FLYING TIGERS

DIRECTED BY DAVID MILLER
PRODUCED BY EDMUND GRAINGER
MUSIC BY VICTOR YOUNG
REPUBLIC PICTURES

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/john-wayne/John%20Wayne/t28100orn80-1.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/john-wayne/John%20Wayne/92492-2.jpg..http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/john-wayne/John%20Wayne/flyingtigers1-1.jpg

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary
Jim Gordon commands a unit of the famed Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer Group which fought the Japanese in China before America's entry into World War II. Gordon must send his outnumbered band of fighter pilots out against overwhelming odds while juggling the disparate personalities and problems of his fellow flyers. In particular, he must handle the difficulties created by a reckless hot-shot pilot named Woody Jason, who not only wants to fight a one-man war but to waltz off with Gordon's girlfriend.
Summary written by Jim Beaver

Full Cast
John Wayne .... Capt. Jim Gordon
John Carroll .... Woody Jason
Anna Lee .... Brooke Elliott
Paul Kelly .... Hap Smith (pilot)
Gordon Jones .... Alabama Smith
Mae Clarke .... Verna Bales
Addison Richards .... Col. R.T. Lindsay
Edmund MacDonald .... Blackie Bales (pilot)
Bill Shirley .... Dale (pilot killed)
Tom Neal .... Reardon (pilot)
Malcolm 'Bud' McTaggart .... McCurdy (pilot)
David Bruce .... Lt. Barton (pilot)
Chester Gan .... Mike (mechanic)
Jimmie Dodd .... 'Mac' McIntosh (pilot) (as James Dodd)
Gregg Barton .... Tex Norton (pilot)
John James .... Selby (pilot)
Richard Crane .... Airfield radioman (uncredited)
Elvira Curci .... Hindu woman (uncredited)
Rico De Montez .... (uncredited)
Eddie Dew .... Miller (injured pilot) (uncredited)
Dan Dowling .... Pilot (uncredited)
Willie Fung .... Jim 'Gin' Sling (waiter) (uncredited)
Bill Hunter .... Mechanic (uncredited)
Allen Jung .... Dr. Tsing's assistant (uncredited)
Charles Lane .... Repkin (airport manager) (uncredited)
Charles La Torre .... Armenian passenger (uncredited)
Lotus Long .... Children's matron (uncredited)
Richard Loo .... Dr. Tsing (uncredited)
Dick Morris .... Pilot (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva .... (uncredited)
José Pérez .... Rangoon hotel clerk (uncredited)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt .... Himself (voice) (uncredited) (archive footage)
Tom Seidel .... Barratt (new pilot) (uncredited)
Bhogwan Singh .... Hindu passenger (uncredited)
Eleanor Soohoo .... Chinese stewardess (uncredited)
Dave Willock .... Jim's Aide (uncredited)
Victor Wong .... Chinese passenger (uncredited)

Writing Credits
Kenneth Gamet original story and screenplay
Barry Trivers screenplay

Produced
Edmund Grainger .... associate producer

Original Music
Victor Young

Cinematography
Jack A. Marta (photography) (as Jack Marta)

Stunts
Paul Mantz .... stunt pilot (uncredited)

Trivia
Actual Flying Tigers Lawrence Moore and Kenneth Sanger were technical advisors.

Some clips of the dogfights and Japanese ack-ack guns were from confiscated Japanese newsreels.

No scene of the interior of the airplane could be shown for security reasons. The instrument boards shown were fake.

This movie broke all boxoffice records for Republic Pictures by a large margin and was one of the top grossing movies of the year.

The Flying Tigers' planes were full-size mock-ups made mostly of plywood and balsa wood, not - as has often been thought - real aircraft. The "engine" noises were sound effects added after production.

The airplanes seen on the ground in the film are decommissioned P-40Bs, of the type actually used by the American Volunteer Group in China; they have four prominent gunports on the engine cowling (but no guns.) In the aerial sequences the planes are 1941 P-40E's, with six wing-mounted guns and a smooth cowling.

Howard Lydecker and Theodore Lydecker, Republic Pictures' special effects wizards, shot all outdoor effects shots around Santa Fe, New Mexico, in order to take advantage of the impressive cloud formations.

Theodore Lydecker claimed that no actual aircraft were used in this movie, with the effects being created by Republic Pictures' 15-man special effects department, headed by he and his brother Howard Lydecker.

When John Carroll was introduced to a Tiger from Texas, he inquires, "Do you know the McNaught Sisters in Fort Worth?" This was an inside joke by screenwriter Barry Trivers. The McNaught Sisters - Mary, Ruth and Corinne - were actually from Fort Worth and were cousins of Florine McKinney, Trivers' former wife.

In 1949, Republic Pictures reissued this film on a double bill with The Fighting Seabees (1944).

The opening scene shows a Japanese air raid and in the aftermath a crying child is sitting alone amid debris. This scene virtually duplicates a famous photo taken in 1937 and published in Life magazine following a Japanese air raid on Shanghai. (Located in the National Archives, ARC Identifier: 535557)

This film's opening prologue is a quote from Kai-Shek Chiang. It states: "Since the Flying Tigers first spread their wings in the skies above China, the enemy learned to fear the intrepid spirit they have displayed in face of his superior numbers. They have become the symbol of the invincible strength of the forces now upholding the cause of justice and humanity. The Chinese people will preserve forever the memory of their glorious achievements." Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek

Goofs
* Continuity: When the burning cargo plane is waved off at the Rangoon airport, it has only the right landing gear down. Moments later the pilots are shown raising the left landing gear.

* Factual errors: One of the scenes of the "Japanese" anti-aircraft gunners firing actually shows Chinese Troops (recognizable due to their wearing German style helmets.)

* Continuity: When Woody crashes the airplane he took up without permission we hear the engine running and see it running (you can't see the propeller) as it passes the camera several times on the way down, but just before he touches down in the crash the engine is not running and the propeller is clearly stopped.

* Continuity: When Capt. Jim Gordon releases the three containers of nitroglycerin (over the bridge) he looks back into the cargo area of the plane and we see all three of them release simultaneously. Then we cut to the right side of the cargo plane and we see them drop through the bottom of the aircraft one after the other.

* Continuity: Noticeable air scoops on the P-40's top cowling are shown in scenes of the aircraft parked on the ground and during taxi. Up-close engine starting and flying sequences show a clean cowling, without the air scoops.

* Continuity: During the night fighting sequence, the aircraft shown passing in "vic" formation and later shown peeling off to the left are spitfires not P-40s.

* Factual errors: The AVG did not engage in any combat prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Their first combat mission against the Japanese was December 20, 1941.

* Continuity: When Woody takes off in the unarmed ship the rudder of his plane is shown being shot to pieces by a Japanese plane. In the rest of the sequence, the dive and the final landing, the rudder is undamaged.

* Revealing mistakes: When Woody is taxiing the cargo plane and taking off down the runway, he keeps turning the control wheel left and right, as if he were driving a car. The first lesson of one's first flight is that one does not touch the wheel or stick while on the ground. The rudder, controlled by foot pedals, is used to steer the plane on the ground. Turning the wheel left and right would cause the wingtips to dig into the ground.

* Factual errors: The calendar on the desk shows the date 7 Dec 1941. The Presidents speech to Congress took place on 8 Dec 1941. Also Burma/China is to to the west of the International Date Line, that would make the date in that part of the world 9 Dec 1941.

Memorable Quotes (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034742/quotes)

Filming Locations
Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Co., Buffalo, New York, USA
(aircraft sequences)
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
(action and plane footage)
Russell Ranch - Triunfo Canyon Road, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Watch the Trailer:-

zlVTDArXUrk

"TERMITES"

I will never forget that immortal word, uttered by
Duke's mechanic.
I like this film, and enjoyed it.
Duke, although not involved in the military, was
proving behind doubt, that his films, were doing more
for the war effort, than he could ever have done in the military.
Duke was proving a natural leader of his men,
and his character developement,was certainly begining to mature in this film.
Rating 7/10

Flying Tigers was a fun Duke film to watch and it showed early on that he was going to be a force when it came to military films. The script might be alitle weak, but the flying sequences were pretty decent for the era. I would recommend this film to any Duke fan, especially if you are a WW2 nut.

