Tuesday, November 20, 2018

HANDFUL OF AMERICAN PILOTS SHOOT DOWN 300 JAP WARPLANES IN 90 DAYS

 Life Magazine Photograph

Life Magazine March 30, 1942 Flying Tigers in Burma 

One shining hope has emerged from three catastrophic months of war. That is the American Volunteer Group of fighter pilots, the so-called "Flying Tigers" of Burma and southeast China who paint the jaws of a shark on their Curtiss P40's. Outnumbered often ten to one, they have so far shot down about 300 Jap planes, killed perhaps 800 Jap airmen. They have violently wrenched from the Jap Air Force control of the skies over Burma and southeast China. They have conclusively proved what was once only a Yankee belief: that one American flier is equal to two or three daps. "Give me," said U.S. Lieutenant General Brett in Australia last week, "100 fighters to 200 Japs and I'll lick them every time. And I am not disparaging the Japs. They are good fighters." On the following pages LIFE presents the first full-length portrait of the Flying Tigers in action, taken by LIFE Photographer George Rodger before Jap ground forces seized the A.V.G. base al Rangoon.

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2 comments:

  1. That was back when American men were men instead of college programmed socialist snowflakes.

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