Aces of The Republic of China Air Force

COLOUR PLATES

Nieuport 17 White ‘T’ in Black disc, possibly flown by Sgt Etienne Tsu, Escadrille N37, Cachy, France, July 1916
Pilots of Escadrille N37 had the first letter of their surname painted in white within a black disc on the side of their aircraft. Sgt Tsu was credited with a confirmed victory on 10 July 1916 when a German aeroplane he attacked was seen by ground observers to crash behind enemy lines. This is believed to have been the first aerial victory scored by a Chinese pilot. Tsu was credited with three confirmed victories – two aircraft and one observation balloon. Some consider him an ace because he was also credited with two aircraft ‘forced down’.

Curtiss Hawk III ‘IV-1’ flown by Lt Col Kao, Chi-hang, CO of the 4th PG, Schien Chiao, August 1937
CAF pursuit aircraft were painted olive green overall, with national markings consisting of a white 12-pointed sun in a blue disc on the uppersurfaces and undersides of the wingtips. Rudder markings consisted of 12 horizontal stripes, six white and six blue. Large numbers were carried in white on the fuselage sides, with ‘IV-1’ denoting that this Hawk III was the No 1 aircraft of the 4th PG. Lt Col Kao, Chi-hang, commanding officer of the group, scored the first Chinese victory of the Sino-Japanese War with ‘IV-1’ on 14 August 1937 near Schien Chiao airfield. His victim was a G3M of the Kanoya Kokutai. Capt Mow, Ying-chu also used the aircraft to shoot down three D1A1 dive-bombers over Nanking on 19 September 1937. ‘IV-1’ was lost in combat with IJNAF A5Ms over Hankow on 4 January 1938. This profile shows the Hawk III in its original configuration, complete with bomb racks, auxiliary tank and navigation lights, all of which were later stripped off to reduce weight, at the suggestion of Lt Col Kao in October 1937.

Curtiss Hawk III No 2102 flown by Lt Liu, Che-sheng, 21st PS/4th PG, Schien Chiao, August 1937
On 14 August 1937, despite poor weather, Liu had flown from Chow Chia-kou with the rest of the 4th PG to Schien Chiao. While they were refuelling word was received of Japanese aeroplanes approaching. Liu took off with his leader, Capt Li, Kuei-tan, commander of the 21st PS, and Lt Wang, Wen-hua. Patrolling to the west of the airfield, they ran into three G3Ms from the Kanoya Kokutai approaching from the west. Liu shared in the downing of the No 3 G3M in the No 3 Shotai. The following day he shared in the downing of a B2M attack aeroplane from the Kaga, although No 2102 was hit in the fuel tank by return fire and Liu had to force-land at nearby Chiao-shi airfield. The No 2 B2M Chutai arrived overhead shortly thereafter and bombed the airfield. Liu had just left his aeroplane when bombs started falling, and he threw himself flat on the ground just as one went off nearby. Fortunately, No 2102 suffered no further damage and Liu escaped injury.

Curtiss Hawk III No 2204 flown by Lt Yue, Yi-Chin, 22nd PS/4th PG, Schien Chiao, August 1937
Yue, who was a flight leader, flew this aircraft during the action on 15 August 1937 that saw him claim four B2Ms from Kaga destroyed. Details of Yue’s actions are lacking in the official CAF account, but according to oral histories from his squadronmates he had stalked his prey using cloud cover, claiming two B2Ms when they were inbound to Schien Chiao. He continued pursuing the aircraft as they turned back towards their carrier, claiming another two over Chien-tang River. It is believed that Yue was also flying No 2204 when he shot down the E8N of PO1c Shigeru Yano on 21 August 1937. This aircraft was lost in combat with eight A5Ms of the 13th Kokutai over Nanchang on 14 December 1937. Five patched-up Hawk IIIs from the 5th PG had been flown to Nanchang to provide air defence while the CAF waited for the Soviet Volunteer Group under Blagoveshchenskiy to arrive. An IJNAF raid was detected just after the Hawk IIIs reached Nanchang, and all five fighters were scrambled – two Chinese pilots each led a flight of foreign volunteer pilots aloft. One flight, led by Lt Kao, Ching-chen in No 2109, consisted of Frenchman Omer Poivre and Australian Robert Whitehead in Nos 2204 and 2205, respectively. All three were shot down, with Kao bailing out, Poivre being killed and Whitehead suffering wounds. The other Chinese flight leader, Lt Yang, Cheng-fang in No 2309, was also shot down and killed. Only German-American Fritz Kreuzberg in No 2307 managed to land safely.