Memorable Quotes

Jim Gordon: I Hope you two had a good time, 'cause Hap paid the check.

Woody Jason: [as he charges outside during an air raid] C'mon, everybody! The bank's open!
Woody Jason: [minutes later, after he grabs an unarmed and radio-less fighter to join the battle...
even after Jim has told him to wait until he gets combat training] Get your checkbook out, General.
[He's about to shoot down some Japanese, or so he thinks]
Woody Jason: [after getting winged by a Japanese bomber and making a forced landing, right into a tree] ...
Well, I walked away from THAT one!
Another Pilot: Yeah... A few more landings like THAT, and you'll be a Japanese ace!

Jim Gordon: [after Woody joins a sortie against Jim's orders, in a fighter without ammo or a radio, and gets himself shot down]
Where do you think you are, with some broken-down flying circus?
Woody Jason: Aw, it would've been a cinch; I was ridin' the murder-spot right above those Jap bombers! If I had ammo,
I'd have blown them clear out of China!
Jim Gordon: Instead, you wasted a good ship!
Woody Jason: Hey, you talk like that crate's more important than me.
Jim Gordon: I can't afford to lose planes OR pilots...
Woody Jason: It's like I told you earlier, Pappy: All I get out of this is the dough,
so you can't blame me for trying. In a skeet match, the guy who knocks down the most pigeons wins the cup.
Jim Gordon: ...I also can't have grand-standers trying to hog the whole show!
Results around here are based on co-operation and understanding.
Discipline in the air is strict, because that's the only way an outfit like this can operate!
Woody Jason: ...And here I thought it was every man for himself.
Jim Gordon: Not these days, it isn't. Just wait until the day you look over your shoulder and see a Jap sittin' on your tail,
in a ship that you can't out-maneuver! THEN you'll know what I'm talking about.

Woody Jason: [as he's examining his latest paycheck] How about that? I just qualified for an ace with one sortie!
I wonder if anybody's ever beat that record.
Another Pilot: I remember somebody who tied it once, only he didn't live to spend what he earned...
So how does it feel to be a one-man team, Woody?

Woody Jason: [after Blackie has been shot down and killed] ...
C'mon, fellas, you can't pin this on me! If Blackie hadn't opened his chute so soon, it wouldn't have happened!
Hap Smith: Maybe if you'd followed Blackie down, it wouldn't have happened, either!
You were nearest to him, and you were in the clear. What happened?
Woody Jason: ...A Mitsubishi got in my way.
Hap Smith: [bitter] I guess it's easier to see $500 than a pal of yours in trouble, isn't it?

Jim Gordon: [following Hap's medical examination] Come on in, Hap...
I gotta hand you one on the chin, but I'd rather it came from me than from anybody else: You're through flying.
Hap Smith: The doctor said I'd out-live Confucius.
Jim Gordon: Sure, if you stay on the ground...
I can't send a man out there who doesn't know whether he's flying upside down or not!
Take a look at that eye chart; your depth perception's a mile off!
I know you've been gunning 'em since they were box-kites with broomsticks for rudders.
But you gotta believe me, I'm doin' this for you! You've been close-winging in formation, overshooting your landings...
Hap Smith: [sounding as if he might cry] You don't have to say any more!...
What else COULD I do around here?
Jim Gordon: Well, taking care of these ships on the ground is just as important as gunning them upstairs.
I need a man I can trust for that... I wish you'd take that job, Hap.

