flying tigers

For the airline, see Flying Tiger Line.

Flying Tigers was a nickname of the American Volunteer Group of fighter pilots that fought in China against Japanese forces before the entry of the United States into World War II. It had links to the Office of Strategic Services. The Flying Tigers was a creation of Claire Chennault, retired US Army Air Corps major who had become military aviation advisor to Chinese generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in the Sino-Japanese War. On occasion Chennault may have piloted a plane himself. Due to poor fighter material, results were not impressive. In 1941 Chennault negotiated a purchase of 100 Curtiss P-40C fighters (also known as Tomahawk II). He visited the United States and recruited 100 pilots — 40 from the Army Air Corps and 60 from the US Navy and Marine Corps — and 150 ground crew. All were officers in reserve who were officially discharged to fight as mercenaries in the army of a foreign country. They were officially employees of Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company, and received a salary of $600 a month for pilots, $650 a month for flight leaders (such as Boyington), and $700 for Squadron leader — none of the 100 initial pilots were recruited at this level. They also received plus $500 for each destroyed enemy aircraft, initially only for aircraft shot down, but Madame Chiang Kai-shek made the announcement that it was also for aircraft destroyed on the ground. Thus American Volunteer Group (AVG) was formed. Pilots arrived in China in June of 1941 and began their training. They gave Chennault a nickname "Old Man". Pilots learned to take on enemy aircraft in teams rather than alone, since their aircraft were technically inferior to those of the Japanese. Additionally, they only received a small supply of replacement aircraft throughout their short existence. Unfortunately, many AVG pilots were either inexperienced or quit at the first opportunity. In addition, fighter planes were slow in coming. Real average strength of AVG was about 62-80 men and fighters. One of the more famous pilots was Pappy Boyington, who was dishonorably discharged in April 1942. He went on to create the Black Sheep Squadron, modeled after the Flying Tigers. AVG fighter planes were painted with large shark teeth on the front of the plane, which later lead to the nickname of The Flying Tigers. Chennault also gave the planes large numbers to give an impression of much larger force. Flying Tigers had three squadrons — 1st Squadron (Adam & Eves); 2nd Squadron (Panda Bears) and 3rd Squadron (Hell's Angels). All pilots had blood chits. 21 pilots were killed or went MIA during the existence of the Flying Tigers. When the United States officially entered the war, AVG had 82 pilots and 79 planes. Two squadrons protected the Burma Road from Rangoon to Chongqing and a third at Mingaladon defended Mandalay before the Japanese captured the air field. Flying Tigers had their first real fight in December 20 1941 when they shot down three to four Japanese bombers. The 3rd Squadron — 18 planes strong — defended Rangoon in December 23-25 and shot down approximately 90 planes, most of them heavy bombers. After the fall of Rangoon to Japanese in March 1942, the squadrons moved back to Kunming. They had destroyed approximately 115 enemy aircraft. Chennault was reinstated into the USAAF as a major general and became a commander of the U.S. Army's Fourteenth Air Force. After July 14 1942, Flying Tigers became China Air Task Force and later 23rd Fighter Group. Most pilots were transferred to air transport duties or went back to America into civilian jobs or rejoined the Navy/Marines and fought elsewhere in the war. Only five remained in China. However, many US pilots and US press went on using the name Flying Tigers afterwards. Especially the 23rd Fighter Group was often called by the same nickname — they too were the "Flying Tigers".

Flying Tigers

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