Chinese Biplane Aces

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 16 Aug 2004 09:51

A list of Chinese aces that flew biplane fighters:

http://www.dalnet.se/~surfcity/china.htm

Of interest is the Chinese-American,Major 'Arthur' 'Art' Chin Shui-Tin :

http://www.dalnet.se/~surfcity/china_chin.htm

Chin attained his pilot's license in America,was trained by the Luftwaffe in Germany,and later serving both in the Chinese and US air forces.

Eden Zhang · Post by **Eden Zhang** » 17 Aug 2004 14:12

Hi there Peter H!

Hey, an Aussie moderator! Where abouts in Australia do you live?

Would you happend to have any information on the "Flying Tigers"? They were a Chinese fighter squadron that were trained and equipped by the Americans during World War 2.

Alter Mann · Post by **Alter Mann** » 17 Aug 2004 15:36

Eden, I hope you are mistaken. From all that I have read the 'Flying Tigers' was an all American unit. If I am not mistaken, the unit was made up predominately of U.S. military fighter pilots that had ibeen allowed to take a leave of abscence to fight for the Nationalist Chinese against the Japanese. This unit was eventually absorbed into the Army Air Corps. The fighter they used was the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. Several of the pilots became 'aces' and the unit's losses were very low. The commanding officer was Claire Chennault who later became a General in the US Air Force.

Eden Zhang · Post by **Eden Zhang** » 18 Aug 2004 03:36

Alte Mann wrote:Eden, I hope you are mistaken. From all that I have read the 'Flying Tigers' was an all American unit. If I am not mistaken, the unit was made up predominately of U.S. military fighter pilots that had ibeen allowed to take a leave of abscence to fight for the Nationalist Chinese against the Japanese. This unit was eventually absorbed into the Army Air Corps. The fighter they used was the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. Several of the pilots became 'aces' and the unit's losses were very low. The commanding officer was Claire Chennault who later became a General in the US Air Force.

I most likely am

Sorry, it was about 12:00 am when I wrote that. Anyway, what I meant to say is: Is there any information about the Chinese that served in the Flying Tigers?

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 18 Aug 2004 11:58

Eden,
The Flying Tigers were all-American,with no Chinese Nationals as crew:

http://www.flyingtigersavg.com/camco.htm

A good start:

http://www.flyingtigersavg.com/

I'm currently living in Melbourne.

Regards,
Peter

Eden Zhang · Post by **Eden Zhang** » 18 Aug 2004 12:48

The Flying Tigers were all-American,with no Chinese Nationals as crew:

Oh alright. I must be mistaken or confused...

Were there any flying units with Chinese nationals? Thanks a lot for the links by the way.

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 18 Aug 2004 13:54

Eden,

This on the 'mercenary' fliers pre Flying Tigers:

http://www.afa.org/magazine/june1999/0699tiger.asp

And the Chinese Air Force:

http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v2/v2n2/china30s.html

http://www.sinoam.com/PhotoGallery9.htm

A list of all Chinese aces can be found here.The fliers that had the unit notation USAAF are Chinese Nationals serving with the Chinese-American Composite Wing:

http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/china2.html

The Chinese-American Composite Wing,a combat unit of Chinese and American pilots:

http://www.sinoam.com/photo_gallery_5-1.htm

http://www.sinoam.com/photo%20gallery%2 ... cw4_lg.jpg

Goldfish · Post by **Goldfish** » 18 Aug 2004 15:34

The American Volunteer Group was not an American unit. They were a unit of the Chinese Air Force and always treated as such. The AVG was also not absorbed into the USAAF. The AVG was disbanded as a unit of the Chinese Air Force on July 4th, 1942. Some of the AVG members (which included 100 pilots and 200 ground crew at its height) signed up with the USAAF in China. Others rejoined the US military after a brief visit home and others joined the Chinese National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) and flew cargo over the "Hump" during the war.

The AVG members were not in any way paid or compensated (by the USAF) for their time in the service of China and were not even given medals by the USAF for their service until the 1990's. Two former AVG pilots, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington and James Howard, were awarded the Medal of Honor for their service after the AVG.

The AVG was replaced by the 23rd Fighter Group of the China Air Task Force (CATF) and eventually by the 14th US Army Air Force.

Alter Mann · Post by **Alter Mann** » 18 Aug 2004 16:14

Goldfish, I never meant to suggest that the AVG was functioning as a part of the US military during their time in China. I never meant to suggest that the US was paying them anything. Hence, 'leave of abscence'.

I was not aware of the way that the unit was finally disbanded and the disposition of the members. I've read bits about the AVG in several books, but most of them were supposed to be historical fiction. I guess I got the information I paid for, right or wrong.

Thank you for setting the record straight.

Goldfish · Post by **Goldfish** » 18 Aug 2004 23:02

You can get the full story of the AVG, including occasional posts by AVG vets at:

http://www.flyingtigersavg.com

I also recommend the following:

Books by former AVG members

Baisden, Chuck. Flying Tiger to Air Commando.
Bond, Charles. A Flying Tiger's Diary.
Chennault, Claire Lee. Way of a Fighter.
Greenlaw, Olga. Lady and the Tigers.
Howard, James. Roar of the Tiger.
Losonsky, Frank. Flying Tiger: A Crew Chief's Story.
Shilling, Erik. Destiny: A Flying Tiger's Rendezvous With Fate.
Smith, Robert M. With Chennault in China: A Flying Tiger's Diary.
Smith, Robert T. Tale of a Tiger.

Other good books about the AVG

Byrd, Martha. Chennault: Giving Wings to the Tiger.
Ford, Daniel. Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and the American Volunteer Group [This book is very controversial among former AVG members, but remains the only scholarly history of the AVG]
Pistole, Larry. Pictorial History of the Flying Tigers

Unsere_Freiheit · Post by **Unsere_Freiheit** » 25 Aug 2004 03:13

my grandfather's brother-in-law was in the Flying Tigers and was shot down by Japanese fighters but survived.

Goldfish · Post by **Goldfish** » 25 Aug 2004 13:22

What is his name? Is he still alive? I would love to hear more about him!

Unsere_Freiheit · Post by **Unsere_Freiheit** » 30 Sep 2004 03:23

I think i have to ask my grandfather

after the war my grandfather's brother-in-law moved to Canada and died there.

My grandfather got a photo of him,but well,no scanner

agbug · Post by **agbug** » 12 Nov 2004 20:08

Hi All.

Thanks for all the previously listed infomation it been a great help.
I am trying to find out more information on my grandfather who left San Francisco around Jan 23, 1938 along with a group of fellow American Chinese who served in the Chinese Air Force. From the pictures, he appears to have flow a Chinese Light Bomber - Douglas O-2MC. It appears they got their pilot training in Oakland and He was orginally from Toyshan county in GuongDong. Any information on this group or what they did will be deeply appreciated. I will try to post some of his pictures when i can get them scanned.
Thansk All

waldorf · Post by **waldorf** » 09 Jan 2005 20:10

Victor posted a great site dealing with wwII biplanes as well as nations who used them, campaigns used in, and aces.

W.

http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/china.htm

the link posted starts with the Chinese biplane aces, but you can get back to other topics through the main menu.

Axis History Forum

Chinese Biplane Aces

Chinese Biplane Aces

Flying Tigers

Re: Flying Tigers

Chinese Biplane Fighter Aces

American Chinese in the Chinese Air Force