - only to see Tommy Lynch finish off the "Tony" he'd just damaged.

A short time later they would score again when they went after two more "Sally" bombers. This time it would be Captain Bong who delivered the coup de grace on both aircraft from close range after Lynch had expended all of his ammunition. The bombers crashed within 100 yards of each other. PLANE JUNKIE - Flying Circus - Fighter Sweep at Tadji Drome by Jack Fellows (P-38 Lightning)