THE QATSPY® Quapaw Aviation Tactical Sportswear Performance Yukon Outfitter Company An Authorized Dealer & Distributor for US WINGS®
MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAY and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!
By: Charles W. Boatright
Most Famous Tiger Mascot of All Times– This Tiger, A.K.A. Flying Tiger, was so Famous/Legendary, this Tiger was on Aircraft/Leather Jackets
When you think of football teams with Tiger mascots, you think about Auburn, Clemson, JSU, LSU, Memphis, Missouri, and Princeton, just to name a few Colleges. But there is one that rivals all these for historical significance connected to what was the U.S. ARMY Air Corps prior to World War II flying combat missions out of Burma in 1941 under the Command of Claire Chennault.
In April of 1941, this tiger became so iconic that the best pilots/aviators flew with this prestigious volunteer group, flying the legendary Curtis P-40B Warhawk. Two of some of the most notable fighters of WWII were the P-40 Warhawk and the P-51 Mustang. This tiger became so famous and legendary that this volunteer group was identified by the 14th Air Force Flying Tigers, even before Pearl Harbor attack in December 07th, 2022.
The Flying Tigers’ innovative of aerial tactics were legendary that provided the only victories in the early days of World War II during a low morale period of the American people after Pearl Harbor and after several Naval defeats in the Pacific War. The Flying Tigers scored 296 kills of enemy aircraft, while losing only 14 pilots in aerial combat.
Due to the Flying Tigers successes, the Tiger mascot became so synonymous with the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in Burma that this tiger was painted on the nose of their P-40 Aircraft. The pilots/aviators, being of such a prestigious group, had patches with the 14th Air Force Flying Tiger on the front left panel of their G-1 Leather Flight Jacket with the China, Burma, India patch on the left shoulder.
What was also unique about the Flying Tiger squadron was that there was no rank among the group made up of pilots from the U.S. Army Air Corps, and aviators from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps that were all volunteers.
This very same G-1 Leather Flight Jacket that these Flying Tigers wore, we supply the same G-1 Leather Flight Jacket to the U.S. NAVY, U.S. MARINE Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard today. We, at THE QATSPY® and US WINGS®, are proud to offer the official licensee 14th Air Force Flying Tiger G-1 Cape Buffalo Leather Flight Jacket to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the formation of the Flying Tigers in 1941.
We offer the same authentic G-1 Leather Flight Jacket with the famous Flying Tigers patch on the left front panel and the China, Burma, India patch on the left shoulder that the pilots/aviators with the famous Flying Tigers wore. That also includes the embossed leather name tag, just above the 14th AF Flying Tiger patch.
The Flying Tigers Group was formed in April of 1941, under the request of President Franklin Roosevelt. The Flying Tigers assisted China Air Defenses, fighting off Japanese Imperial Invasion forces seeking the rich raw resources in China and Burma to support their war efforts in the Pacific.
Historical Note: At the time, the United States Air Force was under U.S. ARMY, known as the U.S. ARMY Air Corps, until September of 1947 when it became the U.S. Air Force.
Why Cooper?
Cooper Sportswear has been in business since 1920 and supplied jackets for the U.S. Army Airforce and began supplying many of the jackets for the Flying Tigers in late 1941.
US Wings Cooper Original™ Flying Tigers Cape Buffalo G-1Features:
- A honey-colored vintage-style fur collar
- Two front cargo pockets with side-entry hand-warmers
- An interior pocket
- A nylon lining
- A hand-painted leather 14th Air Force Flying Tigers patch on the left chest
- A hand-painted leather USAAF patch on the left sleeve
- The jacket also features a WWII-style leather name strip which will be embossed with your name (or any other lettering up to 14 characters in length) at no additional charge; optionally, the leather name strip can also be left blank if you wish to add your own lettering at a later date.
Order Your Authentic Flying Tiger G-1 Cape Buffalo Leather Flight Jacket:
