Editing Flying Tiger Line

{{Short description|Cargo airline of the United States (1945–1989)}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline        = Flying Tiger Line
| logo           = FlyingTigersLogo.jpg
| logo_size      = 200
| IATA           = FT*
| ICAO           = FTL*
| callsign       = TIGER*
| founded        = {{Start date and age|1945}}
| commenced      = {{Start date and age|1945}}
| ceased         = {{Start date and age|1989}}<br/><small>(merged into [[FedEx Express]])</small>
| hubs           = [[John F. Kennedy International Airport|New York–JFK]]
| secondary_hubs = 
| focus_cities   = 
| frequent_flyer = 
| lounge         = 
| alliance       = 
| subsidiaries   = 
| fleet_size     = 
| destinations   = 
| parent         = 
| company_slogan = 
| headquarters   = [[Los Angeles International Airport]],<br />[[Los Angeles]], [[California]], United States
| key_people     = 
| website        = 
}}
'''Flying Tiger Line''', also known as '''Flying Tigers''', was the first scheduled cargo [[airline]] in the United States and a military charter operator during the [[Cold War]] era for both cargo and personnel (the latter with leased aircraft). The airline was bought by [[FedEx Express|Federal Express]] in 1989.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cross |first1=Lee |title=8/07/1989: Flying Tiger Line Merged into FedEx |url=https://www.airwaysmag.com/legacy-posts/flying-tiger-line-merged-into-fedex |website=[[Airways News|AirwaysMag]] |access-date=2 May 2025 |date=7 August 2024}}</ref>

== History ==
=== Early years===
[[File:Flyingtigers.png|thumb|Old Logo.]]
[[File:Douglas C-54A N90433 FTL Ringway 29.05.55 edited-2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Douglas DC-4|DC-4]] at [[Manchester Airport|Manchester, UK]] May 1955. Four months later this aircraft ditched in the Pacific with the loss of three crew.]]
The airline was named after the [[Flying Tigers]] fighter unit of [[World War II]], 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]].<ref name="AVG-bio">{{cite web|last=Rossi |first=J.R. |url=http://www.flyingtigersavg.22web.org/bio-Prescott.htm |title= Prescott biography |year=1998 |work=The Flying Tigers - American Volunteer Group - Chinese Air Force}}</ref><ref name="auto">"World Airline Directory." ''Flight International''. March 30, 1985. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%200943.html 83]." Retrieved on March 21, 2017. "7401 World Way West, Los Angeles International Airport, California 90009, USA"</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=bCEDAAAAMBAJ&dq=popular+science+July+1946&pg=PA79 "Trucking Anywhere By Air", November 1945, ''Popular Science'']</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.stanwing.com/National%20Freight%20Service%20Pilot%20Wing | title = National Freight Service | publisher = StanWing | access-date = 6 May 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The pilots and two ground crew provided half of the initial investment, with the balance coming from California oil tycoon [[AlliedSignal#History|Samuel B. Mosher]].<ref name="nst">{{cite news|title=Airline formed by US pilots and ground crew|work=New Straits Times|date=1989-02-20}}</ref> 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]] during the [[occupation of Japan]].<ref name="nst" />

[[File:Lockheed L-1049H N6918C FTL LGW 29.08.64.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Lockheed L-1049|L-1049H Super Constellation]] in [[London Gatwick Airport|Gatwick]] (1964).]]

In 1949, the [[Civil Aeronautics Board]] awarded Flying Tiger Line (along with [[Slick Airways]]) a scheduled cargo certificate for a transcontinental route from [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] and [[San Francisco, California]] to [[Boston, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Civil Aeronautics Board Reports|volume=10|publisher=U.S. General Printing Office|location=Washington, DC|pages=572–646|date=January–November 1949 |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32437011657588?urlappend=%3Bseq=588%3Bownerid=107199248-592| hdl=2027/osu.32437011657588|hdl-access=free|title=Air Freight Case}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, the company began chartering passenger aircraft for group travel as well; its [[Lockheed Constellation|Lockheed Super Constellation]], [[Douglas DC-4]] and [[Douglas DC-6|DC-6]] fleet comprised the largest trans-Atlantic charter operation through the 1950s.

