Tiger Lines history

Upon receiving his wings and commission in 1940, he was assigned as Flight Instructor at Pensacola, Florida.

He arrived in Rangoon on November 12, 1941 with a group of thirty volunteers on the Dutch ship M.S. Bosch Fontein.

Rossi engaged in his first combat over Burma in January 1942 (the second time he fired the guns in the P-40 he was in combat) and flew his last over the East China front in July 1942.

Robert Prescott returned to the United States in November, 1944 and on a trip to Acapulco, Mexico, met a group of Los Angeles businessmen associated with Samuel B. Mosher, Los Angeles oil pioneer and magnate.

In January 1946, the airline moved to Mines Field (later to become Los Angeles International Airport).

In February 1947, the airline legally changed its name to “The Flying Tiger Line, Inc.

In 1948, the “Anything, Anytime, Anywhere” slogan was introduced – and the airline carried football teams, Bob Hope’s record albums, tourists, students, and even Roy Rogers horse, Trigger.

A four-year fight for official government certification ended in 1949 with approval of the nation's first commercial all-cargo route.

In January 1953 Flying Tiger intended to lease a 049 from Intercontinental, though the aircraft was destroyed during a training flight prior to delivery.

In September 1955, the airline became one of the first to order ten new 1049Hs convertible model with a subsequent order of two more.

The first 1049H was delivered on 1 February 1957 and by end of June 1957 ten plus 2 leased aircraft were delivered.

He piloted Flying Tigers aircraft around the world for the next 15 years, until his flying career ended with a major heart attack in 1959.

Flying Tigers acquired the first turbine-powered air-freighter placed in service when it purchased a $55-million fleet of Canadair CL-44s in 1961.

US Overseas Airlines By 1962 USOA was one of the largest, most reliable, safe and financially stable supplemental air carrier in the country, operating six DC6s and 12 DC4s.

In 1963, Air Cargo Operations moved back to the Los Angeles International Airport.

In 1964, the company graduated its first class of flight attendants.

In 1965, the company received two Boeing 707-320C freighters and became part of the jet age.

On March 6, 1967, Flying Tigers’ first DC8-63F aircraft arrived.

In middle of 1968 all remaining Connnies were withdrawn from use and replaced by CL-44s and DC-8 Freighters.

The airline had its humble beginnings in Long Beach California with the Budd Conestoga, but by 1969 had upgraded its propeller-driven, piston engine fleet to one consisting entirely of jet freighters.

On June 12, 1970, the Peter Prescott Hospital for children in Taiwan was dedicated in honor of the founder’s son, who had been killed in an aircraft accident in Palm Springs.

From an August 1973 Retirement Party for Tom Haywood: Pilots from the Chennault days in China ---

In 1975, the airline published the “Airfreight Guide for Hazardous Materials,” and quickly became a leader in the education and transportation of dangerous goods throughout the world.

In 1977, Congress and the President approved the deregulation of the airfreight airlines which now enables Flying Tigers to offer expedited freighter service to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

On March 3, 1978, one month after Flying Tigers was named the largest airfreight carrier in the free world, the airline’s founder, Robert W. Prescott, died.

On November 2, 1979, the company received its first Boeing 747-200 freighter.

On October 1, 1980 Flying Tigers merged with Seaboard World linking the United States with Europe and the Middle East.

Two brothers, Two trucks and Two sets of trailers combined in 1981 to formulate the initial ingredients of Tiger Lines.

In 1982, Flying Tigers flew relief flights to Warsaw, Poland.

On September 3, 1983, Flying Tigers inaugurated scheduled B-747 service to Australia.

Flying Tigers sponsored the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and transported equipment for the games.

January 29, 1985, was the first of two “lifelift” flights for Ethiopian Relief that brought food and medical supplies to the starving inhabitants of that country.

On December 16, 1988, Federal Express announced their cash tender offer for the purchase of Flying Tigers.

August 7, 1989 was the official merger date of Flying Tiger and Federal Express.

The AVG was inducted into the Confederate Air Force Hall of Fame in 1998, in Midland, Texas.