USAF 23rd Fighter Wing Goes “Flying Tiger” on their Helmet ...

Captain Johnathan Swift, 23rd Operations Squadron Flight Commander, said that the idea was first proposed by Colonel Hayden, 23rd Fighter Group ... ::: FontSize：SML Home/News/NEWS RememberingtheWarofResistance-USAF23rdFighterWingGoes“FlyingTiger”ontheirHelmetLivery Facebook Line Google+ 2020/03/02 The“FlyingTigers”notonlyplayedanimportantroleintheaviationhistoryofRepublicofChina’saviationbutarealsoanimportantoftheUnitedStatesAirForce23rdFighterWing’sheritage.OnMarch24,23rdFighterWing’shomebaseofMoodyAFBannouncedinapressreleasethatpilotsintheunithavebegunwearingflyinghelmetsfeaturingthe“FlyingTiger”motif.Thepressreleaseclaimedthatthismovewillhelptomaintaintheunit’straditions,boostmoraleandbuildespritdecorps.ThephotospostedbyMoodyAFBshowedUSmilitaryissueHGU-55/Pfixed-wingflyinghelmetscoveredwithvariousstencilsrelatedtotheFlyingTigers.The74th,75th,and76thFighterSquadronsofthe23rdFighterWingeachhavetheirownindividualdesignaswell,withametallicfinishandsharkmouthbeingtheessentialelements.CaptainJohnathanSwift,23rdOperationsSquadronFlightCommander,saidthattheideawasfirstproposedbyColonelHayden,23rdFighterGroupcommander.Withtheexceptionofthebasicdesign,eachsquadroncommanderdiscussedthedesignwiththeirpilotsbeforetheresultwassubmittedtoCol.Hardenforapproval.OperationsSupportSquadronthenhandledtheoutsourcing.Swiftalsoaddedthatthe23rdWingwasaunit“withalonghistory.”Whenpilotsgoonsortiewearingthesepaintedhelmetsitrepresentedadirectlinktotheirheritage.The23rdFighterWingwasformedonJune15,1942inKunming,thehomebaseofthefreshly-disbandedAmericanVolunteerGroup(AVG).Nearly30oftheinitialrosterweremembersoftheAVGthatchosetostaybehind.Theunitbecamethenucleusofthe14thAirForceandoneofthemostactivefighterunitsintheChina-Burma-Theater.Today,itcontinuestobeconsideredthespiritualsuccessorofthe“FlyingTigers.”RememberingtheWarofResistance-USAF23rdFighterWingGoes“FlyingTiger”ontheirHelmetLiveryThe23rdWingwasaunit“withalonghistory.”Whenpilotsgoonsortiewearingthesepaintedhelmetsitrepresentedadirectlinktotheirheritage.Source:YouthDailyNews,MinistryofNationalDefense(February26,2020) Update：2020-05-06 Back