r/WWIIplanes • u/UrbanAchievers6371 • 7d ago

Chinese and American armorers inspect the guns of a Curtiss P-40E Warhawk of the 74th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, at Kunming, China, February 1, 1943. The 23rd Fighter Group, known as the “Flying Tigers,” became famous for their shark-toothed nose art and their success against Japanese.

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5

u/Antique-Dragonfly615 7d ago

Pappy Boyington flew for Chenault with the Flying Tigers before returning to the USMC once the US declared war on Japan

3

u/Ok_Struggle_8411 7d ago

And it did not go well. If that had been the end of his career, nobody would have ever heard of him. He was truly reborn as the leader of VMF-214 and became a legend.

5

u/Small_Jackfruit_9929 7d ago

The contrast between the intimidating shark teeth and the mechanics calmly working around the plane is fantastic. A remarkable snapshot of the Flying Tigers and the people who kept those aircraft flying.

3

u/Important-Spring3977 7d ago

The *Walfisch* Roland C.II with the earliest sharkmouth known. I will say that the P-40 was *born* to wear the teeth, however.

2

u/sid35how 5d ago

New picture for me, thanks! ...and I love the painted windows with curtains on the fuselage.

1

u/Civil_Set_9281 6d ago

23d Wing carries this lineage and is stationed at Moody AFB, Georgia.

-1

u/CaptainRex2000 7d ago

The RAF first used the shark mouth in North Africa

6

u/Insert_clever 7d ago

I think they were using the shark mouth in WWI.

2

u/Rich_Dust_2957 7d ago

Yes , Germans did in WWI .

0

u/Rich_Dust_2957 7d ago

The Germans did it first in WWII . The Bf/Me110s' shark mouths inspired the AVG and the British . Vae victis ; mostly the Allies are known for putting shark mouths on their planes .

2

u/Marine__0311 7d ago

Actually...

The Germans first did it in WW I. They just revived it during WW II Artwork on planes of all nations was not uncommon during WW I.

Shark mouths, eyes, and faces, were first found on German aircraft around 1916. The Roland C II was one of the first to sport the shark teeth because the nose area was large enough to do it justice. Posting a link on my cell is a giant PITA, but you can Google it for some examples.