The tough and very versatile P-40 earned its lasting fame in China through the exploits of General Claire Chennault's American Volunteer Group (AVG), better known as the Flying Tigers. Chennault had a deep love for the Chinese people. He went to Washington to get help for them, Roosevelt finally intervened and he was able to get some P-40's
Three squadrons of P-40 Tomahawks were flown by American pilots Chennault had recruited from all three services. Their missions included defending precious Chinese airfields, supply lines, and the nearly impossible task of blunting the air attacks preceding the Japanese invasion of Indochina.
As a Command Pilot General Chennault knew the P-40 Tomahawks could never outperform the speed, maneuverability and ceiling of the Japanese Zero in aerial combat, so he perfected and taught to AVG pilots unorthodox hit-and-run tactics to capitalize on the plane's ruggedness, weight and much superior diving qualities, and capitalized on his pilots' expert flying skills.
The pilots and their outstanding ground crews operated in the most primitive conditions (bad food, disease, no rest, no supplies-spare parts came from wrecked P-40's). They fought against a ferocious, well-equipped enemy, the Tigers first flew into combat two weeks after Pearl Harbor was attacked and, before their disbanding in 1942, shot down 286 Japanese planes while losing only 8 P-40's in aerial dog fights!
The AVG pilots received a bonus of $500.00 for every Japanese plane shot down, they were highly motivated pilots.
The AVG pilots wore flight jackets with this special patch on the back with an American and Chinese flag joined. The Chinese writing below the flags offer a substantial reward for helping and returning the pilot if shot down. It's said that when they went to town wearing their flight jacket to have a few drinks and a little R&R, that they could not buy a drink, it was all on the house. The Chinese also set up an early warning system, so they could inform the pilots when an attack was coming.
In addition to proving that the Japanese air forces were not invincible, the P-40 offered the simple benefit of being available in large numbers in the early days of the War. American women working for Curtiss produced 13,783 P-40's in various models known as the Tomahawk, Kittyhawk and Warhawk. The P-40 airplanes that Chennault obtained were slated to go to England.
This aircraft was outperformed by its Japanese and German adversaries and by the great American fighters that succeeded it, but the P-40 deservedly endures as one of the War's lasting symbols of courage and dedication.
The fierce looking P-40 types shown below have logged 10's of thousands of hours and a long, distinguished service record. They fought in the colors of 28 Allied nations in every operational theater of World War II. No fighter, friend or foe, saw wider service. They went through many improvements over their long history. Shown below is a picture of the Flying Tigers on their way to destroy a group of incoming Japanese bombers. Note the fierce looking tiger mouth painted on the radiator cowling.
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 Top view showing the insignia of the Chinese Air Force on the wing tips. A very nasty killer bird. |
Almost 60 years ago a friend of my father's flew with the Flying Tigers. After the war was over he showed my father and I his picture scrapbook after Sunday dinner. The scrap book contained many pictures of his fellow flyers, Chinese people, airfields, and several Chinese banknotes. It was my first look at Customs Gold Banknotes and Bank of Hell Notes. Needless to say, I was fascinated by this warrior and his scrapbook of his China adventure.
It has long been my goal to put together a collection of China's paper money in sets to pass on to this generation. I have included this article and it's pictures to give a historical understanding and a feeling of what it was like at the time period for a young boy growing up in the turbulent 1940's. I found that the dozen or so Hell Notes were his prized remembrance. They were burned at several bodyless funerals and wakes of his pilot friends who died trying to save China from the Japanese.
The Hell Notes have a very interesting history as do the other Chinese notes and sets we offer. If you are interested in learning more about China and it's money, click on the hyperlinks below.
The best World War II book and price guide is published by BNR Press, the title is World War II Remembered. If you are a World War II buff, it's a book you will cherish for the rest of your life. It's much more than a price guide.
Click here to see an individual 10 Customs Gold Unit - 20 Customs Gold Unit & 50 Customs Gold Unit. They are also available in Consecutive Numbered Sets.
For more information please read Collecting Hell Notes & Billion Dollar Hell Note or information on China & their monetary system.
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