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China Pilot: Flying for Chennault During the Cold War Paperback – August 17, 2000

by Felix Smith (Author)

4.8 42 ratings

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A pilot for the China-based airline reputed to be the most shot at in the world, Felix Smith recounts in vivid detail his experiences ferrying troops and equipment for the Nationalists during China's civil war; providing medicine and supplies to war-torn regions; and flying under CIA contract during the French war in Indochina, the Korean War, America's secret war in Laos, and the Vietnam War. China Pilot provides a rare view of the Cold War in Asia, documenting not only the hair-raising adventures of Civil Air Transport's pilots but also those of the men and women behind the scenes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

After WWII, Claire Chennault, founder of the Flying Tigers, organized a collection of pilots into a company called Civil Air Transport (CAT), which delivered food, ammo, medical supplies and reinforcements to the Nationalists during China's 1946-1949 civil war. The author of this vigorous, anecdote-packed memoir was one of their number. Here he recalls his adventures in the wild blue yonder and some of the raffish characters he met on terra firma, many of them straight out of "Terry and the Pirates": Y.L. Yang, the Cigarette King, who helped finance the airline; Chiang Hseuh-liang, the Young Marshall, whose feud with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek became legendary; James "Earthquake Magoon" McGovern, the Falstaffian CAT pilot who went down in flames on a relief mission to Dienbienphu. Smith describes CAT's involvement on the margins of the wars in Korea, Laos and Vietnam and its role in establishing the Nationalists on Taiwan. He further reveals how the airline retained its private identity after becoming a major air arm of the CIA. His view of the various wars is unabashedly romantic, but the memoir as a whole is wonderfully entertaining. Illustrations. (From Publishers Weekly; Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

This is one of thoe rare treats for aviation history enthusiasts: a book by a superb pilot who also happens to be a first-rate writer. (Carl Molesworth)

Better than anyone else [Felix Smith] evokes the sights, smells, and sounds of China. . . . China Pilot is a wonderful book. It belongs on the shelf of every admirer of Chennault and his unorthodox forces..... (Air & Space)

About the Author

During his thirty-year career in Asia, Felix Smith flew ten different types of airplanes more than eight million miles. He lives in rural Wisconsin.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Smithsonian; First American Edition (August 17, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1560983981
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1560983989
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.84 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #20 in Korean War Personal Narratives
- #77 in Korean War Aviation History
- #216 in Historical China Biographies

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4.8 42 ratings

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Helen Pennington

How we Lost China & Korea & Indochina

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2022

Verified Purchase

Although I am in my seventy’s I was busy raising a family & living my middle class life afforded to me by my father who fought in WWII and husband who fought in Viet Nam I never really understood what had transpired after WWII ended. I did not expect this book to offer a true insight as to what and how we became involved in current battles. I highly recommend this book to any person Interested in the how & why.

One person found this helpful

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Michael T. McCaffrey

China Pilot

Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2003

Verified Purchase

Having spent an appreciable amount of time in Asia myself, and being an admirer of the exploits of the famed Flying Tigers (AVG), I ordered four books at one time. I saved this book for last, since Mr. Smith was not an original member of the Flying Tigers. After reading, and enjoying the others, I began Mr. Smith's CHINA PILOT. I don't know what I thought I would get out of this book, but I loved it! Felix Smith was obviously one of the very best pilots working in an Asia in turmoil at that time. His narration of the many adventures he was involved in draw the reader right into the cockpit with him. I could SEE Earthquake Magoon! I could SMELL the warm night air through the open cockpit window while flying over some jungle in Vietnam or Laos. I wholeheartedly recommend this fine book to those interested in the Far East and the many roles the AVG-CAT-Air America played during those decades of turbulence. Mr. Smith, if you happen to read this: excellent job! Both on the book, and particularly your interesting life.
Mike McCaffrey
Department of State/Foreign Service - Retired

8 people found this helpful

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Groundpounder

A Compelling Read

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2003

Verified Purchase

Felix Smith is a gifted writer, who is able to describe a scene or an incident with carefully selected, compact, beautiful prose. There are plenty of flying stories for the aviation enthusiast in this book, but the writing is never too technical to confuse the uninitiated. His story of China in turmoil, and a shoestring airline staffed with unusual characters, is compelling indeed, and is thoroughly recommended.
My one criticism is the lack of historical thread of the airline after its ejection from China. The book breaks down to a series of interesting anecdotes, but the background on how CAT evolved, how it acquired jets, how Smith himself transitioned to sophisticated jet transports, is missing. I found many of the later anecdotes, though well written and compelling, oddly out of context, and wondered how they fitted into the big picture. This wasn't helped by Smith's technique of sometimes mentioning a character, and only introducing him in later pages, which has you thumbing back through the book seeing if perhaps you'd missed a passage.
But these are small criticisms indeed, and the book is a very enjoyable read of a turbulent and, frankly, romantic era of aviation.

4 people found this helpful

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AFT

Fascinating first hand account

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2021

Verified Purchase

I’m about 50 pages into this book and already find it difficult to put down.

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H M Lloyd

History of last centuries wars in Asia

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2021

Verified Purchase

A lovely, humane book about war, the personal cost and a clear, conscious narrator.

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BillN

The subject is getting to be a dim memory with ...

Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

The subject is getting to be a dim memory with most folks. But Felix Smith writes with an I-was-there perspective that brings the milieu and the Asia-oriented intrigue very well. Excellent--and might be used for a US aviation classroom if any ever pop up in the future.

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05/11A

Flying in China dn Indochina...the men who flew!

Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2015

Verified Purchase

Some years ago while on leave from Afghanistan, I visited the island of Mallorca (off the eastern coast of Spain/Barcelona). I was invited to a US Navy League meeting to mix with several of the US expatriates who lived on the island.

The absolutely upscale estate development call Son Vita (perhaps the most upscale in Spain) was hosted by Steve Kusick, who along with James Mc Govern ("Earthquake Magoon") made the last flight over Dien Bien Phu. We talked for about 30 minutes as he remembered the daring days of flying for the Flying Tigers and later Civil Air Transport. Steve left China with gold for his efforts to help the Nationalist Chinese and bought the beautiful valley as mentioned Son Vita. He married one of Franco's generals daughters and began to develop Son Vita.

Steve was in his mid-80's and no doubt not with us today. Mr. Smith brings to life these brave men working on the edges of life and death daily.

RH. Haiti, Bosnia Croatia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq, South Sudan & Uganda.