[Woody has "broken the camel's back", by getting Hap killed]
Jim Gordon: There's an army truck out of here for Rangoon the day after tomorrow. Be on it.
Woody Jason: Don't say that, Jim!
Jim Gordon: Until then, you're confined to your quarters.
Woody Jason: I'm still a good flier, Jim! I'll knock down five Japs for every one of our boys!
Jim Gordon: It's out of my hands now. None of THESE men will ever fly with you again. And they HAVE to fly.

[after the first sortie]
Jim Gordon: A little rough in spots, Dale, but I think after you've learned a few things about... Dale?
[finds him dead]
Jim Gordon: ... Mike! Take care of Dale, would you? Thanks.

Jim Gordon: Don't try to win this war all by yourself.

Jim Gordon: [reading Woody's final letter] “Do me a favor, will you,
Pappy? Give my leather jacket to Reardon, he's a cool character.
Divide my address book evenly among the boys in the barracks.
And give my silk scarf to the next hedge-hopper who thinks this is an easy racket we're in. Woody.”

Woody's Friend: How come you guys wear laundry tickets on your jackets?
'Mac' McIntosh: Oh, these aren't laundry tickets.
This is in case you get shot down over Chinese territory, so they'll know you're an American volunteer.
Woody's Friend: What if you're shot down over JAPANESE territory?
'Mac' McIntosh: ...Then you've got nothing to worry about.

Woody Jason: [doing magic tricks for the kids] I have here a shiny new quarter. Brand new. Just made it this morning.
[sniffs it]
Woody Jason: Brand new - you can still smell the mint!

Repkin: Jason, what's your position?
Woody Jason: My instruments tell me I'm flying upside-down 500 feet below lake Michigan,
but they must be wrong, because I can see the lights of the field, run for cover, I'm commin' in!

Woody Jason: [almost crashing into mountain] Pull 'er up!
Jim Gordon: Didn't you know I used to drive a roller coaster?
Woody Jason: Carrying nitro?
Jim Gordon: Yesss.
Woody Jason: Were you killed?
Jim Gordon: Uh-huh.

INFORMATION IMDb

Another one of the WWII movies that I distinctly remember seeing as a child. Who can forget the front of these fighter planes, with a big toothy tiger appearance? :D

We notice that Kenneth Gamet, who received writing credits for this film, was also involved in

Flying Leathernecks (1951)
Pittsburgh (1942)
Wake of the Red Witch (1948)

Chester :newyear:

Hi,

This week, one of the least discussed war films,
is Movie of the Week
Please let's hear your comments,

It may be one of John Waynes least discussed movies but its also one of his best war movies.

This movie when released broke all previous box office records for Republic and it was also the top grossing movie of 1942.

I think John Wayne give a good performance as the quietly heroic commander of the flying tiger squadron. This movie like all of John Waynes war movies was a little unusual as it shows the nasty side of war with key character etc being killed off. I say unusual because most war movies of the time has super heros performing amazing acts and everybody surviving at the end (except the bad guys).

Robbie
:agent:

Hi,

Don't forget, now we're back in action.
We've lost a couple of days.
Let's please here your comments!

Hi all,
I like this movie, all parts of it, but really I haven't much to say about it. It is the first war movie of Duke, isn't it? And it opened his great ability for war heroes, man who has natural talant for leadership.

I don't know much about historical part of this squadron of volonteers in China. May be somebody can help with it?

And I always thought that there is some common features with Dawn Patrol - movie about WWI flyers, expecially the last mission. Flying Tigers always remin me this film.

Regards,
Vera

Frankly, I have hard time telling apart these during and just after WWII movies. They have some curiosity as propaganda films, but without Duke I would find them too boring to watch. As I recall I've liked him in all of them.
I should really watch Tigers again to have something individual to say about it.

