Pictorial History of the Flying Tigers

WORLD WAR II   |   Larry M. PISTOLE

Item#: 114632 We're sorry, this item has been sold

Pictorial History of the Flying Tigers
Pictorial History of the Flying Tigers

PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE FLYING TIGERS, WITH BOOKPLATE SIGNED BY 16 MEMBERS OF THE CELEBRATED SQUADRON

(WORLD WAR II—FLYING TIGERS) PISTOLE, Larry M. The Pictorial History of the Flying Tigers. Orange, Virginia: Moss Publications, (1981). Quarto, original tan cloth, original dust jacket.

First edition of this inspiring visual history of the famed volunteer squadron “The Flying Tigers,” fighting under Chinese colors before joining the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942, with documentary photographs on every page (16 pages in color), signed by 16 of its members.

Prior to the United States entry into World War II, approximately 15,000 Americans joined flying units already engaged in combat. At the request of Madame Chiang Kaishek, General Claire Lee Chennault recruited a squadron of fighter pilots in order to throw a small but well-equipped air force into China to attack Japanese supply lines. With the official designation "American Volunteer Group" (AVG) but popularly known as "The Flying Tigers," this celebrated group of pilots has been described as "the most colorful group of warriors in modern times" and "the world's most illustrious squadron" (History Channel). This is a visual documentation of that volunteer air force, produced from the vast collection of images and memorabilia assembled by Vietnam veteran Larry Pistole, nephew of one of the original Tigers, Herbert Pistole.

Signed on a bookplate by Tigers Paul Greene, Charlie Mott, J.R. Rossi, Joe Rosbert, Ed Rector, Ken Jernstedt, Bob Layher, Robert T. Smith, Charlie Bond, Donald Rodewald, Robert Raine, Bob Keeton, David "Tex" Hill, Chuck Older, Erik Shilling and Robert "Duke" Hedman. Of these, Rossi, Rosbert, Rector, Smith, Bond, Hill, Older, Hedman and Jernstedt were aces (more than five enemy planes shot down). Bond, an ace with 9-1/2 victories, was the first of the Flying Tigers to paint his Curtiss P-40 Warhawk with the shark mouth on the nose of his plane, an iconic decoration that would become characteristic of the Flying Tigers. Generously illustrated with photographs, including eight pages of images in color.

Book fine, dust jacket with a bit of light rubbing, bright and near-fine.

add to my wishlist ask an Expert

Author's full list of books

WORLD WAR II >