During the [[Korean War]], 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]], 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 [[Unit load device|aerial pallet]] shipping service.

===1960s-1970s: Jet age===
[[File:Flying Tiger Line DC-8 63F N779FT.jpg|thumb|The airline's first DC-8-63F delivered to the airline, seen at Seattle airport in 1972.]]
Flying Tiger Line began operating jet aircraft on September 27, 1965, when the first (as N322F) of four [[Boeing 707]]s was delivered. On 15 November that same year, a modified Flying Tigers [[Boeing 707]]-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.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=CNN|last=Patterson|first=Thom|title=How Pan Am Flight 50 flew from pole to pole|url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/pole-to-pole-pan-am-flight-50/index.html|date=6 July 2018|access-date=15 May 2019}}</ref> The Boeing 707 remained in the fleet for only a few years and was replaced by the higher-payload [[Douglas DC-8]], 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.<ref name="war">{{cite book|first=David|last=Mondey|title=World's Airliner Registrations|publisher=Ian Allan Ltd.|year=1974|isbn= 0711005486}}</ref>

In 1974, the airline took delivery of its first [[Boeing 747]]. 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 {{convert|823000|lb}}. These aircraft had the powerful "Q" ([[Pratt & Whitney JT9D|Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q]]) engines and heavy landing gear and could simultaneously carry both {{convert|250000|lb}} of fuel and {{convert|250000|lb}} 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 {{convert|30|ft|m|0}} 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===
[[File:Boeing 747-132SF N803FT F.Tigers ORD 30.09.79 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|Flying Tigers [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-132SF]] freighter at [[Chicago O'Hare Airport]] in 1979]]
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]], 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 (SeaWorld show)|Shamu]] the [[SeaWorld]] [[killer whale]] and the torch of the [[Statue of Liberty]].

By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers operated scheduled cargo service to six continents and served 58 countries. It surpassed [[Pan American World Airways]] in 1980 as the world's largest air cargo carrier after acquiring its rival cargo airline [[Seaboard World Airlines]] on 1 October 1980. It also operated military contract services, most notably DC-8 routes between [[Travis Air Force Base]], California and Japan in the 1970s, followed by weekly 747 passenger service between [[Clark Air Base]], Philippines, and [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], [[Missouri]] via Japan, [[Alaska]], 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]] (CAT), as with its sister airline [[Air America (airline)|Air America]], originally owned by General [[Claire Lee Chennault]], commander of the Flying Tigers fighter squadron in Southeast Asia.

[[File:Boeing 747-200 (Flying Tiger Line) 01.jpg|thumb|right|Ex-Flying Tiger Boeing 747-200F (there is a tiny FedEx logo aft of the cockpit window; Japan required FedEx aircraft to retain the Flying Tiger paint job for several years)]]

At its peak, the Tigers employed approximately 251 flight attendants and carried up to a record 594 passengers and crew on its [[Military Airlift Command|MAC]] 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]]). 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 [[Unit load device#Common prefixes|AMJ container]] used in the FedEx flight operations. They operated a recording company subsidiary, [[Happy Tiger Records]], from 1969 to 1971.<ref name="denny_hall_bio">{{cite web| title =Denny Hall| publisher =The Nite Cafe| url =http://www.thenitecafe.com/denny.htm| access-date =2009-03-24| archive-date =2012-08-18| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120818200839/http://www.thenitecafe.com/denny.htm| url-status =dead}}</ref><ref name="ray_ruff_interview">{{cite web| last =Long| first =Donald John| title =Interview with Ray Ruff & Donnie Brooks| publisher =One-Way.org| date =2003-07-31| url =http://one-way.org/jesusmusic/index.html| access-date =2009-03-24| archive-date =2018-10-05| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20181005224148/http://www.one-way.org/jesusmusic/index.html| url-status =dead}}</ref>

