Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, was the first scheduled cargo
airline
An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...
in the United States and a military charter operator during the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
era for both cargo and personnel (the latter with leased aircraft). The airline was bought by
Federal Express
FedEx Corporation, originally known as Federal Express Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company specializing in transportation, e-commerce, and business services. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tenness ...
in 1989.
History
Early years
The airline was named after the
Flying Tigers
The First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was formed to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China. Operating in 1941–1942, it was composed of pilots from the United States Ar ...
fighter unit of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, officially the
1st American Volunteer Group. After returning to the United States in 1945, ten former AVG pilots led by
Robert William Prescott established the Flying Tiger Line on 24 June 1945 under the name National Skyway Freight using a small fleet of 14
Budd Conestoga freighters purchased as war surplus from the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
.
["World Airline Directory." ''Flight International''. March 30, 1985]
83
" Retrieved on March 21, 2017. "7401 World Way West, Los Angeles International Airport, California 90009, USA" The pilots and two ground crew provided half of the initial investment, with the balance coming from California oil tycoon
Samuel B. Mosher.
For the next four years, Flying Tiger Line carried air freight on contract throughout the U.S. and, as the airline expanded, carrying supplies to U.S. troops under Gen.
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...
during the
occupation of Japan
Japan was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...
.

In 1949, the
Civil Aeronautics Board
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was an agency of the federal government of the United States, formed in 1940 from a split of the Civil Aeronautics Authority and abolished in 1985, that regulated aviation services (including scheduled passe ...
awarded Flying Tiger Line (along with
Slick Airways) a scheduled cargo certificate for a transcontinental route from
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
and
San Francisco, California
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
to
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. Shortly afterwards, the company began chartering passenger aircraft for group travel as well; its
Lockheed Super Constellation,
Douglas DC-4 and
DC-6 fleet comprised the largest trans-Atlantic charter operation through the 1950s.
During the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
, Flying Tiger aircraft were chartered to transport troops and supplies from the United States to Asia; Flying Tigers later received a cargo route award to Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. The airline also played a major role in the construction of the
Distant Early Warning Line
The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the north coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska (see List o ...
, flying equipment to remote outposts in northern Canada and Alaska.
Flying Tiger Line adopted the
Canadair CL-44 swing-tail aircraft in 1961, becoming one of the first carriers in the world to offer
aerial pallet shipping service.
1960s-1970s: Jet age

Flying Tiger Line began operating jet aircraft on September 27, 1965, when the first (as N322F) of four
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is an early American long-range Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, the initial first flew on Decembe ...
s was delivered. On 15 November that same year, a modified Flying Tigers
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is an early American long-range Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, the initial first flew on Decembe ...
-349C made the first ever aerial circumnavigation of the Earth via the poles, in 62 hours 27 minutes. The aircraft carried additional fuel in two additional tanks installed in the main cabin. The Boeing 707 remained in the fleet for only a few years and was replaced by the higher-payload
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 (sometimes McDonnell Douglas DC-8) is an early long-range Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body jetliner designed and produced by the American Douglas Aircraft Company. Work began in 1952 towards the United States Air Force's (USA ...
, the largest civilian airliner until the Boeing 747 entered service. The first Douglas DC-8-63F, registered as N779FT, was delivered to the airline on June 26, 1968, and the other eighteen followed until 1972.
In 1974, the airline took delivery of its first
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023.
After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...
. Flying Tigers then placed orders for brand-new Boeing 747-200F freighters designated the Boeing 747-249F, which at the time were among the heaviest commercial airplanes flying, weighing . These aircraft had the powerful "Q" (
Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q) engines and heavy landing gear and could simultaneously carry both of fuel and of cargo loaded through both the nose door and the side door at the same time. Aircraft loaders had earlier refused to work at the extreme height necessary for loading freight on the upper deck, so the "supernumerary area" or "hump" was configured with 19 first class seats instead which were used to transport livestock handlers, charter agents and mechanics as well as dead-heading pilots and flight attendants.
1980s: Later years and merger with Federal Express

Tiger's Ad Hoc Charter livestock flights provided airlift for exotic animals. Two examples were thoroughbred racehorses and show animals from
Stansted, England to the
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
, as well as breeding stock cattle (milk supply) to nations such as Japan and Thailand. They became known for carrying a number of unique cargoes, including
Shamu the
SeaWorld killer whale
The orca (''Orcinus orca''), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. The only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'', it is recognizable by its black-and-white-patterned body. A cosmopolit ...
and the torch of the
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; ) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, within New York City. The copper-clad statue, a gift to the United States from the people of French Thir ...
.
By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers operated scheduled cargo service to six continents and served 58 countries. It surpassed
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and more commonly known as Pan Am, was an airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for ...
in 1980 as the world's largest air cargo carrier after acquiring its rival cargo airline
Seaboard World Airlines
Seaboard World Airlines was an international all-cargo airline based in the United States. Originally an irregular air carrier, the airline was certificated as the first US transatlantic scheduled cargo airline in 1955 by the Civil Aeronautics ...
on 1 October 1980. It also operated military contract services, most notably DC-8 routes between
Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of Air Mobility Command (AMC), located three miles (5 Kilometre, km) east of the central business district of the city of Fairfield, California, Fairfield, i ...
