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

Daniel Ford’s Flying Tigers is the high-flying history of a group of American aviators who took to the skies over southeast Asia in 1941 to challenge the seemingly unstoppable military might of the Japanese empire, which had begun its juggernaut –like march across much of Asia and the Pacific. Lured by promises of high pay and bounties by the beleaguered Chinese government, the rough-and-tumble Americans flew with guts and bravado and, though nearly always outnumbered and under-supplied, downed more than 100 Japanese planes from 1941 through 1942.This is fantastic history, painstakingly researched by author Daniel Ford, from a composite of both western and eastern sources that is sweeping in scope and balanced in perspective. At the same time, this is far from a stodgy historical tome; the dogfights are pulse-poundingly recreated from the hammer of the machine guns to whine of straining engines and propellers. Ford evokes all the nail-biting chaos and split-second maneuvering of aerial combat, drawing directly from the logs, diaries, and records of the combatants. I know (only because Ford clues us in the preface) that there is considerable controversy regarding the number of “kills” accredited to the Tigers, but whatever the actual number is, it does little to diminish the bravery or gumption of the pilots. (And to be fair, by the close of the book, Ford often a pretty good case when it comes to the final tally of downed aircraft).This is also not a novel penned through rose-colored glasses. Ford acknowledges that while patriotism played a role, money was also a motivator. There’s certainly a sense of a proto-military-industrialism among some of the backers of the AVG operation, and the Tigers themselves tend toward the Hand Solo-side of things rather than the more altruistic Luke Skywalker-type. Throw in femme fatales like green-eyed Olga Greenlaw and the mysterious Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and the mythology fairly writes itself. To his credit, Ford doesn’t give in to this lure and sticks to the facts, but the characters, locale, time period, and subject matter are simply irresistible and fairly beg for pulpy fictionalization.Bottom line ... Ford delivers a solid historical narrative that never skimps on the details, but reads like an adventure novel. Bravo! And, to echo the author, all honor to the men and women of the Flying Tigers.

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.

Daniel Ford has done something that took more than a little moral courage. The American Volunteer Group, aka "The Flying Tigers," have acquired mythic status in the annals of American arms. Ford has gone back to the roots of the myth, to what actually happened; and written a compelling, if at times tedious, history of the Flying Tigers.He has done an excellent job of placing them in the context of their times. He interviewed a number of surviving Tigers, including the lesser lights of the Group, and told the truth with at best only a little varnish. He provides the specifications of the aircraft used by both sides over China and Burma, and precisely details who was stationed where, when and with how many aircraft of what types, on both sides.He gives a good look at the interactions between Chennault, Chiang, Madame Chiang, Stilwell and Bissell; and their patrons and enemies back in Washington. How the assorted feuds amongst the principals and their patrons affected the war in the air and on the ground has never been analyzed in quite this way before. One thing I like was that Ford presents the facts as he unearthed them, and leaves it to the reader to draw conclusions as to how things went wrong and what could have been done differently, and who could have done them differently.Ford brings the myths crashing down in flames. But he then erects a new monument to a group of heroes, some of them reluctant and all with feet of clay, who did the impossible for the ungrateful with almost nothing at all. The reader will, I think, take away an even greater respect for the men (and women) of the American Volunteer Group than he brought to the book before reading.This one belongs on the bookshelf of all who study World War II and how it brought about the world we live in today.

As the responses by reviewers indicate it is always brave foe a historian to take on a legend, you are bound to be accused either of hagiography or libel by people who are more comfortable with a received version.Ford has clearly researched this deeply and, most importantly, consulted Japanese Records and in doing so he has discovered that, surprise surprise, victory claims may have been inflated. The RAF has undergone similar questioning of its claims during the Battle of Britain and it is important to remember that an attempt to back up a "truth" about such emotive events with hard evidence in the archives is not to insult the memory of some very brave and skilled pilots. It is actually to do them the credit that their story is historically important worth investigating in the context of its time and the need for heroes and myths.I came to the book looking for background about the experiences of the AVG in Burma and it stands up both as good history and a gripping narrative. That is one of the problems of stories like this. You could not make it up, yet Hollywood was almost from the start with the John Wayne film "Flying Tigers" made in 1942.Daniel Ford goes back to the core story and does it justice.

Wonderful.

Good Book.

Very good

Well researched definitive history of this iconic group.