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| AMERICAN
VOLUNTEER GROUP "THE FLYING TIGERS": |
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12b. A group of "Flying Tigers" and their commander, Claire L. Chennault are photographed while holding an informal briefing at Kunming, China in early 1942. | ||||||||
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13. AVG Flight Leader Robert "Duke" Hedman is seen in front of his Tomahawk fighter at Toungoo, Burma during the summer of 1941. Note that his aircraft has yet to be painted with the AVG's signature sharks teeth and eyes. "Duke" Hedman would become the AVG's only "ace-in-one-day," when he shot down five Japanese aircraft, three Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" fighters and two Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Judy" bombers over Rangoon, Burma on December 23, 1942. | ||||||||
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14. Crew Chief Charlie Misenheimer, a member of the AVG’s ground support staff is photographed at the nose of one of the Group’s P-40 Tomahawks. This photograph was taken on the AVG airfield at Kunming, in early 1942. A Ryan PT-19 training aircraft of the Chinese Air Force can be seen in the background. | ||||||||
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15. The Commander of the AVG, Claire L. Chennault is photographed while working in his office in Kunming, China. Seated to the right of Chennault, is his friend and constant companion Joe Dash the Dashound. | ||||||||
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16. A young Chinese soldier looks on as an AVG mechanic works on the Allison V-1710 engine of an AVG P-40 Tomahawk fighter at Kunming, China, in early 1942. |
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17. Ground crew members of the AVG’s 3rd Pursuit Squadron, Hell’s Angels” are photographed in front of one of the Squadron’s Tomahawk fighters on the AVG airfield at Kunming, China in early 1942. |
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18. The pilots of the AVG’s 3rd Pursuit Squadron, “Hell’s Angels” are photographed in front of one of the Squadron’s Tomahawk fighter on the AVG’s airfield at Kunming, China in early 1942. |
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19. Commander of the AVG’s 2nd Squadron, David “Tex”Hill is seen in the cockpit of his P-40 Tomahawk fighter. Initially trained as a navy torpedo bomber pilot, Hill became one of the AVG’s most successful fighter pilots, with 12 and a quarter confirmed aerial victories. Upon the decommissioning of the AVG, “Tex” chose to remain in China by joining the U.S. Army Air Force and serving as the commander of the China Air Task Forces’ 23rd Fighter Group’s 75th Fighter Squadron. While commanding the 75th Fighter Squadron, “Tex” would be credited with a further 4 aerial victories. Following a long rest and reassignment in the U.S., “Tex” returned to China in late 1943, where promoted to full Colonel and in command of the 23 rd Fighter Group, “Tex” would be credited with 2 further aerial combat victories, for an overall total 18 and a quarter confirmed aerial victories in the Chinese Therater of Operations. Following one of the most colorful and distinguished aerial combat careers of the Second World War, with service in the U.S. Navy, the Chinese Air Force, the U.S. Army Air Force and eventually the U.S. Air Force, David “Tex” Hill would ultimately retire from active military service with the rank of Brigadier General, in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. |
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