' TEX HILL ' - Flying Tiger.

Rating:
Summary: A Flying Tiger's Story
Review: Author Tex Hill is one of the original cadre of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers," and this book is a personal and revealing history of his life in perhaps the most famous aerial combat organization ever. Tex's narration tells how he evolved from a child of missionaries to a leading "ace" with the Flying Tigers. This book is written in a very entertaining manner, with exciting descriptions of aerial combat by "Tex" and his many notable comrades. It includes detailed information as to how the Flying Tigers were recruited, trained, organized and led during their brief but glorious period of exceptional success against the previously thought to be unbeatable Japanese Air Forces. He gives lucid and revealing descriptions of how Claire Chennault transformed the P-40B Tomahawk from an obsolete and underpowered castoff of the USAAF into a deadly instrument of war in the hands of the AVG. Where this story differs from dozens of other Flying Tigers books is the more personal approach Tex uses to bring the reader the unique personalities of the many famous and not so famous men in the AVG. He introduces his family and his friends, his thoughts about death and combat and how he deals with the changes in his career and life as the AVG is absorbed into the Army Air Forces in July 1942 and when he leaves the USAAF after the war. The narration carries through to the near present and covers much about Tex not previously published, giving an intimate and compelling picture of this special man. This is a well written book highly recommended for all those interested in WWII aviation history.

Rating:
Summary: The supreme Flying Tiger book.
Review: Here is the wartime biography of a true hero. Well written and thorougly entertaining. Tex has numerous "miraculous" escapes from death. (If one reads between the lines his missionary/pastor father is just as much the hero with his answered prayers for his son.)
If there is one aviation adventure/biography you read this year make it this book.