Chinese Air Force Air Combat Illustrated ...

[Mark Allen M]

This is a neat deal here. Since I'm a History Major I have always been fascinated with, and have done a fair share of research on, early combat history of all countries in all areas and times of war. This collection is well worth some time to read. I certainly cannot vouch for it's true authenticity as perhaps there's a bit of propaganda mixed in with historical fact, but never the less very interesting to take a look at indeed. Hope there's a few here that enjoy this type of thing. I'm thinking it has value to some here and it somewhat fits in the overall package of what WIX is about. IMHO of course. Source: SDASM archives.

Air Combat Illustrated Chinese Air Force
Printed in 1947, this book shows the actions of the Chinese Air Force in the early days of World War Two.

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[Mark Allen M]

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[Mark Allen M]

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[Mark Allen M]

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[wendovertom]

Not beinging able to read Chinese - it seems a bit fanciful and hopeful on the part of the Chinese successes against the Japanese. But maybe thats a quick judgement? Cool find none the less!

Tom P.

[Mark Allen M]

English sub-titles of the text below each page and a little digging seems to verify some of the statements. I'm satisfied.

These photos seem appropriate for this thread as the CAF used Northrop 2-E's to attack Japanese ships. Source SDASM archives, George Arnold Collection
George B. Arnold (1893 – 1956) served as vice president and general manager of Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company in China, then as an associate with Curtiss-Wright in Buffalo and in China. Photograph dates range from 1934-1939. In 1937, George Arnold was in Shien Chaio, China to build the aircraft factory.
The series here and well worth a look as well.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchi ... 156059833/
And some background on early CAF activity.
http://www.warbirdforum.com/cafhist2.htm

Northrop 2-E








































Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company in China c 1934-1939


The Welding Gang

[The Inspector]

An amazing posting!!!!! the artwork is superb, the captioning is intriguing and it's a treat to see how much mileage Jack Northrop and Jerry Vultee got out of the GAMMA and the V-1 designs by just sliding stuff around.

DANKE'

[Mark Allen M]

Thx Bill, your welcome. The B-10 was also used by the CAF early in the conflict with Japan.


Martin B-12 at March Field Nov 19, 1935 (U.S. Air Force photo)


Martin B-10B's (U.S. Air Force photo)


Martin B-10B cockpit (U.S. Air Force photo)


Martin B-10B cockpit (U.S. Air Force photo)

[The Inspector]

Ever wonder why the control wheels on Martin and Bell airplanes looked like they were 'off the shelf' from TOW MOTOR baggage tugs or American BANTAMS?

[Adam Kline]

Great stuff, my wife is Taiwanese and was reading the Chinese over my shoulder while I read the English. She got very upset by what she read. She was also saddened. Huge amounts of civilians died. To this day the Japanese have hardly apologized. I read an article just the other day in the LA Times were the Japanese felt they won the war with China, but lost the war to the West. To them it is a victory they are still proud of.
Interestingly, the hand written notes on the bottom of some pages were explaining where a certain commander was located in another book. Whoever owned this book was in the CAF and recognized the people mentioned.

[Mark Allen M]

Adam my apologies for upsetting your wife. No intention of causing grief or Ill will. The Chinese people suffered tremendously, as did so many others. As much as it is still very painful for some to reflect on those horrible years of world conflict, it's also important never to forget the sacrifice and suffering the Chinese people endured and to never forget their heroism and bravery.

I'm very proud to have been able to post a small bit of China's history from a time largely forgotten by this part of the world IMO. The Chinese people I'm sure still have quite vivid memories of this tragic part of their vast history and as I'm sure they would never forget this history, I feel we should at the very least show the Chinese respect by remembering as well.

I sincerely hope your wife will accept my apology.

Mark

[Adam Kline]

Mark, No ill will received. My wife accepts the fact that it happened. Nothing you did. The Chinese largely mismanaged the war. Chiang Kai Shek was trained and schooled in Japan and was basically a Japanese pacifist. Madame Chiang was all the carisma at getting other world leaders to try and help, but her husband largely held his best troops in reserve to fight Mao's communist. Churchill never trusted him and urged Roosevelt not to either. Chiang never really understood that the Japanese were not his friends. This is even evident in the book. The chapter where the Chinese bombed the Japanese with leaflets. Communist were seen as the larger threat.
No one should forget that the Chinese were involved in fighting the Japanese for years before WWII actually started with little or no help.

[bdk]

No question that book is full-on propaganda. Much of war history has been clouded by these kinds of documents which are taken as well researched fact, which they are not.

[Mark Allen M]

No question that book is full-on propaganda. Much of war history has been clouded by these kinds of documents which are taken as well researched fact, which they are not.

Although I agree with much of your post as a whole, I'd love to have you point out a few specifics regarding your remarks towards this book. Not trying to put you on any sort of spot bdk, just curious if there is a specific area you have in mind as being full-on propaganda. The brief research I have done concerning a few sections in this book has proven to be somewhat authentic history. Again yes I see forms of propaganda and embellished history, full-on? not so sure. That's just IHO though.

[JonL]

The P40E flying in New Zealand, (41-25158 - ex NZ3009), which I thought, was painted in "yet another AVG" scheme, is actually painted in the markings of Chinese fighter ace, Xu Hua Jiang.

This aircraft 88/663/P-11151 was one of 27 P 40E's delivered to China in early 1943. It has an inscription in Chinese characters on the nose which is "Tai Gong Lin" which translates as ""By order of a respected senior person". This phrase goes back in Chinese history to a famous Prime Minister in the Zhou Dynasty (1050 to 256 BC), and illustrates a difference in Chinese verse American thinking. When American pilots told Xu Hua Jiang that they painted the names of their wives or mothers or girlfriends on their aeroplanes, he thought it better to acknowledge Chinese history on his plane.