America's Ace of Aces

Richard Ira Bong

Just over the Wisconsin border from Illinois is the most stolen sign in America. It reads Bong Recreation Area. 99% of the people you ask will have no idea who or what the area is named after. It's a shame that the greatest fighter pilot America has ever produced is all but forgotten and his name has become a joke.

This is just my attempt to educate a small number of you as to the life and times of Richard Ira Bong, America's Ace of Aces. His record 40 kills in the Pacific Theater will never be surpassed. This unlikely farm boy from Poplar Wisconsin became a super star and then faded into the history books. He deserves more than 15 min of fame.

I have recreated all of Bong's successful missions. If you equal or surpass Bong's record with all the realism options turned on without do overs and without using the auto pilot you have accomplished a major feat and should be proud of your simulated flying skill.

The folder BongCampaign goes in the US folder that is in the Campaign folder that is in the mission folder.

The folder BongSingle goes in the US folder that is in the Single folder that is in the mission folder.

The P38J, P38L and P38L_Late folders go in the skins folder that is in the PaintSchemes folder.

This campaign is complex and requires a powerfull computer and video card. It was done with IL2FB+PF Combined Install version 4.02.

I have tried to recreate as accurately as possible the circumstances faced by Dick Bong in his 2 year onslaught of the Japanese armed forces. I have had to use different maps because many of the areas that Bong fought in are not represented in the game yet. Areas such as Northern New Guinea, Rabal, Borneo, the Philippine Islands of Negros, Mindoro and Leyte have not been modeled yet. I have found very similar areas on other maps that fit the bill however. By using the southern part of New Guinea I was able to recreate the Lae area farther to the north; by using the Singapore map I could recreate similar conditions to the Philippine islands etc. I think you will get the feel of the historical area and conditions.

Three books were instrumental in providing the historical facts for this endeavor...

Ace of Aces, The Dick Bong Story - Written by Carl Bong and Mike O'connor

Dear Mom So We Have A War by Carl Bong

Dick Bong Ace of Aces by Gen. George Kenney

Carl Bong is Dick Bong's brother and Gen. Kenney was Dick's commanding officer. I have copied major parts of the "descriptions" from these books. I am not a writer but I do know how to copy well. The first mission is from the Kokoda Campaign for Pacific Fighters by VBF_80 and the skins are all modifications of other people's painstaking work the most notable being "Marge" by Richard Mutt or RMutt. I couldn't have done this project without the jump start these artists provided.

I wish to apologize for the racial epithets used to describe the Japanese race. This was the language of the times and the quotes are verbatim. I'm sorry if they cause any discomfort. I do not mean to offend, just to be historically accurate with my quotes.

There are a few fun missions. One where you take off at night and try and get Washing Machine Charlie as Bong tried to do a few times... Another where you get into a dogfight in a SBD against a float plane... One where you have a mock dog fight with a P47 as Bong did while on leave... and the last one where you try and complete the only mission that Dick Bong could not.

Add all you want but please dont change the basic facts of the missions. The research is pretty good. If you do put the plane on autopilot, you will encounter all the bogies that Dick Bong shot down.

Oh yeah, by the way, did you know who Bong was before you read this?