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]].<ref>"Airlines Remembered" by B.I. Hengi, Midland Publishing</ref><ref>http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ft3.htm, Nov. 1, 1982 Metro International Airlines system timetable</ref><ref name="auto"/> The scheduled [[Boeing 747]] passenger service route was [[New York City]] [[JFK Airport]] - [[Brussels]] - [[Tel Aviv]] operated several days a week.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com/BRU83intro.html, July 1, 1983 Worldwide Edition, Official Airline Guide (OAG)</ref>

After [[Airline Deregulation Act|airline deregulation]], stiff competition buffeted profits and, with some unsuccessful diversification attempts by parent Tiger International, the airline began sustaining losses in 1981.<ref name="nst" /> Then-CEO [[Stephen Wolf]] sold Flying Tigers to [[FedEx Express|Federal Express]] in December 1988. On August 7, 1989, Federal Express merged Flying Tigers into its operations.

== Other ventures ==
[[File:Benetton B186 at the BMW Museum - 01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Benetton B186]] of [[Gerhard Berger]] with the Flying Tigers logo on the front wing.]]
Flying Tigers was a sponsor of the [[Benetton Formula|Benetton Formula One]] team for the [[1986 Formula One World Championship|1986 season]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicanef1.com/indiv.pl?name=Flying%20Tigers&type=S|title=Flying Tigers|publisher=ChicaneF1|access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref>

== Fleet ==
At the time of its sale to [[FedEx]], Flying Tigers were operating the following aircraft:

*8 [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-100]]
*13 [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-200]]
*19 [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-100]]
*6 [[Douglas DC-8|Douglas DC-8-73]]

