Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-26
Flying Tigers: 30 ZerOs
Find Their Work Cut Out
Chapter XIV
BY RUSSELL WHELAN

BY RUSSELL WHELAN
With Radio Shanghai announc-
ing complete aerial domination of
Burma. the Flying Tigers Of o.
sons Third Squadron rose in re-
buttal.
At dawn on April s, 30 Jap
navy Zeros raced over the air
drome at Lowing with all guns
blazing.
The Volunteers on the ground
dove for the bitches and looked
skyward. where eight OF the
Tigers were hidden in clouds.
Down came the eight onto the
backs of the Zeros.
Ed Overend and Fritz Wolf got
two Japs apiece in the melee,
while single Zeros fell TO the guns
of Cliff Groh of Chicago, Arvid
Olson and Bob Little of Seattle.
The eighth Jap victim was
blown up by Fred Hodges Of
Memphis as his fiancee, Helen An
derson Of Rangoon, watched from
q hilltop near the field.
JAPS CAME BACK
That afternoon the Japs came
back. 20 bombers and 30 fighters
strong. and they were met by Bob
BRONX of Cicero. H.. Buster"
keeton, Bob Smith Of Los An
geles and Bill Reed Of Marion. Ia
With bombs tearing up the field.
three other Tiger planes managed
70 take of and join the fight
above.
Bill Reed, after downing
Zero. met a crosS-fire from two
others and had his windshield
shot away
Within five minutes the Tigers
sent six other Jap planes crashing
In flames near the field, and the
enemy started 10 scatter.
Every AVG radio then crackledI
with the call of Big Bob Smith
n III none of you guys are too
busy, come over here east Of the
river past the hill. 1 just got
one rat and I'm busy with three
Others"
But Big Bob had to handle this
trio himself He got one of them,
his eighth of the war.
Is 'CERTAINs'
In the entire days fighting the
Tigers scored Is Jap "certains.
and seven "probables."
Meanwhile the Chinese ground
troops were trying TO hold Toun-
goo. the old college town" of the
AVG's training days. against fu-
rious Jap attack by land and air.
Without a single airplane to-
protect them, the Chinese battled
gamely while the unchallenged
bonberS showered destruction on
them with a new and dreadful
weapon. 5O-pound incendiary
which spattered phosphorus as It
exploded
The city Of Prone also fell. after
valiant stand by the British, In
dians, and Chinese. II was the
same story there--no Allied air.
craft.
MET 10 BOMBERS
On April - TEX" Hill and Gil
Bright Of the Second Squadron ran
into 10 unescorted Jap bomberS
north OF Toungoo.
TEX" got three OF these and
Gil shot down one certain" and
ono probable
But in this period available
planes were few. all the war news
was bad. and the morale Of the
AVG suffered.
Both at Lowing and Running
the men were on the alert from
4:30 in the morning until after
dark.
With no outlet OF action, many
became discouraged. and bitter
(omeSickneSs set in.
- Seven pilots and about 20 OF the
ground crew resigned or were dis
missed early in April.
A new interest entered the life
Of tho AVG when the pilots sent
10 Africa and India 10 bring back
80 new P-40 E's tkittyhawks)
appeared with these long awaited
ships.
SET FERRY MARK
The P-40 < had three .50-caliber
m III me guns in each wing,
whereas the P-i0 B had two 80
calibers in each wing and two so
calibers in the nose which shot
through the prop.
The Kittyhawks also had belly
tanks in which bombs could be car
ried. in lieu Of extra gasoline sup
plies.
All the boys were impressed !
with the devastating fire power of
the new ships, their improved visi-
bility and handling qualities.
Ten of them had been ferried by
AVG pilots across Africa and Asia
TO Running and Lowing.
This probably marked the long
est ferry trip for pursuit planes in
aviation history.
A further lift 10 their spirits was
provided by Daniel Cupid Freddie