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Tale of a Tiger Hardcover – January 1, 1986

by Robert T. Smith (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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Bob Smith was all of 10 when, against parental orders, he got his first airplane ride in a rickety old biplane flown by a barn storming pilot from a cow pasture outside the little Nebraska town where he lived. From that moment on there was no doubt in his mind as to what he would do when he grew up; he would become a pilot, and seek adventure in far-away places that most people find only between the covers of National Geographic. After attending the University of Nebraska, Smith began his flight training as a flying cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1939, completed the rigorous training program and was commissioned a second Lieutenant in June of 1940. A year later, now a flight instructor at Randolph Field, Texas, he learned that a small number of military pilots were being allowed to resign their commissions in order to volunteer for duty as fighter pilots in the Chinese Air Force. The idea was to put a stop to the indiscriminate bombing attacks of the Japanese invaders, with particular emphasis on keeping open the Burma Road, China's only remaining lifeline for supply from the outside world. Although he had never flown a fighter plane, indeed have never ever seen a P-40 - the type with which the little group of volunteers was to be equipped – this sounded like an opportunity much too good to pass up. So it was that in July of 1941, nearly 6 months before Pearl Harbor was attacked, "R.T." as he was now called was on a boat heading for Burma. Those far-away places in the adventure he sought were soon to be found in untold abundance!... Tale Of A Tiger takes the reader along on wild and hazardous flights into the skies over Burma and China, told by one of the leading Aces of the Hell's Angels squadron who was involved from beginning to end. Smith's diary is reproduced in its original form, exactly as written at the time, with a generous helping of interesting and insightful footnotes, plus dozens of photos, many never before published. --- from book's dustjacket
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    362 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Tiger Originals
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1986
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0961801204
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0961801205
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tiger Originals (January 1, 1986)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 362 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0961801204
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0961801205
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.75 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
10 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

jose panlilio
5.0 out of 5 stars For American Volunteer Group fans, R. T. ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
For American Volunteer Group fans, R.T. Smith's recollection of his early war years in remote parts of China at the crucial point of when that country needed it from clandestine American pilots and soldiers is delivered to the reader so clearly as if it those events happened recently. It is honorable to also remember the sacrifices of blood and lives of these about 300 men and women who engaged the Japanese from late '41 to late July '42, when the USA forces were all degraded or imprisoned from Bataan, Corregidor and Honolulu; while the country needed hope and heroes to look up to. Propitious it is to read this when we are around the 70th Anniversary of the formal signing of V-J day this 2015 year.
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pantdino
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written and interesting to hear the real story of a Tiger.
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2018
Verified Purchase
Well written and interesting to hear the real story of a Tiger. Lots of sitting around waiting for action. :)
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SR
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I have ever brought
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
One of the best books I have ever brought, fantastic deal, thank you very much this book means a lot to me and my family!
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Ron Sandberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading!! Looking fwd to the next book!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
To me this was a fantastic book .I don't want to get to the end!!!!! Lots of unknown stories of the AVG.
One person found this helpful
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Legrape
5.0 out of 5 stars You are right there in the action
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2011
This is an annotated diary. So what is written was done so with no knowledge of what tomorrow would bring. So you get a sense of being there. His annotations of each entry complete the book. There are many Flying Tiger books, and all I have read are great, but this one is unique. We are lucky his family said to publish it as-is, and not write the book he had never got around to. Another thing that makes the book real, the diary is in his own handwriting. Beautiful handwriting so you can read it. Mr Smith lived nearby when I read the book, but sadly passed away before I could meet him.
6 people found this helpful
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A. de Lachica
5.0 out of 5 stars Great tale!
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2004
This was my very first Flying Tiger book that I purchased over 10 years ago. I got the book directly from Flying Tiger ace, R.T. Smith. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The beginning is a narrative that sets up what the AVG (American Volunteer Group) was all about and how they got to China in the first place during the summer and fall months of 1941. R.T. then offers the actual printed copies taken from his daily diary which he kept throughout his time with the Tigers. His entries are relatively short and really give you the sense that that's what you would write if you were there. Great photos dot the book and he does include short notes at the bottom of the pages to clear things up. It's a very easy but informative read.

Overall, a great book and highly recommended if you want to learn more about the real Flying Tigers from one of their aces. I strongly recommend buying all of the books written by members of the AVG in order to understand these true American heroes who offered their lives for China and the U.S. during the dark days when WWII was just beginning.
10 people found this helpful
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Amaxon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Like Reading Something Found in an Old Trunk
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2014
Unlike most other books, this does not know the future, or draw your attention to the larger events occurring just out of sight. Using actual copies of pages from his diary, the Flying Tigers- short of supplies, without radar warnings, learned to fight a new kind of war- creating a legend in barely 7 months. It was new because fighters had always been about maneuverability; the best ones out-turned the enemy, and .30 cal machine guns were considered normal. The P-40s were big, better armed, but could not turn with the Japanese; however P-40s could dive, and protected the pilot better. So Chennault taught the men to maximize their advantages. Soon, the Japanese lost too many planes and reduced their wanton bomb attacks on Chinese cities:
'May 11, 1942-
Another day off with nothing happening. We had one alarm, but again no Jap planes showed up. Spent part of the day packing and getting ready for the move to Chungking.
The Chinese have pushed the Japs back down the road a little more & perhaps they can hold them, for a while at least.
Went on alert again at 5:00 this a.m. Spent a very quiet day, with no alarms whatever.
Went to town with Skip after dinner, rode around, & stopped in some shops to look at silk and embroidery work.
We found out later about the strafing mission to Hanoi.
Jones took a flight of six from the second Sqdn. & hit the field there at about 5:30 this p.m. They set fire to about 15 ships [airplanes] on the field, but Donovan was shot down. - It wasn't worth it. ' (p. 309) The pilot had a strong premonition of death; Donovan left a very heartfelt message to send his folks if he did not return, and Smith repeats it here.
Smith was part of the 'Old Flying Tigers', and did not stay on when it was absorbed by the new 14th Air Force- some personality clashes between the old and new chieftans. The guys took their pay and went back to the U.S. where cooler heads saw their potential and re-integrated them into new units needing voices of experience... but that is a subject for another book.
5 people found this helpful
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