Curtiss Hawk III No 2404 flown by Lt Yuan, Pao-kang, 24th PS/5th PG, Yangchow, October 1937
On 21 August 1937, the Kisarazu Kokutai mounted a dawn attack on Yangchow airfield, home of the 5th PG. While Kisarazu’s 5th Chutai bombed Yangchow the 4th Chutai targeted nearby Pukou. Yuan took off in No 2404 from Yangchow and soon caught up with the 4th Chutai, shooting down the No 3 aircraft – a 9-shiki Chukoh. In early October No 2404 was stripped down, losing its navigation lights, bomb racks and auxiliary fuel tank in an effort to reduce weight. During the morning action of 12 October 1937 Yuan was again at the controls of No 2404 as part of a flight of four Hawk IIIs that intercepted two E8Ns from the seaplane carrier Kamoi. The lead E8N of Lt Nambu was damaged and set on fire, although the pilot still managed to turn around to face Yuan head-on. No 2404 collided with the E8N, losing its lower left wing and part of its upper left wing, as well as suffering damage to the tail. The E8N crashed in flames. Yuan was able to force-land in a field on the outskirts of the town of Kiangyin.

Curtiss Hawk III No 2407 flown by Capt Liu, Tsui-kang, CO of the 24th PS/5th PG, Yangchow, October 1937
Liu had started the Sino-Japanese conflict in his assigned aircraft No 2401, but this had been damaged in a forced landing by Lt Yao, Jei after a ground attack mission on 13 September 1937. The 4th PG was sent north to collect Soviet aircraft shortly thereafter, whilst the 24th and 25th PSs stayed behind to defend Nanking. With so few Hawk IIIs now available, pilots started flying the same aircraft on a more regular basis. No 2407, which became Liu’s regular aircraft, was stripped down to reduce weight in October. On the 12th of that month Liu shot down an A5M of the 13th Kokutai directly overhead the Chung Hwa Gate in Nanking. This epic dogfight, witnessed by the beleaguered defenders and citizens of Nanking, was a great morale booster. Liu was killed in a flying accident in this aircraft just 13 days later.

Boeing 281 No 1701 flown by Capt John Wong, Poon-yeung, CO of the 17th PS/3rd PG, Chu-yung, August 1937
Wong flew this aircraft into combat on 16 August 1937 during the battle over Chu-yung airfield, near Nanking. The rapid engine startup capability of the Boeing fighter enabled Wong to get No 1701 into the air just as the Command Shotai of the Kanoya Kokutai arrived overhead. Minutes later Wong shot down the leading G3M, flown by Lt Cdr Nitta, and damaged the No 2 bomber. Wong then ran into the No 1 Shotai, diving below the No 2 aeroplane and shooting it up from below. The G3M fell away in flames and crashed south of Chu-yung, whereupon the two 550-lb bombs it was carrying exploded. No 1701 was shot down during the big aerial battle over Nanking on 19 September 1937. Its pilot, Lt Liu, Lan-ching, bailed out successfully but was killed when three E8Ns strafed him in his parachute.

Boeing 281 No 1703 flown by Lt ‘Buffalo’ Wong, Sun-sui, Deputy CO of the 17th PS/3rd PG, Chu-yung, August 1937
On 15 August 1937 ‘Buffalo’ helped shoot down the No 4 G3M of the No 3 Chutai, Kisarazu Kokutai, whilst flying No 1703. This proved to be the first Japanese aeroplane destroyed over Nanking. However, he missed the opportunity to score a second victory in this aircraft the following day when its guns failed due to a dead battery. ‘Buffalo’ had chased a crippled G3M from Chuyung all the way to Suchow, near Shanghai. On 19 September 1937 ‘Buffalo’ went to the aid of a wingman, Lt Liu, Lan-ching, who had been shot down and was now being strafed in his parachute. An A5M from the 13th Kokutai attacked from the left and hit No 1703, wounding ‘Buffalo’ in the left hand and eventually forcing him to bail out when the Boeing fighter became uncontrollable.

Boeing 281 No 1706 flown by Capt John Wong, Poon-yeung, CO of the 17th PS/3rd PG, Chu-yung, September 1937
This aircraft was flown by Wong during the defence of Nanking after his assigned fighter, No 1701, was destroyed while being flown by another pilot during the battle over Nanking on 19 September 1937. On 12 October 1937, again over Nanking, Wong drew first blood when he bounced A5Ms of the 13th Kokutai, shooting one of them down. No 1706 survived the battle of Nanking and was withdrawn to Hankow on 29 October, along with the pilots and groundcrew of the 17th PS, which was transferred to the 5th PG. Wong continued to fly this aircraft while overseeing the re-organisation and re-equipment of the 5th PG with Soviet aircraft. On 3 December Wong flew No 1706 from Hankow to Nanking, where he transferred to the Hawk 75 demonstrator aircraft and flew a reconnaissance mission over Shanghai. After completing the sortie, Wong returned to Hankow in No 1706, where it was later grounded due to a lack of spare parts.

Curtiss Hawk II No 2804 flown by Lt ‘Art’ Chin, Deputy CO of the 28th PS/5th PG, Chu-yung, August 1937
‘Art’ Chin flew this obsolescent Hawk II during the defence of Nanking on 15 and 16 August 1937, helping to shoot down one G3M and damaging two others. Although Chin could not remember the number of the Hawk II he flew on these dates, he did mention an incident that would suggest it was No 2804. The aircraft that Chin flew during the 16 August battle over Chu-yung was damaged by return fire, the pilot force-landing at Chia Hsing. The Hawk II was hard pressed to keep up with the G3M Chin had chased out to Lake Tai Hu, and sitting on the tail of the bomber with zero degree deflection, it was an easy target for IJNAF gunners. Chin subsequently asked Sebie Smith, armament advisor to the CAF, to scrounge a 0.50-calibre machine gun for ‘his’ Hawk II. This was duly installed, but Chin was sent to Shaokwan to test fly Hawk IIIs coming off the assembly line before he had the chance to fly the modified machine. The up-gunned No 2804 was sent north to Taiyuan with the rest of the 28th PS, and it was one of the few Hawk IIs to survive the fighting and be flown to Hankow on 1 October. That evening there was an air raid warning, and the pilots of the 34th Provisional PS – mostly newly graduated cadets from the Academy – took off in every Hawk II they could find. One went aloft in the up-gunned Hawk II and shot down a twin-engined bomber. Unfortunately, it was an ex-Cantonese Air Force He 111A from the CAF’s 19th BS. The crew of the surviving Heinkel were livid, threatening to shoot the pilot responsible. They initially refused to accept the explanation that an inexperienced new pilot, Sub-Lt Peng, Chow, could have single-handedly downed a heavy bomber. However, examination of all the Hawk IIs showed that only No 2804 had fired its guns. Peng also happened to be Cantonese, which may have helped convince the He 111A crew that this was not a deliberate attack by the Central Air Force. Nevertheless, Peng was arrested and jailed for a period. His career ruined, he later joined the air force of the collaborationist government of Wang, Ching-wei. After the war Peng was arrested, found guilty of treason and executed.

Fiat CR.32 No 806 flown by Lt Chen, Tse-liu, 8th PS/3rd PG, Nanking, September 1937
Chen regularly flew this rare fighter during the defence of Nanking in 1937, No 806 being one of only five pre-production series CR.32s still operational with the CAF at the outbreak of war. On 15 August he and his flight leader, Lt Harry Low (in No 808), severely damaged the 9-shiki Chukoh of Lt Yoshida, commander of the 5th Chutai, Kisarazu Kokutai, over Nanking. Yoshida managed to nurse the bomber back to base at Cheju Island on one engine. Two CR.32s were damaged during this action and did not see further combat. Two of the three remaining examples were lost, along with their pilots (Lts Harry Low and Chai, Chi-chang) during the battle over Nanking on 19 September However, No 806 fought on in almost every action over Nanking, flown either by Chen, Tse-liu or the 8th PS commander, Capt Chen, You-wei. On 29 October No 806 was evacuated to Hankow, where, remarkably, it remained in frontline service until finally retired in January 1938. The great agility of the CR.32, which made it a favourite amongst experienced Chinese pilots, probably contributed to the longevity of No 806, even when fighting against terrible odds. The experienced Capt Chow, Ting-fang flew the aeroplane during its last action, over Hankow, on 4 January. He fought off three A5Ms by himself before escaping into a cloud. The fighter’s broad white fuselage stripe was in use during the confrontation with the Canton and Kwangsi Provinces. It was removed once the Sino-Japanese War commenced.

Nakajima Type 91 No 288 of the 1st Aircraft Training Squadron, Kwangsi Air Force, 1936
This Type 91 features the triangular fuselage insignia and eight-stripe tail markings synonymous with aircraft of the Kwangsi Air Force – Chinese Central Air Force aeroplanes had tail markings consisting of 12 stripes. This aircraft belonged to the 1st Aircraft Training Squadron, and it was probably flown by Chu, Chia-hsun, the only ace to previously serve with the Kwangsi Air Force. No 288 is believed to have been the original JAAF serial. Kwangsi Air Force aircraft had the Chinese national markings of the 12-pointed white sun in a blue disc on the wings. However, instead of the 12 blue and white stripes on the tail, Kwangsi aircraft only had eight. Black triangles were added to distinguish them from Central Air Force aircraft during the 1936 confrontation with the Central Government. After they were incorporated into the Central Air Force, the Kwangsi aircraft were repainted in the standard scheme of overall olive green with large side numbers in white. Type 91 fighters still active at the outbreak of war included three that were numbered 505, 506 and 507.

Polikarpov I-16 Type 5 No 82 (P-series serial unknown) flown by Lt Loh, Ying-teh, Soviet Volunteer Pursuit Group, Hankow, January 1938
Loh flew this aircraft when he served as liaison officer to the Soviet Volunteer Pursuit Group, commanded by Alexei S Blagoveshchenskiy. He used it to shoot down Lt Ryohei Ushioda, Fighter Unit Leader of the 12th Kokutai, over Nanchang on 7 January 1938. A photograph of I-16s thought to be from the Blagoveshchenskiy group appeared in an article in the CAF magazine that was written by Loh, the fighters being painted in the colour scheme depicted here – dark green with light blue undersides and what appeared to be a black nose. Side numbers were large numerals in white. Loh indicated in correspondence with the author that the aircraft he flew during this action was numbered ‘82’. It was reportedly Blagoveshchenskiy who ordered the painting of the large numerals on the side of aircraft in his group to aid with identification in the air – ironically, just as the CAF was beginning to switch to smaller, less conspicuous numbers.

Polikarpov I-16 Type 5 P 2105/P-5360 flown by Lt Liu, Chesheng, 21st PS/4th PG, Hankow, February 1938
Liu flew this fighter during the defence of Hankow in early 1938. Close-up photographs of it show the switch to using smaller numerals for the squadron aircraft number ‘2105’, and the serial number P-5360 also appears on the fin. The nose appeared to be green rather than black – Russian sources indicate that some I-16s had the black cowlings seen on aeroplanes built in the Moscow Factory 39 repainted green at Lanchow prior to their delivery to the CAF. Liu claimed one solo and two shared victories, all against the formidable A5M fighter, over Hankow in 1938.

Gloster Gladiator I No 2909 flown by Maj John Wong, Poonyeung, CO of the 5th PG, Nan Hsiung, June 1938
This Gladiator I initially flew with the 5th PG from Tien-ho airfield in Canton from early 1938. When the British fighters were first delivered they were adorned with large side numbers as seen here. No 2909 suffered a serious fuel leak during the 24 February 1938 battle over Nan Hsiung airfield and it was damaged on the ground by ordnance dropped by E7N floatplane bombers. Following repairs, No 2909 was flown by 5th PG commander Maj John Wong during the action near Nan Hsiung on 16 June 1938 that saw him detonate the bomb load of a Takao Kokutai G3M. The blast destroyed the leader’s aeroplane and damaged both wingmen. Capt ‘Art’ Chin finished off both of the damaged G3Ms.

Gloster Gladiator I No 2809 flown by Capt ‘Art’ Chin, 28th PS/5th PG, Hankow, August 1938
‘Art’ rammed an A5M from the 15th Kokutai in this fighter over Hankow on 3 August 1938. By late 1938, all surviving Gladiators in the CAF had had their large side numbers replaced by smaller ones on the fin. This may have been the same aircraft that Chin flew on 16 June 1938 when he downed two G3Ms over Nan Hsiung. The official records indicate the number of his aircraft was 2808, but other records suggest that 2808 had been lost in an earlier action. Chinese Gladiators were initially plagued by gun jamming problems that were almost certainly caused by a batch of bad (perhaps old) ammunition bought from Belgium. Chin was to subsequently experience another serious problem with ammunition in his aircraft (believed to be No 2809). On one hot summer’s day in Hengyang, Chin noticed smoke coming from the gun bays of his Gladiator, which was parked in the open. The guns had been loaded with incendiary rounds, and the phosphorus in some of them had leaked out and ignited. Quick action from the groundcrew saved the precious aircraft from bursting into flames. Nevertheless, a few rounds ‘cooked off’, fortunately without injuring any one.

Gloster Gladiator I No 3201 flown by Capt Chu, Chia-hsun, 32nd PS/3rd PG, Nan Hsiung, August 1938
Chu claimed two Kaga-based A5Ms destroyed while flying this aircraft over Nan Hsiung on 30 August 1938. The 32nd PS (a former Kwangsi Air Force unit) replaced its Nakajima Type 91 fighters with Gladiators in 1938, thus becoming the third, and last, CAF squadron to receive the type. After the protracted action on 30 August, three Gladiators, including Chu’s, ran out of fuel and were damaged in forced landings. With no replacement aircraft available, and repair resources limited by the Japanese blockade, the CAF’s Gladiator force consisted of just three operational aircraft by mid-1939 – all assigned to the 32nd PS. Although two of these machines were lost in the battle over Kun-lun Pass on 27 December 1939, CAF records show that a single Gladiator soldiered on into 1941.

Polikarpov I-15bis P 3904 flown by Anton A Gubenko, 39th PS/Soviet Volunteer Group, Nanchang, April 1938
Little information exists in CAF records on the numbering of Soviet volunteer units, being typically referred to as the ‘Russian Pursuit Group’ or ‘Russian Bomber Group’. The availability of Russian records after the collapse of the Soviet Union has filled in some gaps, however. The aircraft of seven-victory ace, and Spanish Civil War veteran, Anton Gubenko was described as carrying the number 3904. This follows the Chinese practice of a squadron number followed by an aircraft number. CAF squadron numbers in 1937 went up to 35, with 41 later being assigned to a French volunteer unit. It would appear that numbers 36 to 40 were assigned to Russian units, with 38 to 40 going to the three squadrons of the ‘Russian Pursuit Group’.

Polikarpov I-15bis P-7188 flown by Maj Chen, Tse-liu, CO of the 17th PS/5th PG, Lanchow, summer 1939
As the squadron commander, Chen, Tse-liu was normally assigned a personal aircraft – probably P-1701. Unfortunately, there are no surviving photos of this aircraft, so the profile of P-7188 is representative of the appearance of aircraft in the squadron during the period, with blue undersides extending out to the engine cowling. The inscription Hsien Luo images (Siam) on the engine cowling honours the Chinese community in Siam (Thailand), whose donations supported the purchase of this aircraft.