Hi all,
yesterday I bought here a book by Claire Lee Chennault "Way of a Fighter" - it is memories about real Flying Tigers written by their commanding officer. I haven't read the book yet, but expecting it with great interest.
Regards,
Senta :rolleyes:

Vera ;

If you go to the Site Below by His Son, it will tell you all about "Claire Chennault" the leader of the "Real Flying Tigers" that the Film was Based On. :rolleyes:

I know a little about the Air Force Base that was Named after Him and His Son talks about on His Site , because that was my Home Air Force Base in the early 1950s back when I was Flying B-29s in the Korean War. :)

Claire Chennault was One Of The Giants of U.S. Aviation History!!! :jump:

THE REAL FLYING TIGERS (http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/clchenna.htm)

Bill :cowboy:

Hi Bill,
Thank you for the link. he really was a great man. I may be write more after reading his book.

And you again surprising me by your connections to so many fields.

Regards,
Vera :rolleyes:

Hi Bill and Vera

Saw this in out local paper some years ago dated 2001 and thought you might be interested.

EDWARD RECTOR

In the late summer and early autumn of 1941 a group of American pilots, largely drawn from the United States armed services, arrived at Keydaw Field, a Royal Airforce station at Toungo, in Burma.
Their mission was to fight the Japanese, at a time when the US was still at peace. Their presence heralded the birth of Americas active military relationship with the Chinese nationalist.
Edward Rector who has died of a heart attack aged 84, was among these pilots recruited for a unit who official title was the American volunteer Group (AVG). They soon got another name, the Flying Tigers, and as early as 1942 their flight into mythology had occasioned a John Wayne flag waving movie.
At a time when the Japanese were sweeping all before them, the 100 strong unit - which never exceeded 70 pilots or more than 49 Curtiss-P40 fighters ready for combat - provided a glimmer of hope for the western allies. In seven months they shot down 296 Japanese aircraft (plus 153 probables);
Rector, who was credited with the first hit, accounted for 7.5 of them. The group lost four pilots and 12 of its P40s.
Rector had been a flier on the aircraft carrier USS Ranger, based in Norfolk Virginia, when he received an offer to join the AVG. born in Marshall North Carolina he had graduated from Catawba College in Salisbury, NC in 1938 and joined the US Navy.
A devotee of Rudyard Kipling and tales of Imperial adventure, he saw the AVG as an opportunity to test himself and as he told Military History magazine earlier this year (2001) "be paid a fabulous salary". as it was the pilots got $600 a month, plus $500 for every Japanes plane they brought down.
The AVG was the brainchild of Colonel Claire Chennault a maverick former USAAF fighter pilot, who had been recruited as areonautical advisor to the Chinese nationalistic leader, Chaing Kai-Shek in 1937 - shortly after the outbreak of the Sino Japanese war. He trained mercenary and Chinese pilots, but they made limited headway against the invaders. The Japanese occupied eastern China and controlled the coast; Mao Zedong's communists were strong in the north, while the nationalists had moved their headquarters to the mountainous south-west. Their overland supply route was The Burma Road. The AVG was to provide air cover.
The fliers had hardly completed their acclimatisation when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour, and precipitated the American involment in the war. One squadron was sent to Rangoon, the other two, including Rectors second pursuit squadron, were deployed in Kunming, in China. On December 20, 14 P40s intercepted 10 raiding Mitsubishi bombers - and shot down nine.
Shortly afterwards, the China based squadrons were back in Burma. The Japanese advance was accompanied by an intense air battle for Rangoon, which ended in a Japanese victory at the end of February. But the record of the AVG- with support from a small british and australian force flying obsolete planes - was spectacular.
In the words of General Vinegar Joe stillwall, the US supremo in China, the allies had "got run out of Burma" by April 1942 the japanese had cut the Burma Road leaving 'The Hump, a 500 mile air transport flight around the periphery of the Himalayas from Chabua, in Assam into China. Rows broke out between Chennault and Stillwell. In July 1942 the AVG was disbanded, and few of its veterans remained in China with the US Army Air Force. Rector was one of the pilots to stay on.
He then commanded the 76th squadron of Chennault's shortlived China Air Task Forrce, which fought on against the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Japanese. Early in 1943, the CATF was replaced by the 14th Air Force, by which time rector had left China. he returned in 1945, and his last aerial victory was that April.
By the end of the war Rector had accounted for a further three japanese aircraft. later he served in the US MIlitary assistance advisory group which was attempting to shore up Chiang Kai-Shek's corrupt and discredited regime. in 1949 Mao Zedong's communists came to power in Bejuing; the nationalists fled. Chennault set about building what became the CIAs Air America transport outfit, and Rector went to Taiwan, to help the Nationalists build a new air force to confront communisim.
His decorations included the Legion of Merit and the British DFC for the defence of Rangoon.
Rector was born September 28th 1916 and died on April 26th 2001

