Tiger tales

About this book

An anecdotal history of the Flying Tiger Line. It introduces the pilots from Chennaults American Volunteer Group in China/Burma who later formed their own airline The Flying Tiger Line. The book records the history of the Company through the personal records of the pilots flight attendants mechanics and other employees. Included are all of the aircraft accident reports which unfortunately are many. The Company flew many support missions and contracts in support of the military including: resupply of occupation forces in Japan relocation of displaced persons after WWII the Korean airlift the Vietnam war the Cambodian ricelift and many relief flights for famine and earthquake victims. In addition to all this the company grew to become the worlds largest air freight line. They perfected the art of shipping live animal by air wild as well as tame. Loads of breeding cattle to Europe and Asia Pigs to China race horses to and from the U.S. Australia and New Zealand draft horses from France to Asia. Then there were the wild ones: monkeys snakes gorillas bears tigers lions and who knows what else. The book is laced with humor as told by the people involved in the specific event. Then there are many "bar storys" some told by the culprits themselves and some by the victims. Much of the humor was not funny at the time such as engine fires in the middle of the night fuel gauges approaching empty or a landing gear refusing to lock down.