Polikarpov I-15bis 2109/P-7163 flown by Lt Liu, Chi-sheng, 21st PS/4th PG, Kwang-yang-ba, July 1939
This aircraft was flown by Liu during the defence of Chungking in the summer of 1939. The inscription Tan Hsiang Shan Hua Chiao images (Honolulu ex-Patriot Chinese) on the nose honours the Chinese community in Honolulu, whose donations supported the purchase of this aircraft. Note that its spats have been removed to avoid fouling with mud when operating from dirt strips. Liu claimed victories in this aircraft during actions over Chungking in May and July 1939. 2109 was destroyed on the ground during a night raid on 1/2 September 1939. Liu’s wingman, Lt Li, Shu-kwang, had taken off in the aircraft at 2215 hrs, and he had been ordered to land back at Kwang-yang-ba airfield to refuel at 2345 hrs. Twenty minutes later Li was instructed to takeoff as the Japanese bombers had finally arrived in the area. Unfortunately, the engine of 2109 refused to start and it was destroyed in the subsequent bombing.

Dewoitine D.510 P-5921 flown by Capt Chen, Tse-liu, 17th PS/5th PG, Kunming, November 1939
On 4 November 1939, whilst flying over Chengtu, in Szechuan, Capt Chen, Tse-liu shot down the command aeroplane of Capt Okuda, CO of the 13th Kokutai. P-5921 was also damaged by return fire and Chen had to force-land. The D.510s the 17th PS received had originally belonged to the 41st PS, where they had been flown by French mercenaries. When the 41st PS was disbanded in mid-1938, the D.510s were transferred to the CAF Academy for use as advanced trainers. By this time, the Academy had been relocated to Kunming, in the remote province of Yunnan. While at the Academy many of the D.510s retained the ‘41xx’ side numbers. Some saw action, flown by cadets, when the IJNAF mounted raids on Kunming from September 1938. During these actions, it was discovered that the fighter’s Hispano H404 cannon was prone to jamming when fired in a dive. The springs in the vertically mounted drum magazines were not strong enough to feed against the ‘negative G’ encountered in a dive. When the 17th PS received P-5921 the original side numbers were painted over. There were also references to ‘17xx’ series squadron numbers in the records.

Republic P-43A Lancer 2401/P12083 flown by Capt Chow, Chikai, Deputy CO of the 24th FS/4th FG, En-shih, October 1942
Chow was at the controls of this machine when he shot down a high-flying JAAF Ki-46-III ‘Dinah’ near Nan Cheng in October 1942. This was the first confirmed victory by a Chinese pilot flying the new P-43A. Prior to the arrival of the P-38 Lightning, the turbosupercharger-equipped Lancer was the only Allied aircraft in China that could catch the high-flying ‘Dinah’ reconnaissance aircraft. The P-43As were delivered in their original USAAF colours, over which standard CAF markings were applied, including national insignia on the wings, the aircraft number in small numerals on the fuselage side and the serial number on the vertical tail. Photographic evidence suggests that some of the Chinese P-43As did not initially have the blue and white rudder stripes.

Republic P-43A Lancer 2101/P-12012 flown by Capt Kao, Youhsin, CO of the 21st FS/4th FG, En-shih, late 1943
Kao found himself in the thick of the action in P-12012 on numerous occasions during the defence of Chang-teh. Due to the incomplete nature of available records, we can only speculate that the side number of this aircraft was indeed 2101 – the squadron commander’s aircaft was typically 2101. Of the P-prefixed numbers used for the first P-40Es to reach the CAF, P-11001 to P-11007 were assigned to the 4th PG’s Group HQ (‘IV-1’ to ‘IV-7’). P-11012 was 2201 of the 22nd PS. Seven P-43As originally delivered to the USAAF were transferred to the CAF in 1942. Based on the P-40E numbering sequence, P-43A P-12012 may have been 2101. Many of the 125 Lancers that were delivered to the CAF from 1942 developed leaks in their fuel tanks shortly after they entered operational service. Leaking fuel came into contact with the turbo-supercharger and its hot exhaust pipes, often causing catastrophic fires. Indeed, the 4th FG lost its commander, Lt Col Cheng, Shao-yu, in one of these in-flight fires. Because of this and other accidents, the P-43A developed a bad reputation within the CAF. The problem of leaking fuel tanks was alleviated by field fixes, but it was never entirely eliminated. The successes in combat by Kao and Chow helped restore confidence in the type with Chinese pilots, however.

