Flying Tigers

[popper]

http://cbi-theater-1.home.comcast.net/~cbi-theater-1/flyingtigers/flying_tigers.html
Interesting read from Life Mag.

[fecmech]

You should read "God is My Co-Pilot" by Col.Robert L. Scott. All the details of the AVG and it is the book that started me in aviation. I just reread it a year ago as a free download on my Nook. My Father also worked at the Curtiss plant here in Buffalo NY during the war helping to build P-40's. Thanks for the article.

[beagle]

Man, I appreciate the link. I've always been interested in the tigers and AVG. Love the Battle of Salween Gorge where they really kicked b--t.

When I was stationed in Hawaii, you could still go in the gully below the Gulch and dig around and find pieces of stainless from P-40s. From accounts, all of the P-40 assembly and test flights were done in Kunia Tunnel and the Gulch below Wheeler AFB.

I love that time in history./beagle

[catmandu]

My uncle worked at Curtiss also. Small world.

Paul in WNY



You should read "God is My Co-Pilot" by Col.Robert L. Scott. All the details of the AVG and it is the book that started me in aviation. I just reread it a year ago as a free download on my Nook. My Father also worked at the Curtiss plant here in Buffalo NY during the war helping to build P-40's. Thanks for the article.

[JeffinNZ]

I read "Air America" recently and they got a good mention in that.

[willie_pete]

+1 on "God is My Co-Pilot". I loved the part on painting the spinner different colors.

WP

[popper]

paint job was supposed to scare the troops. most don't think about the china/jap war.

[willie_pete]

It's been a while since I read it. I understood it to be about the enemy thinking there were more airplanes fighting than there really was since he would fly out of different directions with each color change

WP

[dtknowles]

paint job was supposed to scare the troops. most don't think about the china/jap war.

If you noticed it has been in the news the past few years because of lingering Chinese hatred of the Japanese and the rise of Chinese power and the wane of Japans economy.

Tim

[dagger dog]

Just about every young boys dreams was to be a Flying Tiger pilot, in the 1950's that is, there's something about the drone of a 12 cylinder Allison V engine turning a propeller that stirs the emotions.

Claire Chenault was way under gunned ( an overall statement), the Warhawk vs Zero,but his pilots overcame the difference with superior tactics.

The Curtis P-40 served in the North African campaign also, with the Brit's (Tomahawks) and American forces, used as ground attack against troops and mechanized enemy forces.

[9w1911]

My grandfather was an engineer and helped build the majority of their landing strips, often times he was working directly with the indigenous population.

[Nazgul]

Met R.T "Bob" Smith, a pilot. Have his signature on a book he wrote.

Always dreamed of being one of the Tigers when I was a kid.

Don

[upnorthwis]

My neighbor was "Snuffy" Smith. I still don't know what his real name was. Several years ago I was on a business trip in China with a person who also knew Snuffy. He would tell all the people there that he knew Snuffy Smith of the Flying Tigers. He may not have known the political history of that time.

[Echo]

If you're interested in the AVG, you might want to seek out the book "The Lady And The Tigers", written by Olga Greenlaw, wife of the adjutant of the AVG and scribe for the unit. Dan Ford also wrote a couple of dandy books on the subject, and was recognized as the main expert on the subject.
Another interesting book that is parenthetically associated is "Herman The German", By Gerhard Neuman. Neuman was a German citizen that got stranded in SE Asia, and was line chief for the AVG. Was granted citizenship in the US after the war by act of Congress, went on to work @ GE, and basically invented the J-79 engine that powered the F-4 Phantom and the F-104 Starfighter. The account of he & (American) wife driving by jeep from Hong Kong to Jerusalem blows one's mind, especially driving over dirt roads in Iran in the winter.

[Charley]

More than a few former AVG members lived here in SA. Line crews mostly, but a couple of pilots. Many didn't think much of Scott. Oftentimes, the mention of the name of his book "God is my Co-Pilot" brought the response, "Yeah, and Christ was his crew chief". Usually followed by an obscenity or six...

[Hickory]

One thing you should take note of, all those pilots in their mid-20's looked like men
and lived the life of men, so unlike the kid nowadays of the same age.

[MarkS]

Only met one individual who served with the AVG George Bailey he was my dad's boss on Eglin AFB and mom was his secretary. He was a Sgt. with the AVG but was given a commission when he enlisted in the Army Air Corp.