The Flying Tigers

Mercenaries? The Flying Tigers, also known as the AVG (American Volunteer Group), was made up of mostly American volunteers. They served in China before (and some continued after) the U.S. officially got involved in WW2. In 31 engagements they shot down 217 enemy planes "confirmed" with another 43 probables. The AVG's combat losses were four pilots killed in the air, one killed while strafing and one taken prisoner. In the initial days in Rangoon, between Christmas and New Year's Eve of 1941, the AVG officially shot down 75 planes with a loss of two Tiger pilots and six planes. Never before in the history of aerial combat had there been such a total air victory. In the next seven months, the 85 surviving pilots officially shot down 299 enemy planes and destroyed another 240 on the ground. However, unofficially (and IMHO unrealistically), AVG claims reach as high as 1000 Japanese planes destroyed. Today the Flying Tigers' shark toothed P-40's are arguably the most recognized symbol of the WW2 era.