Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and his American Volunteers, 1941-1942 (Daniel Ford)

WARBIRD FORUM > DANIEL FORD'S BOOKS > FLYING TIGERS > REVIEW

High flying history of the highest caliber

By Jeff Jellets (a 5-star review on Amazon.com)

Daniel Ford's Flying Tigers is the high-flying history of a group of American aviators who took to the skies over southeast Asia in 1941 to challenge the seemingly unstoppable military might of the Japanese empire, which had begun its juggernaut-like march across much of Asia and the Pacific. Lured by promises of high pay and bounties by the beleaguered Chinese government, the rough-and-tumble Americans flew with guts and bravado and, though nearly always outnumbered and under-supplied, downed more than 100 Japanese planes from 1941 through 1942.

This is fantastic history, painstakingly researched ... from a composite of both western and eastern sources that is sweeping in scope and balanced in perspective. At the same time, this is far from a stodgy historical tome; the dogfights are pulse-poundingly recreated from the hammer of the machine guns to whine of straining engines and propellers. Ford evokes all the nail-biting chaos and split-second maneuvering of aerial combat, drawing directly from the logs, diaries, and records of the combatants....

Ford acknowledges that while patriotism played a role, money was also a motivator.... Throw in femme fatales like green-eyed Olga Greenlaw and the mysterious Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and the mythology fairly writes itself. To his credit, Ford doesn't give in to this lure and sticks to the facts, but the characters, locale, time period, and subject matter are simply irresistible and fairly beg for pulpy fictionalization.

Bottom line ... Ford delivers a solid historical narrative that never skimps on the details, but reads like an adventure novel. Bravo! And, to echo the author, all honor to the men and women of the Flying Tigers.

Or order from your bookstore, using the ISBN 0692734732 (perhaps with a surcharge)

Question? Comment? Newsletter? Send me an email. Blue skies! -- Dan Ford

WARBIRD FORUM > DANIEL FORD'S BOOKS > FLYING TIGERS > REVIEW

High flying history of the highest caliber

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