| Original caption: “A Chinese soldier guards a line of American P-40 fighter planes, painted with the shark-face emblem of the ‘Flying Tigers,’ at a flying field somewhere in China. The American pursuit planes have a twelve-to-one victory ratio over the Japanese.” Original caption: “Chinese soldier works twenty-four hours per day – This Chinese soldier is standing guard before a line of fierce-looking United States P-40s at a Chinese air base. His shift is twenty-four hours, a period of duty, unheard of in most armies.” Original caption: “‘Christmas Card’ from China – A line of American P-40 fighter planes guarded by a Chinese soldier isn’t the traditional idea of a Christmas card, but this scene, taken somewhere in China, is one of several sent by radio from Chungking as Christmas greetings to those of us at home from United States forces stationed in China. A Chinese soldier, with a bolt-action M1903 Springfield 30 caliber (7.62 millimeter) rifle, guards Curtiss P-40K Warhawks of the 23rd Fighter Group. He lacks shoes and other standard combat gear. The 23rd Fighter Group evolved out of the Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer Group (AVG), which operated out of Chinese bases. It inherited the “shark mouth” motif livery from the AVG. Flying out of Kunming from July 1942 until September 1943, the 23rd Fighter Group flew fighter and bomber missions against Japanese targets. The P-40K offered only a slight increase in speed over the E model, but the pilots appreciated any improvement. Mostly, they liked the fact that the planes were newer, without the nagging problems like bald tires, touchy electrical systems, leaky hydraulics, and tired engines they had become accustomed to with their older Sharks. 1 pilot, Robert A. O’Neill (April 17, 1917 – March 6, 2002) of the 16th Fighter Squadron, had to take off from Yunnanyi once, “with a rope wrapped around one wheel to act as a tire, to save the airplane just prior to a Japanese attack. It took full right rudder and right aileron to maintain directional control on takeoff and landing.” In time, the P-40Ks would become war-weary, too, but for now, they boosted the confidence of the men who flew them. By 1944, the P-40K was obsolete, but still employed in ground attack and even in air combat. By then, it was just as worn out as the P-40Bs and Es it replaced in 1942. This image was nationally syndicated in December 1942. Original caption: “A Chinese soldier guards a line of American P-40 fighter planes, painted with the shark-face emblem of the ‘Flying Tigers,’ at a flying field somewhere in China. The American pursuit planes have a twelve-to-one victory ratio over the Japanese.” Original caption: “Chinese soldier works twenty-four hours per day – This Chinese soldier is standing guard before a line of fierce-looking United States P-40s at a Chinese air base. His shift is twenty-four hours, a period of duty, unheard of in most armies.” Original caption: “‘Christmas Card’ from China – A line of American P-40 fighter planes guarded by a Chinese soldier isn’t the traditional idea of a Christmas card, but this scene, taken somewhere in China, is one of several sent by radio from Chungking as Christmas greetings to those of us at home from United States forces stationed in China. A Chinese soldier, with a bolt-action M1903 Springfield 30 caliber (7.62 millimeter) rifle, guards Curtiss P-40K Warhawks of the 23rd Fighter Group. He lacks shoes and other standard combat gear. The 23rd Fighter Group evolved out of the Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer Group (AVG), which operated out of Chinese bases. It inherited the “shark mouth” motif livery from the AVG. Flying out of Kunming from July 1942 until September 1943, the 23rd Fighter Group flew fighter and bomber missions against Japanese targets. The P-40K offered only a slight increase in speed over the E model, but the pilots appreciated any improvement. Mostly, they liked the fact that the planes were newer, without the nagging problems like bald tires, touchy electrical systems, leaky hydraulics, and tired engines they had become accustomed to with their older Sharks. 1 pilot, Robert A. O’Neill (April 17, 1917 – March 6, 2002) of the 16th Fighter Squadron, had to take off from Yunnanyi once, “with a rope wrapped around one wheel to act as a tire, to save the airplane just prior to a Japanese attack. It took full right rudder and right aileron to maintain directional control on takeoff and landing.” In time, the P-40Ks would become war-weary, too, but for now, they boosted the confidence of the men who flew them. By 1944, the P-40K was obsolete, but still employed in ground attack and even in air combat. By then, it was just as worn out as the P-40Bs and Es it replaced in 1942. This image was nationally syndicated in December 1942. Original caption: “A Chinese soldier guards a line of American P-40 fighter planes, painted with the shark-face emblem of the ‘Flying Tigers,’ at a flying field somewhere in China. The American pursuit planes have a twelve-to-one victory ratio over the Japanese.” Original caption: “Chinese soldier works twenty-four hours per day – This Chinese soldier is standing guard before a line of fierce-looking United States P-40s at a Chinese air base. His shift is twenty-four hours, a period of duty, unheard of in most armies.” Original caption: “‘Christmas Card’ from China – A line of American P-40 fighter planes guarded by a Chinese soldier isn’t the traditional idea of a Christmas card, but this scene, taken somewhere in China, is one of several sent by radio from Chungking as Christmas greetings to those of us at home from United States forces stationed in China. A Chinese soldier, with a bolt-action M1903 Springfield 30 caliber (7.62 millimeter) rifle, guards Curtiss P-40K Warhawks of the 23rd Fighter Group. He lacks shoes and other standard combat gear. The 23rd Fighter Group evolved out of the Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer Group (AVG), which operated out of Chinese bases. It inherited the “shark mouth” motif livery from the AVG. Flying out of Kunming from July 1942 until September 1943, the 23rd Fighter Group flew fighter and bomber missions against Japanese targets. The P-40K offered only a slight increase in speed over the E model, but the pilots appreciated any improvement. Mostly, they liked the fact that the planes were newer, without the nagging problems like bald tires, touchy electrical systems, leaky hydraulics, and tired engines they had become accustomed to with their older Sharks. 1 pilot, Robert A. O’Neill (April 17, 1917 – March 6, 2002) of the 16th Fighter Squadron, had to take off from Yunnanyi once, “with a rope wrapped around one wheel to act as a tire, to save the airplane just prior to a Japanese attack. It took full right rudder and right aileron to maintain directional control on takeoff and landing.” In time, the P-40Ks would become war-weary, too, but for now, they boosted the confidence of the men who flew them. By 1944, the P-40K was obsolete, but still employed in ground attack and even in air combat. By then, it was just as worn out as the P-40Bs and Es it replaced in 1942. This image was nationally syndicated in December 1942. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1535.jpg |
| Image Size | 648.65 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2940 x 2215 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Office of War Information |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | December 1, 1942 |
| Location | |
| City | Kunming |
| State or Province | Yunnan |
| Country | China |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-208-AA-12X(21) |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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