ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. WebAs Flying Tiger Line flight attendant Andee Wright recalled, There was no special training by the airlines or the military about how to handle it. It was obvious the airplane had been used a lot, but it was clean and the attendants were friendly and upbeat. I went over in February 1970. Piloted by the novice American Volunteer Group, who were from all branches of the military and civilians, these men provided military support to the Republic of China in their defense against the Japanese invasion between 1941-1942. My return flight was one of those that cheered as we lifted off. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website. The first direct food and medical supplies from the United States to Phnom Penh was transported by Flying Tigers on Thanksgiving Day, 1979. WebFlying Tiger: With Ron Ng, Lee Pace, Jamie B. (1957 - 1967), Flying Tigers acquired the first turbine-powered air-freighter placed in service when it purchased a $55-million fleet of Canadair CL-44s in 1961. I now have a new group of Vietnam vets to admire and respect. Flying Tigers received the All-Cargo Route #163 across the Pacific into Asia. He tried to grab it but I told him If she had wanted him to have it she would have given it to him. With that I went back to reading. Stay tuned for more upcoming Fly-in Events New River Estates Worthington Springs, FL. By this time the airline's personnel had gained such expertise in shipping challenging pieces of freight that the attitude in the industry was, "if Tigers can't move it, nobody can." Finally the plane started to move down the runway faster and faster. (LogOut/ On June 12, 1970, the Peter Prescott Hospital for children in Taiwan was dedicated in honor of the founders son, who had been killed in an aircraft accident in Palm Springs. The companys participation in the Peruvian Airlift aided earthquake victims in the quake devastated country. A little over an hour later, it was expected to reach the coordinates of 140N 1350E. I have no comment for this person, He/she is beyond help. Contact Thank you to all who came out to join us for our BBQ Fly-in! We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage.. She laughed. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. Notable among the Tigers' achievements were their participation in both the Korean and Vietnam airlifts. The merger gave the combined airlines scheduled, all-cargo services world-wide. High over the Pacific, I only just sat there, silently , the flight home to Fort Lewis. My return flight in 72 was on Flying Tigers that started out with engine problems on the ramp in Tan Son Nhut. Trying to get your brain from calming down from a surreal experience in RVN and then refocusing your mind on being back home was a strange experience! The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. The Flying Tiger Line then put in orders for brand new Boeing 747-200F freighters designated the Boeing 747-249F, which at the time were among the heaviest commercial airplanes flying, weighing in at 823,000 pounds (373,000kg). we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet. In 1965, Flying Tiger Line began operating jet aircraft when on September, 27, Many flight attendants struggled at first to contain their own emotions. LOTS FOR SALE! The former stewardesses of Tiger Airlines still reminisce about their experiences with those brave soldiers, coming and going to Vietnam a long time ago. With the Boeing 707s supplemented by Canadair CL-44s, Flying Tigers supplied U.S. military forces and became the largest carrier of cargo in the Pacific. Free shipping for many products! Web346 views 9 months ago. In 1969, during the Vietnam War, a 21-year-old Seattle woman saw a job ad for a California cargo airline called the Flying Tiger Line that had a large presence in San Francisco. A great story, even made me cry, vaguely remembering the trips each way, to and from Vietnam. "Trucking Anywhere By Air", November 1945, "Interview with Ray Ruff & Donnie Brooks", http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ft3.htm, http://www.departedflights.com/BRU83intro.html, "How Pan Am Flight 50 flew from pole to pole", https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7210.pdf, Flying Tiger Line accidents and incidents, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flying_Tiger_Line&oldid=1146348566, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, On January 7, 1953, Flying Tiger Line Flight 841, a. This Marine Was The American Sniper Of The Vietnam War, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. Daniel Dattpla IIFFV Original Party. That was not us, recalled Andee Reingold Wright, a San Francisco native who was 21 when she started with Flying Tigers in 1967. It wasnt my style to go asking every woman that I met to get her address and telephone number, besides I had more important things on my mind. thank you. In 1982, Flying Tigers flew relief flights to Warsaw, Poland. Not sure if the change in mood was due to smoked joints and beer, but it sure didnt hurt any. This exhibition, based on extensive interviews with the key participants of the airlift operations, provides insight into their experiences serving aboard the Freedom Birds. I remember the flight over and appreciate this article about those that made the trip over to Vietnam enjoyable despite apprehension and anxiety most of us 19 year olds carried with us. This allowed for more extensive geographic capability and cargo capacity. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. These flights were also a powerful and moving experience for a generation of young women who served aboard these aircraft as flight attendants. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. )I was engaged and (2.) Thank you stewardesses. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. Budd Conestoga Gen. -- Flying Tiger Line's first aircraft was the Budd Conestoga, an all -- stainless steel, rear--loading, twin--engine aircraft. I was 24, Breen recalled. During the Korean War, Flying Tiger aircraft were chartered to transport troops and supplies from the United States to Asia; Flying Tigers later received a cargo route award to Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. They coped, as always, by leaning on each other. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. Thank you ladies, Im one of those boys. WebHis 93 U.S. military passengers, three South Vietnamese soldiers and the 11 civilian crew members aboard Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 disappeared on their way from Guam to the Philippines. And after the fall of Saigon in 1975, when the war ended, they remained connected. I remember well my Flying Tiger trips. We were eventually invited to leave the club and told to not come back Welcome Home from the USAF in Kadena. Leslie Pfeifer served aboard Flying Tiger Line from 1967 to 1970, making 75 return flights to South Vietnam. On this last leg, the passengers are much more somber and thinking ahead to their landing in the war zone. The company was started by Robert William Prescott. A very vulnerable feeling with out a weapon. . After all the things i remember about my viet nam year , i never remembered about the flight to or from . Its such a part of history, and our own personal history.. In April of 1949, after a four-year battle, the company was awarded CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board now FAA) certification and established the FIRST ALL-CARGO Scheduled Route 100 from Los Angeles to Boston with points in between. (LogOut/ The flight went missing while en route to Vietnam. Large crew bases were situated at Los Angeles, New York City and Lockbourne, Ohio (Rickenbacker International Airport). In June 1946, the Budd Conestogas were replaced by C-47s. Flying Tigers sponsored the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and transported equipment for the games. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. This article was greatdefined exactly how it was when we flew homeI left Vietnam on or about the 5th of January 1968 & Flying Tigers was my carrier! In 1962 Flying Tigers received its first Permanent Certificate from the CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board). In the years during and after World War II, military veterans were given special preference to purchase or lease government surplus aircraft. I also n=mourned those I had lost there who could not return alive but were shipped home to grief stricken families. Ten former AVG pilots, after returning to the United States in 1945, formed the Flying Tiger Line established on 24 June 1945 as National Freight Service known under the name of National Skyway Freight using a small fleet of 14 Budd Conestoga freighters purchased as war surplus from the United States Navy. The airline also played a major role in the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line, flying equipment to remote outposts in northern Canada and Alaska. With four Rolls Royce engines that developed 5,700 horsepower, it cruised at 375 miles per hour, carrying up to 60,000 pounds of cargo over a range of 3,000 miles. In 1962, the Vietnam War was far from over. Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. I often wondered what happened to them and now your story has given closure. On March 3, 1986, operations commenced in the new Columbus, Ohio Hub at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. Free shipping for many products! The company said it needed flight attendants. Flying from Clark AFB to Guam refueling then on to Travis AFB and Home. I flew into Sea-Trac on Flying Tiger Airlines from Camh Rhan October 4 , 1971. I flew over on Continental..We had a flight attendant come to one of our VVA Chapter meeting and tell us about her time. Chambers, Andy Gatenby. The part Ill always remember is the wonderful round eyes that tolerated us nervous troops as we headed for the unknown going both over to Vietnam and returning to the US. With the DC-8, Flying Tigers was able to inaugurate daily international schedules on routes linking the major markets of the U.S. and Asia. each of us inside were scared because for the first time non of us were wearing helmets, flack jackets, no weapons or ammo. I have always appreciated the kindness that was shown by the stewardesses on our trip home, if only the rest could have been as kind! Joe Namath, Jim Otto, and, Marv Fleming on our returning flight after spending time visiting the wounded Vietnam soldiers at several hospitals. For some the experience changed their political beliefs, although they tried to keep politics off the plane. I only wish that I could stand before these wonderful ladies. These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. changed me for the better many moons ago. And many didnt know what to think, caught between respect for the military and horror over the fates of the boys on their flights. It was an effort conceived and accomplished by Flying Tigers employees throughout the companys world-wide system. 7 Aug 1989. (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. The first full shipment consisted of grapes flown from Bakersfield, California to Atlanta, Georgia. It surpassed Pan American World Airways in 1980 as the world's largest air cargo carrier after acquiring its rival cargo airline Seaboard World Airlines on 1 October 1980. United States. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. Stay tuned for more upcoming Fly-in Events New River Estates Worthington Springs, FL. As a grunt and a company commander from the 1st ID, who had left a few week old daughter and now was headed home to see her and the rest of the finally, I didnt cry but I damn sure slept well on that plane for the first time in 18 months. Thank you Flying Tiger! In 1984 the DC-8-63s were phased out as a result of Federal noise regulations that went into effect that year. A FLY-IN COMMUNITY! Afraid that at any moment a rocket or mortor could could take the jet down. McCord was doing maintenance on the runway. Free shipping for many products! She very quickly wrote down something and gave it to me. Feb.3-8, 1968. Despite her personal beliefs, Foster reasoned that nobody needed better care than men heading to a war or coming back from one, and she decided to sign on. Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, was the first scheduled cargo airline in the United States and a major military charter operator during the Cold War era for both cargo and personnel (the latter with leased aircraft). The airlines first B-727s were placed in service in early 1984. [9][10][2] The scheduled Boeing 747 passenger service route was New York City JFK Airport - Brussels - Tel Aviv operated several days a week.[11]. Welcome Home with many thank you for all your support of the Vietnam veterans!! Breen went from being gung ho about the war to suspecting the government was lying and thinking the war was a mistake. If I remember correctly I went over on Continental and came back on United. After a dangerous heist of a mysterious device from the FBI, the HKPD assigns Ko Ka Chun, to save Hong Kong from the imminent threat from the Black Snake Gang. Landed in Saigon. While in Alaska stopping and refueling I was only 1/2 way through a mountain of pancakes, sausage and eggs smothered with Maple syrup when they announce for all out bound corpsmen to report immediately for departure. I was Infantry so I knew I had reason to be worried, but these ladies put us all at ease, as much as was possible .. one of the truly great memories Im thankful to have .. We went out to the airstripvery early in the morning in a vehicle. Contact Thank you to all who came out to join us for our BBQ Fly-in! In 1948, the Anything, Anytime, Anywhere slogan was introduced and the airline carried football teams, Bob Hopes record albums, tourists, students, and even Roy Rogers horse, Trigger. Flying Tigers was a mechanism of the war she opposed. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. On March 18, 1956, a Flying Tiger Line Curtiss C-46 (N9995F), crashed at Pelly Bay, Canada after the left wing struck terrain while on a VFR approach, both pilots and the passenger survived, but the aircraft was written off. Breen wanted to travel and supported the war she believed then that it was about fighting communism and after she saw a Flying Tigers want ad in The Chronicle, she soon found herself in flight attendant school, wearing the Tigers uniform of a grayish-blue skirt suit with black pumps and white gloves. I for one of many of us flew Tiger Airlines going and coming. 7 Aug 1989. 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