Assessment of the AVG Flying Tigers

flight leader , fighter ace robert r.t. smith stands next p-40 fighter @ kunming, china. flying tiger insignia created walt disney company.

the avg lacked many resources. despite location in areas malaria , cholera, had 4 doctors, 3 nurses , bottle of iodine. pilots found food disgusting, , slow mail home , lack of women hurt morale. squadron had 45 maintenance personnel compared normal more 100, , 1 base perform major repairs. nonetheless, avg officially credited 297 enemy aircraft destroyed, including 229 in air. fourteen avg pilots killed in action, captured, or disappeared on combat missions. 2 died of wounds sustained in bombing raids, , 6 killed in accidents during flying tigers existence combat force.

the avg s kill ratio superior of contemporary allied air groups in malaya, philippines, , elsewhere in pacific theater. avg s success more remarkable since outnumbered japanese fighters in engagements. avg s p-40s superior jaaf s ki-27s, group s kill ratio against modern ki-43s still in favor. in flying tigers: claire chennault , american volunteers, 1941–1942, daniel ford attributes avg s success morale , group esprit de corps. notes pilots triple volunteers had volunteered service u.s. military, avg, , brutal fighting in burma. result corps of experienced , skilled volunteer pilots wanted fight.

during service nationalist chinese air force, 33 avg pilots , 3 ground crew received order of cloud , banner, , many avg pilots received chinese air force medal. each avg ace , double ace awarded 5 star or ten star wing medal.