==Accidents and incidents==
* On July 30, 1950, [[C-46|Curtiss C-46F]] N67960 crashed on takeoff from [[Stapleton International Airport|Denver]] due to unknown performance problems; both pilots and both passengers survived, but the aircraft was written off.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33396 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line, Inc.—Denver, Colorado, July 30, 1950 | date = 3 August 1951 | doi =10.21949/1500522 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref>
* On August 21, 1952, [[C-46|Curtiss C-46F]] N67983 made a wheels-up emergency landing in a field near [[Central Nebraska Regional Airport|Grand Island, Nebraska]] 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.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33451 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line, Inc.—Grand Island, Nebraska, August 21, 1952 | date = 16 January 1953 | doi =10.21949/1500576 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref>
* On January 7, 1953, Flight 841, [[Douglas DC-4]] N86574, struck the base of Squak Mountain near [[Issaquah, Washington]] due to pilot error during an attempted instrument approach to [[Boeing Field]], [[Seattle]], killing all seven on board. The aircraft was being ferried from Burbank.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33458 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line, Inc.,—Douglas DC-4, Issaquah, Washington, January 7, 1953 | date = 19 June 1953 | doi =10.21949/1500583 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref>
* On September 24, 1955, Flight 7413/23, [[Douglas DC-4]] N90433, ditched in the Pacific between [[Honolulu International Airport|Honolulu]] and [[Wake Island]] 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.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33536 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line, Inc., DC-4, N 90433, Between Honolulu and Wake Island, September 24, 1955 | date = 23 March 1956 | doi =10.21949/1500661 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref> 
* On March 18, 1956, [[C-46|Curtiss C-46F]] N9995F crashed at [[Kugaaruk Airport|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/334717|website=asn.flightsafety.org|title=Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando N9995F|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=20 October 2024}}</ref>
* On September 9, 1958, [[Lockheed Super Constellation|L-1049H Super Constellation]] N6920C struck [[Mount Ōyama (Kanagawa)|Mount Ōyama]] en-route from Guam to [[Tachikawa Airfield|Tachikawa AB]], killing all eight on board.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/849385942 ''U.S. Cargo Plane Crashes in Japan'', Portland (ME) Press Herald, 9 September 1958]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/334175|website=asn.flightsafety.org|title=Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation N6920C|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=21 October 2024}}</ref>
* On March 15, 1962, Flight 7816/14, [[Lockheed L-1049|L-1049H Super Constellation]] N6911C, crashed on approach to [[Naval Air Facility Adak|Adak Island Naval Air Station]], Alaska on a flight from [[Cold Bay Airport|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.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33671 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line Inc., Lockheed Constellation Model L-1049H, N 6911C, Adak, Alaska, March 15, 1962 | date = 17 May 1963 | doi =10.21949/1500796 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref> 
* On March 16, 1962, [[Flying Tiger Line Flight 739|Flight 739]] (also known as Flight 7815/13) [[Lockheed L-1049|L-1049H Super Constellation]] N6921C disappeared over the Pacific en-route from [[Agana Naval Air Station|Guam]] to [[Clark Air Base|Clark AFB]] in the [[Philippines]] 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.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33670 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line Inc., Lockheed Super Constellation L-1049H, N 6921C, Between Guam and the Philippine Islands, March 15, 1962 | date = 10 April 1963 | doi =10.21949/1500795 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref>
* On September 23, 1962, [[Flying Tiger Line Flight 923|Flight 923]], [[Lockheed L-1049|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.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33678 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line Inc., Lockheed 1049H, N 6923C, Ditching in the North Atlantic, September 23, 1962 | date = 13 September 1963 | doi =10.21949/1500803 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref>
* On December 14, 1962, Flight 183, [[Lockheed L-1049|L-1049H Super Constellation]] N6913C, crashed on approach to [[Lockheed Air Terminal|Burbank, California]] from [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago]] due to pilot incapacitation (suspected heart attack), killing all five on board and three on the ground.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33683 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line Inc., Lockheed 1049H, N 6913C, North Hollywood, California, December 14, 1962 | date = 2 January 1964 | doi =10.21949/1500808 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref>
* On December 24, 1964, [[Flying Tiger Line Flight 282|Flight 282]], [[Lockheed L-1049|L-1049H Super Constellation]] N6915C crashed shortly after departure from [[San Francisco International Airport|San Francisco]] on a flight to [[New York John F. Kennedy Airport|New York City]] after an unexplained course change, killing the three crew.<ref>{{cite report | url = https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/33710 | title = Aircraft Accident Report: The Flying Tiger Line Inc., Lockheed 1049H, N 6915C, San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California, December 24, 1964 | date = 8 June 1966 | doi =10.21949/1500835 | publisher = Civil Aeronautics Board | author1 = Civil Aeronautics Board }}</ref>
* On December 15, 1965, Flying Tiger Line Flight 914, [[Lockheed L-1049|L-1049H Super Constellation]] N6914C, struck [[California Peak]] at 13,000 ft after the pilot became disorientated in IFR conditions, killing the three crew.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/332484|website=asn.flightsafety.org|title=Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation N6914C|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=21 October 2024}}</ref>
* 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) [[1966 Flying Tiger Line Canadair CL-44 crash|crashed]] on landing near [[Da Nang]], killing all four crew and 107 on the ground.
* On July 27, 1970, [[Flying Tiger Line Flight 45]], a [[Douglas DC-8]] (N785FT), crashed in the water off Naha Air Base, Okinawa, killing all four crew.<ref>https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7210.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>
* On February 15, 1979, Flying Tiger Line Flight 74, a [[Boeing 747]] (N804FT), was landing at [[O’Hare International Airport]] in heavy fog whilst Delta Airlines Flight 349, a [[Boeing 727]], 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]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Flying Tiger Line}}

*[http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?sorteer=datekey_desc&kind=%&cat=%&page=1&field=Operatorkey&var=6178 Flying Tiger Line accidents and incidents] at the [[Aviation Safety Network]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090901041558/http://www.godickson.com/Flying%20Tiger%20Line.htm Flying Tiger Line photo gallery]
*[http://www.flyingtigerline.org/ Flying Tiger Line Pilots Association]

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[[Category:Flying Tiger Line| ]]
[[Category:Defunct cargo airlines of the United States]]
[[Category:FedEx]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1945]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 1989]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1945]]
[[Category:Airlines based in California]]