Curtiss P-40K Warhawk 2304/P-11029 flown by Lt Tsang, Hsi-lan, 23rd FS/4th FG, Liangshan, May 1943
Tsang used this fighter to shoot a Ki-44 (from the 33rd Sentai) off the tail of a P-40E flown by Maj John R Alison during the action over Kingmen airfield on 31 May 1943. Tsang received the US Silver Star for this action. The first P-40s received by the 4th FG all had this austere appearance – USAAF green uppersurfaces, grey undersides and with no markings other than national insignia on the wings, reduced-sized fuselage numbers and small serial numbers on the tail. None of the 23rd FS aircraft had blue and white tail stripes in mid-1943. Personal markings on CAF aircraft during this period were virtually unknown. Indeed, applying such artwork would have been considered ‘defacing government property’.

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk 665/P-11156 flown by Lt Tan, Kun, 7th FS/3rd FG, Ankang, May 1944
The CACW encouraged markings such as the ‘sharksmouth’ seen on this aircraft. Chinese pilots were also allowed to paint personalised nicknames on their aeroplanes, although no photographs or descriptions of such an addition to 665 are available. Tan scored two confirmed victories flying this aeroplane on 11 May 1944. Lt Wang, Kuang-fu also flew 665 on a number of missions after his own 663 was damaged in an accident.

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk 663/P-11151 flown by Lt Wang, Kuang-fu, 7th FS/3rd FG, Ankang, May 1944
The Chinese inscription on the nose of this aircraft was the nickname it was given by Maj Hsu, Chi-hsiang, co-commander of the 7th FS/3rd FG, who also flew the aeroplane. The inscription on the nose of the fighter reads Tai Kung Ling ( images ), which was an order given by Tai Kung, the most senior of the gods in Chinese mythology, to the other gods. Initially, it was thought that the inscription had been applied in white. However, more detailed research recently revealed that the inscription was probably in yellow, in contrast to the white numbers on the fuselage and the tail.

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk 751 flown by Capt ‘Fred’ Chiao, Wu-o, 29th FS/5th FG, Chih-kiang, January 1945
This aircraft was assigned to Capt ‘Fred’ Chiao, Wu-o, but occasionally flown by ace Lt Leng, Pei-shu. It is representative of the appearance of the aircraft in the squadron during early 1945. Chinese nicknames were applied in white across the nose of the aeroplane – Tai Sui ( images ) on 751 referred to the 60 ‘Heavenly Generals’ of Chinese mythology. Another P-40N in the flight was nicknamed Tien Ma ( images ) after the flying horse of the Heavenly Emperor in Chinese mythology. ‘Fred’ Chiao recalled that great care was taken to sand down and polish the skin of this aircraft so as to reduce drag. On 21 January 1945, 751 was bounced by JAAF fighters while preparing to bomb and strafe targets near Hengyang. Caught at a serious disadvantage, ‘Fred’ Chiao jettisoned his bomb-load and managed to evade two attacks before being hit by a third. Wounded in the jaw, and with 751 on fire, Chiao bailed out behind Japanese lines. Fortunately, he was found by Chinese members of a Sino-American Cooperative Organisation commando unit and taken to a US Navy doctor, who treated his wounds. Chiao managed to return to duty at Chih-kiang airfield three weeks after 751 had been shot down.

