Flying Tigers

This was Republic's salute to the all-American Volunteer Group flying for China and Chiang Kai-Shek under the command of Gen. Claire Chennault long before Pearl Harbor. These men were both patriotic and mercenary, receiving $500 for every Japanese plane shot down. John Wayne is Jim Gordon, the leader of one squadron of carefree pilots, backed up by Hap Davis (Paul Kelly), his tireless second-in-command, a weary veteran whose eyesight is failing. New recruit Woody Jason (John Carroll), a wisecracking nonconformist, arrives on the scene, disobeys orders, and creates dissension among the men. In the air, Woody relentlessly cuts in on the "kills" of other pilots to gle...