History of Tiger Accidents

Aircraft by registration numbers that were in the Tiger Fleet and what is known about what happened to them

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Budd Conestoga Gen. -- Flying Tiger Line's first aircraft was the Budd Conestoga, an all -- stainless steel, rear--loading, twin--engine aircraft. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour (1945 - 1947). Click here to see registration numbers what is know of  where they went. Click Here for photo and article about stainless steel Budds

C-47-Flying Tiger relied heavily on the Douglas C-47, the cargo version of the famed DC-3. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. (1946-1951)

C-46 Gen. -- The Curtis C-46 "Commando" that Flying Tigers flew on supply missions over the Hump during World War II came home for civilian duty, joining Flying Tigers' fleet in 1949. It flew at 200 miles per hour, carried 13,000 pounds of cargo and had a range of 900 miles.  (1949 - 1961) I found this link to a C-46 Tigers once owned and is now in a museum click here Some interesting C-46 History Click Here

C-54 Gen. -- The C-54, first of the four--engine air freighters, was used by Flying Tigers in the largest, longest airlift ever flown by a private contractor -- supplying the American Occupation Forces in Japan. Flying at 210 miles per hour, the C-54 carried 20,000 pounds of cargo over a 2,000 -- mile range.  (1947 -- 1957)

DC6A Gen--By the time Flying Tigers acquired its first Douglas  DC-6A, the airline's annual gross revenues had reached the $25-million mark. Carrying 32,000 pounds of cargo at  275 miles per hour with a 2,000 mile range, the DC6A carried more, cheaper and faster than any aircraft flying. (1953-1958)

Constellation Gen. -- The Lockheed Super H Constellation, airlifting 43,000 pounds of freight at 300 miles per hour over a 2,500-miles range, helped Flying Tigers revolutionize the marketing map of the United States with the first nonstop, transcontinental airfreight schedules.  (1957 - 1967) Here is another link about the Connies Link to N923C Atlantic Ditching

CL-44 Gen. -- 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. The CL44's unique swing-tail design permitted straight-in loading of up to 65,000 pounds of freight. It cruised at 375 miles per hour over a range of 3,000 miles  (1961 - 1969) Click Picture for additional photo

B-707 Aerial -- Flying Tigers met the challenge of the jet age with Boeing 707-349C intercontinental jets. The Boeing 707s carried 72,000 pounds of freight at 550 miles per hour over a 3,000 mile range.. Aircraft N322, The Pole Cat set many new records, (1966-1969)

Flying Tigers stretched DC-8 jet freighter  (1968-1989)

Flying Tiger 727

B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range.  (1974 -1989) After 1989 Mr. Narita 806 in Polar Colors

As the company grew and matured, founder and CEO Robert Prescott did also, both in his younger days as an AVG pilot and later in the role of President of the Flying Tiger Line. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. Imitation lets you catch up to the guy ahead, but never lets you pass." Although the fledgling Flying Tiger Line was in a precarious financial situation during its early years, it enjoyed extraordinary growth throughout most of the 60's, and eventually emerged as the industry's foremost all-cargo carrier. 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. This allowed for more extensive geographic capability and cargo capacity.

Notable among the Tigers' achievements were their participation in both the Korean and Vietnam airlifts. During the Korean War, Tigers planes provided air transport services for personnel and cargo from the west coast of the US to various military bases throughout the Pacific area. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. In one of its more dramatic moves, Tigers evacuated a number of Vietnamese "political refugees" and Vietnamese company employees and their families aboard departing aircraft during the "final hours" of US troop withdrawal, and impending Communist takeover in South Vietnam in 1975. During the Vietnam years the Flying Tiger Line also worked overtime for the US Postal Service. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds".

The years after the Vietnam war saw continued growth for the Flying Tigers. After 1970, scheduled commercial service, much of which consisted of Asian imports, rapidly overtook military related contracts as the company's primary source of income. This represented a significant transition for the Flying Tigers, and paved the road to future success. By this time the airline's personnel had gained such expertise in shipping challenging pieces of freight that the attitude in the industry was, "if Tigers can't move it, nobody can." From 1979 to 1980 the Flying Tiger Line passed Pan Am to become the world's number one air cargo carrier.

In the 1980's, the B747-200F series was introduced to the fleet. With this plane's nose-loading capabilities, Flying Tigers accommodated even more challenging air freight combinations in size, shape and quantity. In this decade the company developed an extensive global network, directly servicing all continents except for Africa, which was served through interlining.

The motto in the beginning was "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". That motto lasted until the airline was taken over by Federal Express in the late 1980's. With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet.

From 1945 to 1989 Flying Tigers management, mechanics, office staff, flight attendants, pilots and crew members worked together to build an airline that became a legend. This was the Tiger "Can-do" Spirit, may it never die.