Regards

Arthur

Wow, Arthur, thanks for posting all that! It certainly adds another dimension to the story.

Chester :newyear:

Hi Arthur,
Thanks for the article. I missed it in my absence here and now read with great interest.
Regards,
Vera

Somehow, I missed your info on the Flying Tigers, et al., the first time around, Arthur. Great stuff - thanks for sharing.
Cheers - Jay:beer:

Now I watched this again, pretty good actually. I had forgotten the film starts before USA joined the WW2. Why was it so big a surprise that Japan attacked Pearl Harbour, be it voluntary air force, but in reality Americans were already fighting against the Japanese. Was it thought they wouldn't dare?

Did you also know that "Flying Tigers" was nominated for three Academy Awards?

Flying Tigers
Acadamy nominations

MUSIC (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture)
SOUND RECORDING
SPECIAL EFFECTNot bad for a war flick, eh?:hyper:

Hi folks, sorry I haven't been on for a while, I went on a well deserved holiday (vacation) and when I got back I had a fall as was unable to walk and with my computer being upstairs and me not able to get up them, I couldn't get any work done, but I am on the mend, so here is a film fact for the war film Flying Tigers, I hope you like it.


Producer: Edmund Grainger, Screenplay: Kenneth Gamet, Barry Trivers, Cinematographer: Jack Marta, Art Director: Russell Kimball, Editor: Jack Murray, Distribution: Ernest Nims, Location: New Mexico, Arizona, Date of production: 1942.

When his acting career petered out, Bill Shirley (who briefly plays ill-fated pilot Dale) parlayed a good singing voice into a career redubbing the crooning for Hollywood musicals. Not only does he provide the singing voice of the prince in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, it’s his dulcet tones you can hear when “On the street Where you live” starts up in My Fair Lady.
Howard Lydecker was never Oscar nominated again, but the special effects wiz continued to provide movies with painstakingly created visuals up until his death in 1969. His CV boasted such movies as Doctor Dolittle, The Flight of the Phoenix and Sink the Bismark!.
The radio announcement of the attack on Pearl Harbour uses the actual recording of President Franklin D. Roosevelt saying the word: “Yesterday, December 7th 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval forces of Japan…”
Apart from Flying Tigers, composer Victor Young was also nominated for three other films at the Academy Awards ceremony in 1943: Take a letter Darling, For Whom the Bells Tolls and Silver Queen. It was the third time he would be nominated for a total of four films in the same year. He holds the record for the most nominations ever received before winning the award – 21. He was finally given the statuette on his 22nd nomination, for Around the World in 80 Days at the 1957 ceremony, but never lived to pick it up, dying on 10th November 1956.

Clive,

Just recently, I was wondering where you were, so we are glad to see you back. We hope you had a great vacation, and we're sorry you hurt yourself. In short, Welcome back!!

Thanks for these interesting notes regarding those who were involved in the film Flying Tigers. Too bad Victor Young never lived to receive his Oscar, especially after having been nominated so many times.

Chester :newyear:

Below is some more Info. on the Real Flying Tigers.
:thumbs_up:

I got to Fly one of the P - 40s some 30 years ago, What a Thrill !!!
:hyper:

http://www.ranch26bar.com/FLYINGTIGERS.html

Chilibill
:cowboy:

Chilibill,

Thank you for this addition to the thread. That part about Walt Disney creating the flying tiger insignia was very interesting.

