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American Volunteer Group
Founded :
Country : US
Fate :
(AVG) Financially backed by China to defend against Japanese attack, prior to American entering the war. Pilots awarded $500 bounty for each aircraft destroyed.
American Volunteer Group
| Aces for : American Volunteer Group | ||
| A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name. | ||
| Name | Victories | Info |
| Charles H Older | 18.50 | The signature of Charles H Older features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| David Lee Tex Hill | 18.25 | The signature of David Lee Tex Hill features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| Kenneth A Jernstedt | 10.50 | The signature of Kenneth A Jernstedt features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| Edward F Rector | 10.50 | The signature of Edward F Rector features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| Charles Rankin Bond Jr | 9.25 | The signature of Charles Rankin Bond Jr features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| Robert T Smith | 8.67 | The signature of Robert T Smith features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| John R Rossi | 6.25 | The signature of John R Rossi features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| John R Alison | 6.00 | The signature of John R Alison features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
| American Volunteer Group Aircraft details |
 Warhawk Manufacturer : Curtiss Built : 13738 | Warhawk P-40 |
| American Volunteer Group Pilot and aircrew signature details |
  Gen. Charles R. Bond Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2009 | Gen. Charles R. Bond Bond was born in 1915 in Dallas, Texas. His military career began in the Texas National Guard, and he was commissioned in 1939 at Randolph Field, Texas. His first assignment was flying B-17s based at Langley Field, Virginia. During this period, he participated in one of the first good-will flights to South America in 1939. After joining the AVG, he was assigned to the Adam & Eves, and recalls being the first to introduce the painted shark mouth motif on AVG P-40s. One of the Tigers great aces, he was credited with shooting down three Japanese aircraft in one mission in the defense of Rangoon. While serving with the AVG, Bond was shot down twice, and was ultimately credited with 8.77 victories. In 1942, Barld rejoined the U.S. Army Air Corps and began teaching combat skills to new pilots. A year later he served as an Ambassadors aide in the U.S. Military Mission to the U.S.S.R. in Moscow. In 1949, Bond graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Management Engineering. He then completed nearly 20 years in military leadersnip positions throughout the United States, Europe and Far East. After serving as Commander 12th Air Force, USAF, he retired with at the rank of Maj. General in 1968. Sadly, Charles Bond passed away on 18th August 2009. |
  Colonel Tex Hill Our estimated value of this signature : £75 Died : 2007 | Colonel Tex Hill Tex Hill was born in Korea on 13th July 1915. Tex Hill graduated as a Naval Aviator in 1939, and after serving as a Navy Pilot, Tex Hill volunteered for the A.V.G., becoming Squadron Leader in the 2nd Sqn (Panda Bears) until disbandment in 1942, by which time he had 12.25 air victories, making him the second highest ranking Ace in the American Volunteer Group. He remained in China, as the first squadron commander of the 75th F S /23rd F G before returning to the U.S. He went back to China to command the 23rd F G, increasing his total to 18.25 victories. In late 1943 he led a group of 30 aircraft on the first strike against Formosa. During this mission, 42 enemy aircraft were confirmed destroyed, with a possible 12 more, while all 30 aircraft under Tex Hill's command returned safely. Returning to the US, he commanded the 412th Fighter Group, the first jet aircraft group. Here, he flew P-80 Shooting Stars and YP-59 Airacomets. His decorations include a Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 2 Air Medals, 2 Presidential Unit Citations, 6 decorations awarded by China, and a Distinguished Flying Cross from the UK. Sadly, Tex Hill died on 11th October 2007. |
 Squadron Leader Bob Neale Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 1994 | Squadron Leader Bob Neale Bob Neale was the top scoring ace of the American Volunteer Group, with 15.5 air victories - a remarkable record in such a short period of combat. An ex navy pilot, Neale had volunteered for action in April 1941, and by the time he took command of the 1st Squadron (Adam and Eves) he had built a reputation as a fierce competitor in the air. After the fall of Rangoon, Bob Neale became Chennault's right hand man, directing most of the AVG's field operations. Following disbandment he joined American Export Airlines and flew between New York and Ireland. |
  Colonel Charles Older Our estimated value of this signature : £70 Died : 2006 | Colonel Charles Older Charles Herman Older, born on 29 September 1917 in Hanford, California, graduated from the University of California in 1939 with a degree in political science. No the 1st April 1940 Charles Herman Older joined the Marine Corps for flight training, he received his wings and commission at Pensacola. Resigning from the Marine Corps in 1941 to join the A.V.G., Chuck Older took part in the great 'Christmas' air battles over Rangoon shooting down 5 Japanese aircraft. With 10.25 victories to his credit he joined the 23rd F G when the A.V.G. was disbanded, flying P-51s. He led the first strike against Shanghai resulting in the destruction of 77 Japanese aircraft. He completed the war with 18.25 air victories. After leaving the Air Force Colonel Chuck Older obtained a law degree from the University of Southern California and subsequently became a superior court judge in Los Angeles, California. He gained prominence as the presiding judge in the Charles Manson mass murder trial in 1970-71. Charles Older died on the 17th June 2006. |
 Colonel Ed Rector Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2001 | Colonel Ed Rector Born 28th September 1916, Ed Rector originally flew dive bombers off carriers before being recruited into the A.V.G. flying with the 2nd Squadron. Ed Rector was one of the five pilots who volunteered for continuous service in China after 4th July, 1942 and joined the 23rd Fighter Group. He returned to China later for a 2nd tour of duty. He had a total of 10.5 air victories. He died on 26th April 2001. |
  Flight Leader Dick Rossi Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2008 | Flight Leader Dick Rossi Dick Rossi was born in 1915 in Placerville, California. He entered the Navy for flight training in the fall of 1939 and soon became a Flight Instructor at Pensacola. Dick responded to the allure of adventure and resigned his Navy commission in 1941 to join the AVG. Serving with the First Pursuit Adam & Eves squadron, he engaged in his first combat mission over Burma in January 1942. Most of his missions were flown over Rangoon, although he was also assigned detached duty for the 2nd and 3rd squadrons as well, serving under all three AVG squadron commanders. His last AVG mission was flown over the East China front in July 1942, by which time he had achieved an official tally of 6.25 confirmed kills. After the AVG, Dick flew for CNAC and spent much of the remainder of the war flying critical supplies over The Hump. By wars end, he had flown this perilous route over 735 times. Since the war, Dick Rossi has been involved in many various aspects of aviation and has carried on the AVG legacy, speaking worldwide and serving many years as President of the Flying Tigers Association. He died April 17th 2008. |
 Flight Leader Erik Shilling Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2002 | Flight Leader Erik Shilling Erik Shilling was amongst the first volunteer pilots with the A.V.G. Although credited with only one air victory, Erik flew many dangerous photo missions in his P-40 modified for vital camera work, which included the removal of 4 of his machine guns. In 1942 he joined the China National Airways flying 700 round trips over the Hump. He died 19th March 2002. |
 Colonel Robert T Smith Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 1995 | Colonel Robert T Smith R T Smith was a flight instructor in the US Army Air Corps when he resigned his commission in July 1941 to join the AVG. Flying first as a wingman and then as a Flight Leader he took part in the great air battles over Rangoon on 23rd and 25th December 1941, and was credited with 8.66 air victories with the Flying Tigers. Recommissioned into the USAAF he flew a further combat tour in P-51s and commanded a squadron of B-52s. After the war he became Vice-President of the Flying Tigers Line in the Far East. Robert T Smith passed away on 21st August 1995. |
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