North American P-51D Mustang 756 flown by Lt Leng, Pei-shu, 29th FS/5th FG, Chihkiang, June 1945
On 26 June 1945, 756 was hit by ground fire while strafing Japanese supply dumps near Yueyang, in Hunan Province. Leng was forced to bail out over enemy-occupied territory, although he was able to evade capture when local farmers and officials hid him from Japanese patrols and helped him return to Chihkiang the following month. In reprisal, the Japanese arrested and executed the elderly mother of the local official who had hidden Leng. His Mustang had not received any special markings prior to its loss. However, by the end of the war, most P-51s in the 5th FG had ‘sharksmouths’ painted on their noses and the group insignia, consisting of a stylised ‘5’ wrapped around a tomahawk, on the fuselage below the cockpit.

Republic F-84G Thunderjet 51-16657/F.84130 of the 1st FS/ 1st FG, 1st FW, Tainan, 1955
The vertical tail fin of this aircraft sports the insignia of the 1st FS, which, at the time, resembled the Norwegian flag! The cross, which was black, outlined in white and in a field of red, was referred to as the ‘Iron Cross’ insignia. Squadron lore suggests that the insignia honours the World War 1 ace-of-aces Manfred von Richthofen. Col Tsang, Hsi-lan was commander of the 1st FW when it converted to the F-84G in 1954. Initially, ROCAF F-84s retained their USAF buzz numbers, but these were soon replaced with the last three digits of the Chinese serial number in large black numerals. By 4 July 1955, when four 1st FS F-84Gs led by Col Tsang clashed with PLANAF MiG-15bis north of the Matsu Islands, most 1st FW Thunderjets had been repainted with the ROCAF numbers. They would have looked like this particular aircraft, which has been displayed outside the ROCAF Academy at Kangshan for many years. Accounts from mainland China indicate that the PLAAF MiG-15bis were from the 4th Fighter Air Division, 10th Regiment.

North American F-86F Sabre, Headquarters Flight, 11th FG, 2nd FW, Hsinchu, September 1958
All F-86Fs received by the ROCAF were former USAF aircraft, and some had fought in the Korean War. All had the ‘6-3’ wing and most were retro-fitted with leading edge slates once in Taiwan. Col Leng, Pei-shu was at the controls of this aeroplane when he led the mission to Wenchow on 24 September 1958 that saw the first use of AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air guided missiles in combat. Leng was offered, but declined, the opportunity to fly one of the Sidewinder-armed aircraft. Leng felt that, as the mission commander, he should stay back and direct the action.

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Curtiss P-40E Warhawk 2301/possibly P-11012 flown by Capt Chow, Chi-kai, 23rd FS/4th FG, Liangshan, June 1943
On 6 June 1943 Ki-48 light bombers from the 90th Sentai caught the 4th FG on the ground just after the group had landed at Liangshan airfield. Eleven P-40s (ten CAF and one USAAF) were completely destroyed in the bombing, with Chow being the only pilot to takeoff. It is unclear whether he took off in 2301, as some accounts have him flying an aircraft ‘other than his own’ with ‘sharksmouth’ markings (perhaps a USAAF P-40 from the 23rd FG). In any event, Chow managed to shoot down two Ki-48s and damage a third so badly it crash-landed back at its base. For this remarkable feat-of-arms Chow was awarded the Order of the White Sun and Blue Sky.

(each star represents a confirmed victory)

Liu, Chi-sheng	9 Star
Kao, You-hsin	8 Star
Tan, Kun	8 Star
Wang, Kwang-fu	8 Star
Liu, Tsui-kang	7 Star
Tsang, His-lan	7 Star
Wong, ‘Buffalo’ Sun-sui	6 Star
Arthur Shui-tin Chin	6 Star
Yue, Yi-chin	5 Star
Chu, Chia-hsun	5 Star
Mow, Ying-chu	5 Star
Loh, Ying-teh	5 Star
Chow, Chi-kai	5 Star
Leng, Pei-shu	5 Star
John Poon-yeung, Wong	4 Star
Kao, Chi-hang	3 Star
Chen, Tse-liu	2 Star

APPENDICES

COLOUR PLATES