, California and Japan in the 1970s, followed by weekly 747 passenger service between
Clark Air Base
Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base in Luzon, located west of Angeles City, and about northwest of Metro Manila. It was previously operated by the U.S. Air Force and, before that, the U.S. Army, from 1903 to 1991. The base cov ...
, Philippines, and
St. Louis
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
,
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
via Japan,
Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
, and Los Angeles during the 1980s. Covert flights for the military were not uncommon throughout the airline's history, given its roots in
Civil Air Transport
Civil Air Transport (CAT) was a Nationalist Chinese airline, later owned by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), that supported the United States' covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia. During the Cold War, missions consi ...
(CAT), as with its sister airline
Air America, originally owned by General
Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the Flying Tigers fighter squadron in Southeast Asia.
At its peak, the Tigers employed approximately 251 flight attendants and carried up to a record 594 passengers and crew on its
MAC
Mac or MAC may refer to:
Common meanings
* Mac (computer), a line of personal computers made by Apple Inc.
* Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth
* Mac, a prefix to surnames derived from Gaelic languages
* McIntosh (apple), a Canadi ...
all-coach passenger flights. Approximately 998 pilots worked for the airline based throughout the US. Large crew bases were situated in Los Angeles, New York City and
Lockbourne, Ohio (
Rickenbacker International Airport
Rickenbacker International Airport is a civil-military public airport south of downtown Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, near Lockbourne, Ohio, Lockbourne in southern Franklin County, Ohio, Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The south end of the ...
). The Los Angeles headquarters operation included its own engine shop and jet maintenance business. Flying Tigers also made livestock carriers for airplanes, some comparable in external size and shape to the standard
AMJ container used in the FedEx flight operations. They operated a recording company subsidiary,
Happy Tiger Records, from 1969 to 1971.
Charter and scheduled passenger operations were flown by their subsidiary, Metro International Airlines, which was formed in January 1981, and ceased operations in 1983, when it was sold to
Tower Air.
The scheduled
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023.
After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...
passenger service route was
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
JFK Airport -
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
-
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
operated several days a week.
After
airline deregulation
Airline deregulation is the process of removing government-imposed entry and price restrictions on airlines affecting, in particular, the carriers permitted to serve specific routes. In the United States, the term usually applies to the Airline D ...
, stiff competition buffeted profits and, with some unsuccessful diversification attempts by parent Tiger International, the airline began sustaining losses in 1981.
Then-CEO
Stephen Wolf sold Flying Tigers to
Federal Express
FedEx Corporation, originally known as Federal Express Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company specializing in transportation, e-commerce, and business services. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tenness ...
in December 1988. On August 7, 1989, Federal Express merged Flying Tigers into its operations.
Other ventures

Flying Tigers was a sponsor of the
Benetton Formula One team for the
1986 season.
Fleet
At the time of its sale to
FedEx
FedEx Corporation, originally known as Federal Express Corporation, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate holding company specializing in Package delivery, transportation, e-commerce, and ...
, Flying Tigers were operating the following aircraft:
*8
Boeing 747-100
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023.
After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...
*13
Boeing 747-200
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023.
After the introduction of the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, ...
*19
Boeing 727-100
*6
Douglas DC-8-73
Accidents and incidents
* On July 30, 1950,
Curtiss C-46F N67960 crashed on takeoff from
Denver
Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
due to unknown performance problems; both pilots and both passengers survived, but the aircraft was written off.
* On August 21, 1952,
Curtiss C-46F N67983 made a wheels-up emergency landing in a field near
Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 53,131 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Nebraska, 4th most populous ...
when the captain, conducting en-route flight training of the first officer, simulated a right-engine failure. The probable cause of the accident was poor judgment of the crew in trying to recover. The crew survived, the aircraft was substantially damaged.
* On January 7, 1953, Flight 841,
Douglas DC-4 N86574, struck the base of Squak Mountain near
Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah ( ) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 40,051 at the 2020 census. Located in a valley and bisected by Interstate 90, the city is bordered by the Sammamish Plateau to the north and the " Issaquah ...
due to pilot error during an attempted instrument approach to
Boeing Field
King County International Airport , commonly Boeing Field, is a public airport owned and operated by King County, Washington, King County, south of downtown Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. The airport is sometimes r ...
,
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, killing all seven on board. The aircraft was being ferried from Burbank.
* On September 24, 1955, Flight 7413/23,
Douglas DC-4 N90433, ditched in the Pacific between
Honolulu
Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
and
Wake Island
Wake Island (), also known as Wake Atoll, is a coral atoll in the Micronesia subregion of the Pacific Ocean. The atoll is composed of three islets – Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islands – surrounding a lagoon encircled by a coral reef. The neare ...
after the crew mismanaged fuel transfers leading to power out on three engines, then mismanaged engine restarts. One crew member was trapped on board and died when the aircraft sank, the other four survived the crash but two died of injuries, exposure and shark attacks. Two were rescued.
