EUGENE W. PENICK MEMORIAL COLLECTION
No. 11057. Curtiss H81A-2 Tomahawk Mk.IIA Nationalist Chinese Air Force
Aeroplane Photo Supply (APS) Photo No. 3788

Curtiss H81A-2 Tomahawk Mk.IIA

12/31/2011. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "To reinforce the Nationalist Chinese Air Force (NCAF), 100 Tomahawks were diverted from a large British order. The aircraft were shipped to Rangoon, Burma in June 1941, from where they were flown to Toungoo, Burma. There the First American Volunteer Group (AVG, better known as the Flying Tigers) of the NCAF was being formed, which came into existence in August 1941, flying the Tomahawk Mk.IIA.

The AVG was formed by former USAAC Captain Claire Lee Chennault, advisor to Nationalist China Government leader Chiang Kai-shek in the rank of Brigadier General. The AVG initially defended the Burma Road between Chungking, China and Lashio, Burma, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, the AVG moved to Kunming, Yunnan, China."


Created December 31, 2011