The Army Air Forces in World War II, Vol. 1 (archived PDF)

T I - I E A R M Y A I R F O R C E S I N W O R L D W A R I 1
Burma Road during the time needed for rehabilitation of the Chinese
Air Force.
The way paved for an approach to the practical problems of re-
cruitment, training, and equipment, it was decided to attempt in the
first instance only the organization of a fighter group of American
airmen. Subsequent experience more than demonstrated the wisdom
of this decision in favor of a modest beginning. T o Chennault, time
was of the essence; only by recruiting well-trained pilots and ground
crews would it be possible to put the group into operation with the
speed required. For personnel of this qualification, no source existed
outside the air arms of the Army and Navy, and there he found a
natural reluctance to yield up experienced personnel at a time when
rapid expansion in all arms and services created the most acute short-
ages. With the men themselves, caution seemed to outweigh the prom-
ise of adventure and attractive financial rewards until it was made
clear that the venture was not without official sanction and that
officers volunteering could be placed on inactive status without loss
of seniority. The required I O O pilots finally were signed, together
with about zoo ground-crew personnel, and by I July the first con-
tingent of the American Volunteer Group was on the West Coast
ready to depart. Contrary to expectation, it had proved easier to
find the planes than to get the men. Current production of all late-
model pursuits was insufficient to meet requirements of the American
and British air forces which carried a higher priority; but IOO P-4oB's
(Tomahawks that were considered obsolescent by the AAF and
RAF) previously allocated to Sweden were released for the purpose
and reached Rangoon in time for the opening of training there in
September."
T o take care of some of the legal problems, the Central Aircraft
Manufacturing Corporation, owned by Curtis-Wright and the In-
ternational Company of China, which operated aircraft manufactur-
ing plants in China, acted as agents between the Volunteer Group
and the Chinese government. The Volunteers signed a contract for
one year with Central Aircraft to manufacture, service, and operate
aircraft in China. Great Britain made available a training base a t
Toungoo in Burma, where final preparations for combat could be
completed without danger of Japanese air attack.
Implementation of hastily devised plans presented its own special
difficulties. No provision had been made for replacements, some res-
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