* On March 18, 1956,
Curtiss C-46F N9995F crashed at
Pelly Bay, Canada after the left wing struck terrain while on night-time VFR approach, both pilots and the passenger survived, but the aircraft was written off.
* On September 9, 1958,
L-1049H Super Constellation N6920C struck
Mount Ōyama en-route from Guam to
Tachikawa AB, killing all eight on board.
* On March 15, 1962, Flight 7816/14,
L-1049H Super Constellation N6911C, crashed on approach to
Adak Island Naval Air Station, Alaska on a flight from
Cold Bay due to pilot error, killing one of seven on board. The aircraft was operating a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) cargo flight from Travis AFB to Kadena Air Base.
* On March 16, 1962,
Flight 739 (also known as Flight 7815/13)
L-1049H Super Constellation N6921C disappeared over the Pacific en-route from
Guam
Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
to
Clark AFB in the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
with 107 on board. A ship witnessed an explosion but the accident was otherwise unsolved. This accident remains the worst ever accident involving the L-1049.
* On September 23, 1962,
Flight 923,
L-1049H Super Constellation N6923C, ditched in the North Atlantic killing 28 of 76 on board. Two engines failed of their own accord, the flight engineer mismanaged a third, causing it also to shut down. The aircraft was operating a MATS charter flight from Gander to Frankfurt.
* On December 14, 1962, Flight 183,
L-1049H Super Constellation N6913C, crashed on approach to
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank had a Census-estimated population of 102,755 as of 2023. The city was ...
from
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
due to pilot incapacitation (suspected heart attack), killing all five on board and three on the ground.
* On December 24, 1964,
Flight 282,
L-1049H Super Constellation N6915C crashed shortly after departure from
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
on a flight to
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
after an unexplained course change, killing the three crew.
* On December 15, 1965, Flying Tiger Line Flight 914,
L-1049H Super Constellation N6914C, struck
California Peak at 13,000 ft after the pilot became disorientated in IFR conditions, killing the three crew.
* On March 21, 1966, Flying Tiger Line Flight 6303, a
Canadair CL-44 (N453T), crashed on landing at NAS Norfolk due to pilot error; all six crew survived, but the aircraft was written off.
* On December 24, 1966, a Flying Tiger Line Canadair CL-44 (N228SW)
crashed on landing near
Da Nang
Da Nang or DanangSee also Danang Dragons (, ) is the fifth-largest city in Vietnam by municipal population. It lies on the coast of the Western Pacific Ocean of Vietnam at the mouth of the Hàn River, and is one of Vietnam's most important p ...
, killing all four crew and 107 on the ground.
* On July 27, 1970,
Flying Tiger Line Flight 45, a
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 (sometimes McDonnell Douglas DC-8) is an early long-range Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body jetliner designed and produced by the American Douglas Aircraft Company. Work began in 1952 towards the United States Air Force's (USA ...
(N785FT), crashed in the water off Naha Air Base, Okinawa, killing all four crew.
[https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7210.pdf ]
* On February 15, 1979, Flying Tiger Line Flight 74, a
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body aircraft, wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023.
After the introduction of the Boeing 707, 707 in October 1958, Pan Am ...
(N804FT), was landing at
O’Hare International Airport in heavy fog whilst Delta Airlines Flight 349, a
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After the heavier Boeing 707, 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter ...
, was crossing the active runway Flight 74 was landing on. The two aircraft narrowly avoided a ground collision when Flight 74 swerved into the grass beside the runway. No one was injured, and the aircraft was returned to service.
* On October 11, 1983, Flying Tiger Line Flight 9014, a Boeing 747 (N806FT), ran off the runway at Frankfurt International Airport after a cargo pallet broke loose; the three crew and three passengers survived; the aircraft was substantially damaged, but was repaired and returned to service.
* On October 25, 1983, Flying Tiger Line Flight 2468, a Douglas DC-8 (N797FT), ran off the runway at NAS Norfolk due to crew and ATC errors; all five on board survived; the aircraft was substantially damaged but was repaired and returned to service.
* August 6, 1986 – A Flying Tigers aircraft, bound for Columbus Rickenbacker International Airport. (LCK), mistakenly lands at Boltan Field.
* On February 19, 1989,
Flying Tiger Line Flight 66 crashed near Kuala Lumpur due to crew and ATC errors, killing all four crew.
See also
*
List of defunct airlines of the United States
The following is a list of defunct airlines of the United States. However, some of these airlines have ceased operations completely, changed identities and/or FAA certificates and are still operating under a different name (e.g. America West Ai ...
References
External links
Flying Tiger Line accidents and incidentsat the
Aviation Safety NetworkFlying Tiger Line photo galleryFlying Tiger Line Pilots Association
{{Authority control
Defunct cargo airlines of the United States
FedEx
Airlines established in 1945
Airlines disestablished in 1989
American companies established in 1945
Airlines based in California