Chester :newyear:

Watched today. Good war movie. They did like shooting the Japanese pilots in the face. glad it wasnt in colour.


Mike

I have seen this movie a number of times since I was a yonker. I think I have seen this one probably about 15-20 times. I always did like this movie. For one, I thought it was well made through and through and enjoyed all the action in it.

I have a production still, of a picture depicting the Chinese Chief Mechanic, pointing out the bullet holes to Duke.

And maybe this is interesting to any who care but, back in Feb of 02, I met a Flying Tiger, and got a signed photo of him. This Flying Tiger, was David Lee "Tex" Hill, who had also commanded one of three, Flying Tiger squadrons. This photo has him with three other Tigers including Dick Rossi. The squadrons were given names.

Not necessarily in order, the squadron names were:

The Panda Bears & The Adams and Eves. I forgot the name of the other squadron.

I was surprised by all the posters for this film (four altogether) -

2094 2095

These other two are 1948 and 1954 reissue posters respectively -
2096 2097

Nowhere as neat as the original posters, IMO.

The scene where John Carrol makes his final approach chokes me up. I really liked the script for JW in this one. I think it allowed him to be all that I ever wanted him to represent.

OK, I've told similar stories before . . . tooling around on the Internet (today, specifically YouTube) and one click leads to another which leads to another.

Anyway, along the way, we learned that Jimmie "Why? Because we like you!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hemEGjrzcnE) Dodd, of the Mickey Mouse Club, acted with John Wayne in Flying Tigers. Who knew? We discovered that because, while reading his bio on IMDb, there was mention that Early on played sidekick Lullaby Joslin in the popular 'Three Mesquiteers' film series..

So then we did a joint ventures search for him and John Wayne. It seems they were not in The Three Mesquiteers at the same time, but we discovered the the single joint venture was Flying Tigers.

Just thought you'd enjoy the nostalgia.

Chester :newyear: and the Mrs. :angel1:

A very interesting book on "Flying Tigers" of the reality was read.
It is a book "Preemptive Strike". ーThe secret plan that would have prevented　the attack on Pearl Harbor- by Alan Armstrong,

The fact of having approved the plan that President Roosevelt bombs to the major city from China to Japan by Flying Tigers before the attack of the Pearl Harbor is clarified according to it.

regards,
Taka

That's very interesting, Taka. The thought that Roosevelt thought to "strike first" is something I had never heard before. I wonder how the American public would have felt if Roosevelt had taken that route when all I've heard was that the public at large wanted to stay out of the conflict. I may just have to look up the book.

Mark

Interesting point Taka. I have for a long time believed FDR knew that Pearl Harbor was going to be bombed. I agree with Mark that most Americans were neutralists like WWI. FDR needed a catalyst to get the US involved, one similar to the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, that brought us into the war in 1917.
Interesting you read reports of the second explosion on the Lusitania and many believe it was munitions that were sent for the Brits and Frogs. The German UBoat commander Schweiger could not understand why the Lusitania didn't leave by another channel. Did Wilson use the Lusitania to get the US into WWI or the Brits draw us in by it?

Here's a link for the book"Preemptive Strike"The Lyons Press,2006.
http://www.preemptivestrikethebook.com/

It is well known that FDR didn't consider measures though perceived the Pearl Harbor attack by Japanese Navy beforehand.
It is assumed that there was a political judgment that start forming the
public opinions U.S. should participate in the war (WW2).

The attack to Japanese aircrafts by Flying Tigers has started earlier than Pearl hobor bombing.
Moreover, i learnt at the first time that the bombing to the japanese
cities had been planned by this book.

