Flying Tigers | United States military - Encyclopedia Britannica

Flying Tigers, byname of American Volunteer Group, American volunteer pilots recruited by Claire L. Chennault, a retired U.S. Army captain, ... FlyingTigers TableofContents FlyingTigers Introduction FastFacts Facts&RelatedContent More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Politics,Law&Government Military FlyingTigers UnitedStatesmilitary Actions Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Flying-Tigers GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites TexasStateHistoricalAssociation-TheHandbookofTexasOnline-FlyingTigers BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. FlyingTigers-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Flying-Tigers More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites TexasStateHistoricalAssociation-TheHandbookofTexasOnline-FlyingTigers BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. FlyingTigers-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) Alternatetitles:AVG,AmericanVolunteerGroup By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory TableofContents Date: 1941-1942 ...(Showmore) RelatedPeople: ClaireL.Chennault ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ FlyingTigers,bynameofAmericanVolunteerGroup,AmericanvolunteerpilotsrecruitedbyClaireL.Chennault,aretiredU.S.Armycaptain,tofighttheJapaneseinBurma(Myanmar)andChinaduring1941–42,atatimewhenJapan’scontroloverChina’sportsandtransportationsystemhadalmostcutoffChina’sNationalistgovernmentfromtheoutsideworld.Facingchronicshortagesoffuel,parts,andpilots,thissmallcompanyofairfightersneverthelessscoredvictoryaftervictoryoverthefarlargerandbetter-equippedJapaneseairforce.Theyflewsupplies,providedaircoverfortheBurmaRoad,succeededinprotectingtheChinesecapitalofChungking,andfoughttheJapaneseoversouthwesternandotherpartsofChina.Surprise,mobility,precisionflying,andunorthodoxtacticsenabledtheTigerstooutwittheJapaneseandinflictconsiderabledamageontheirairandgroundforces.OnJuly4,1942,membersoftheunitwhowishedwereabsorbedintotheU.S.10thAirForceandbecamethenucleusoftheChinaAirTaskForce(reorganizedinMarch1943asthe14thAirForce),stillunderthecommandofChennault,whowaslaterpromotedtobrigadiergeneral(1942)andmajorgeneral(1943).