Customer Reviews

Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942

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The American Volunteer Group (AVG), aka The Flying Tigers, are legendary. What young boy growing up in the 1940s and 50s has not been enthralled with John Wayne and the movie, Flying Tigers ? Great stuff. Most Americans believe the AVG was fighting the Japanese months, if not years, before Pearl Harbor. The truth is a little more prosaic. They flew their first combat mission 3 days after Pearl Harbor and made their first claim only on Dec 20th, 1941.

Daniel Ford originally published this book in the early 1990s. He did this with official records of the group from US archival sources as well as Japanese historians who worked for years on official Japanese records and first person AVG and Japanese stories to flesh out these records.

Ford was attacked, endlessly, by "keepers of the legend" as well as former AVG members still alive. The reason is he lent a truth and perspective. The AVG is officially credited with over 290 Japanese aircraft shot down over Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. Official Japanese records credit them with about ½ that amount. Over the years, the stories and accomplishments grew. The AVG claimed they could only be credited with half the amount they actually shot down because so many were behind Japanese lines. So they claimed at least 600, then it has grown to close to 1,000. The AVG people claim that official Japanese records are lies, perpetuated to this day.

It is a shame this goes on. Their record, even with less kills, is one to be proud of. The AVG fought courageously with an aircraft inferior in some ways to Japanese machines, in appalling living conditions with an ally, Chang-Kai-shek, who did not really care about the war, per se, but only holding his power and position against the Chinese communists in the show-down to come. The AVG's record deserves to be a legend, but not quite the John Wayne type.

Ford laid all this out in his first edition in a very readable of historical book. This second edition corrects some errors, adds information and comments on his on-going controversy with the keepers of the AVG legend. If this interests you at all, buy this book, admire their accomplishments and admire Dan Ford for his ground-breaking work.

As a professional author, I can attest that few of us get to rewrite a book, making use of "new" material. (There seems a law of the universe that as soon as a book hits the street, that hard-to-find bit of info finally turns up!) Fortunately for the cause of aviation history, Dan Ford is one of "the few."

Ford's definitive history of the AVG caused a sensation when first published, mainly because he dared challenge the conventional wisdom, not to mention the mythology attending the Flying Tigers. With passage of enough time, the worth of his initial effort became even more apparent, and even some of his critics within the AVG began acknowledging that he got far more right than wrong.

Apart from new material, the second edition retains the strengths of the first: honest scholarship and good writing. Ford clearly admires his subjects, but succeedds in telling the human side of the legendary airmen and the ground staff that "kept 'em flying." Claire Chennault's faults and foibles lend credence to the overall worth of this fine effort, which is unlikely ever to be surpassed.

The Flying Tigers are one of the few legends of American history. But in this skeptical age, it's hard to believe a legend. Author Dan Ford brings a historian's skills to researching what really happened in Burma and China when a handful of volunteer American airmen took on virtually the entire Japanese Army Air Force in southern China and southeast Asia. Ford shows that, while--not unusually--the Tigers are credited with destroying more enemy planes than they actually did, the number of planes that can be reliably confirmed as destroyed by them is still phenomenal, considering the odds they faced, the poor conditions they flew in, and the almost total lack of support from the U.S. Ford has the novelist's knack of being able to evoke the feel of a place with a few key words and phrases. After reading his book, you know what it was like to be in Rangoon as the British Empire crumbled and the barbarian invader closed in. -- CDB

The American Volunteer Group -- aka The Flying Tigers -- are the United States' own Knights of the Air. And like their RAF counterparts, who held the line against the Luftwaffe in 1940, have benefited from endless mythologizing ever since.
The Flying Tigers' story is every bit as romantic as Dowding's Fighter Boys: The Tigers inflicted the first losses on an enemy that seemed invincible, and fought in an exotic and alien landscape at the end of a fragile supply chain thousands of miles long.
Daniel Ford and Derek Robinson were both attacked in the '90s when their books came out -- "The Flying Tigers" and "Piece of Cake," respectively -- casting a more realistic light on the AVG and RAF's accomplishments.
But any controversy here is misplaced: As Ford makes clear, the Tigers' accomplishments are heroic and thrilling enough without the gloss of mythology. He has done a fine chop or portraying what was in fact a desperate time for the Allies -- particularly Americans in the Far East facing the Japanese onslought.
In reality, The Flying Tigers mainly fought holding actions with an occasional offensive action thrown in when the Old Man thought he could get away with it. This excellent book shows the Tigers in a new and honorable light -- but also makes it clear they were haggard, worn-out and on the verge of revolt at times. New research is incorporated effectively into the text: Ford's exhaustive work includes interviews with the Tigers' Japanese opponents, evaulation of JAAF records and -- most amusing for me -- delightful accounts from Japanese newspapers highlighting Tokyo's "spin" on the pesky "Flying Cats."
This is a fine piece of aviation history and I highly recommend it.

Being a History buff I really got into this book. One of the most interesting parts of the book was how the author compared the actual confirmed reports of downed aircraft to those on both sides. It is not surprizing that in the heat of battle two or more pilots may claim the same kill. Also the myths put forth in various shows on the History Channel stating that the "Flying Tigers only lost One air craft to emeny fire", proved to be untrue. The book is a good read and hard to put down. A great insite into a great man.

I consider myself an aviation history buff, and this book did not disappoint me in it's historical content. What did annoy me greatly (to the point that I found myself yelling at the book) was the author's intense need to qualify the "Official" versus the "Actual" victory totals. Each air battle was well described and pulled me into the fight, only to have EVERY victory account followed immediately by the authors discount of the numbers. He relies heavily on Japanese loss records and unit strength reports to cut nearly in half the AVG kill claims. I do understand that some inflation of numbers may have occurred, but I feel that it is distracting to the narrative and flow of the story to end every recount with the authors disclaimer. It is as if the author is being paid for every AVG victory that he can discount.
I feel that this information could be an overall disclaimer at either the beginning or at the end of the book, and would have allowed me to better enjoy the read.
I could recommend this book, as long as you know what to expect.

Ford has written a controversial book but historians like controversy. I am a pilot, and professional Sino-American historian of the same period Ford is writing, although not of the Tigers. I was thoroughly entertained as well as impressed by the research throughout.

The claims against Ford are vigorous but I've not seen any that lay out a reasonable defense of their argument, or a reasonable attack on Ford. I suspect there will never be any which can come close to substantiating AVG's legendary claims, although I'd also suspect that if someone ever puts the time and energy into it he/she could come up with a few more than 120 planes, the total number of enemy aircraft which Ford allows were destroyed by AVG. But, perhaps not, perhaps he is right. In any case, what Ford has done VERY successfully is to stimulate a topic for deeper and more serious historical research and has moved us closer to the truth than before his book was published. This is an invaluable contribution and as a historian myself this is what I hope to accomplish each time I start writing.

The one thing that would have been nice to see is a more thorough explanation of why such discrepancies. This is provided throughout the book actually, but not generally in great detail in the context of specific battles. I would like to know how, exactly, AVG pilots thought they shot down nine planes yet the JAAF, and Ford, claim only one lost. More research would have been nice.... however.... in a book of popular history, which aims to sell lots of copies and attract the armchair historian, cannot dig too deeply into the technical details. Academic writing doesn't sell too well. But Ford has really found a very nice balance in this book. As for accuracy, another reviewer said, and I'll repeat, Ford got much more right than he got wrong.

I read the book to my young boys, who thoroughly enjoyed it. Ford's writing is great! I'd wholeheartedly recommend this book for a quick read. Couldn't put it down and my boys yelled at me if I tried to get up and get another hot cup of tea.

GREAT BOOK FOR A HUSBAND THAT LOVES HISTORY AND THE FLYING TIGERS. HE WAS SUPRISED AT CHRISTMAS TO RECEIVE THIS BOOK. OUR BOAT HAS THE FLYING TIGERS MOUTH PAINTED ON THE FRONT.

Ford's "Flying Tigers" is the best, most thorough history of the American Volunteer Group I have read to date. It is an enjoyable read, rich in detail, and has just enough personal drama without compromising its historical integrity. Many reviewers have already focused on reviewing the book in general, but I'd like to focus on one particular application of the book: as a great source for a research paper.

First off, the AVG is an excellent topic for a research paper. World War II was such a big war, you can take an entire college-level class on the conflict and never hear the AVG mentioned (as I did), and professors tend to like it when their students choose a topic that was not covered extensively in class (said my professor: "I'm telling you right now, I do not want ANOTHER paper on D-Day").

Obviously, anyone writing a paper will want more than one source, but Ford has written an easily-comprehended and almost totally comprehensive book. I used roughly six sources for my 13-page paper, and of the 75+ citations I made Ford's book was in all but two of them.

Ford covers two areas primarily: the career of Claire Chennault up until the AVG disbanded, and the actions of the Flying Tigers while they were still the AVG. If your paper would need detailed information of the Sino-Japanese conflict leading up to 1941, or to cover anything after the AVG disbanded (note that the US Army force that moved in to replace the AVG also called themselves the "Flying Tigers, so don't be confused), you would need to read something else in addition to this book (such as Into the Teeth of the Tiger, which is a autobiography that documents a good chunk of the post-AVG conflict with cameos from major characters from Ford's book).

And, of infinite value to someone writing a paper, Ford's book features an extensive index and appendices for quick reference.

As far as sources go, Ford's book is hard to beat. If you are in a modern or military history class and are hunting for a topic, consider the AVG. Ford's book will make your life much easier.

This is a good documentary on Claire Chennault and his American Volunteers, 1941-42, aka Flying Tigers in China. This is the story between American and Chinese peoples as comrade in arms fighting the aggressive Empire of the Sun, Japan. They are the Greatest Generation who was still honored and admired in China as well as in America. I met two of them, one Chinese, one american at the San Francisco Consul General celebration of V-J Day 2011. It is refreshing to read this comradeship and friendship in this book almost seventy years later.

It is interesting to read P.246 that "despite what western historians have written about the lack of spirit in Chiang's army, Japanese accounts of the Burma campaign leave no doubt that they considered the Chinese the tougher foe".

I recommend this book for all Americans, especially the e-generation so that they understand freedom is not free. It is the Greatest Generation who made tremendous sacrifice so that we all enjoy the peace and freedom.
First Blood for the Flying Tigers: Twelve days after Pearl Harbor, a band of American mercenaries took their revenge on the Empire of Japan
WWII: Battle for China The Flying Tigers and the Stilwell Road
WWII: Battle for China The Flying Tigers and the Stilwell Road
The Flying Tiger: The True Story of General Claire Chennault and the U.S. 14th Air Force in China