Anyway,IMO the Japan-US two countries had already to have rushed into war before December,1941.

regards,
Taka

Maybe the feeling of the American people may have been shifting about the war in Europe and the Pacific, but they were not in a rush to send their boys to fight, in my opinion. the article states :

While President Roosevelt, his cabinet and staff, together with Captain Claire Lee Chennault and representatives of the Chinese Nationalist Government worked secretly on a plan to bomb Japan before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the failure to timely implement and execute the plan had devastating consequences for America. I don't think it was a failure to not implement the bombings, for we would have been the aggressor and I don't think there would have been a rush to join up if that was the case. The attack on Pearl Harbor infuriated the public and "woke up a sleeping giant" as Adm. Yamamoto had stated after the attack. That caused the Nation to rise up as one in the sole purpose to avenge the attack. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was exactly what was needed to light the fire in the US. War between America and Japan may have been in the wind, but the People were not in a rush to engage it...untill Pearl.

Mark

I still can Remember when this happened on December 7Th. 1941, we were at the Old Fox Theater in Phoenix watching a John Wayne Film.
:teeth_smile:
They Stopped the Movie and told us what had Happened and everyone Left The Theater and the U.S.A. WAS AT WAR !!!
:fear:
Chilibill
:cowboy:

Much of the Film The "Flying Tigers" was Filmed in Flagstaff, Arizona, Of All Places !!!
:vampire:

The attack on Pearl Harbor infuriated the public and "woke up a sleeping giant" as Adm. Yamamoto had stated after the attack. That caused the Nation to rise up as one in the sole purpose to avenge the attack. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was exactly what was needed to light the fire in the US.
Mark

FDR regardless of his new deal and all that he had done still didn't have the sway in congress to vote war which he wanted. Churchill already had visited the US twice trying to talk him into entering the war other than sending supplies. The Republicans were happy just to send supplies.
Japan did FDR a favor and every one who died at Pearl a disfavor by allowing the Japanese to fly in and bomb without warning.

usually i can t get into war films but i watched this one, mainly cos jw was in it, and quite enjoyed it.
one small point, which is going to sound petty but it really bugged me, was when blackie(?)s wife went to see jw to beg him to let her husband fly. she kept saying but please don t tell him i ve spoken to you. he agreed to that and then said, have him ready for tomorrow morning....well, how could she do that without telling him that she d spoken to him?
loved the planes though with the design on the front - did they really have them like that and thought it was a really good ending when the guy you disliked all the way through suddenly became a hero and what a hero.
overall it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours and i would watch it again

usually i can t get into war films but i watched this one, mainly cos jw was in it, and quite enjoyed it.
one small point, which is going to sound petty but it really bugged me, was when blackie(?)s wife went to see jw to beg him to let her husband fly. she kept saying but please don t tell him i ve spoken to you. he agreed to that and then said, have him ready for tomorrow morning....well, how could she do that without telling him that she d spoken to him?
loved the planes though with the design on the front - did they really have them like that and thought it was a really good ending when the guy you disliked all the way through suddenly became a hero and what a hero.
overall it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours and i would watch it again

Hi Badger

I think it was necessary that Blackie remained ignorant of his wife's intervention in order to ensure he had some self esteem and confidence. Blackie wanted to be there to redeem himself he wanted to earn the chance to fight on his own merits and not because his wife had begged the Squadron leader.

Thats my take on the scene.

:agent:

FLYING TIGERS is my favorite of his war movies. I can watch that movie 100 times, in fact I think I have.LOL.
Andy:teeth_smile:

It was one of My favoites also and I have watched it Many Time.
Bill
:cowboy:

http://i27.servimg.com/u/f27/11/97/59/03/a_duk189.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=7921&u=11975903)

http://i67.servimg.com/u/f67/11/97/59/03/scan0012.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=2788&u=11975903)

http://i67.servimg.com/u/f67/11/97/59/03/scan0010.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=2558&u=11975903)

http://i47.servimg.com/u/f47/11/97/59/03/a_duke84.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=8476&u=11975903)

http://i67.servimg.com/u/f67/11/97/59/03/wayne483.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=2625&u=11975903)

http://i47.servimg.com/u/f47/11/97/59/03/a_duk132.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=8524&u=11975903)

http://i67.servimg.com/u/f67/11/97/59/03/wayne547.jpg (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=2711&u=11975903)

The Woody Character was a little to much, but other then that, Good movie!