The Forgotten Pioneers

Uncontrollable regional then outside hostilities, and political dilemma that followed them, were casting doubt on Chinese aircraft acquisition in the 1930s.  So together, they came up with a pack of orphan warbirds facing the Japanese invasion.  In the early stage of the Sino-Japanese War, the international miscellaneous types of Italian Brenda, French Dewoitine, and U.S. Hawk, etc. were no longer supported tactical demands in air combat escalation.  Considered inadequate against modern enemy types, Curtis Hawk fleet was replaced by the Russian Polikarpov in 1938.  Again, it was proved to be another marginal successor.

Before Pearl Harbor which started the Lend Lease for China, the CAF launched several indigenous fighter projects.  After the massive air bombings against civilians of Shanghai and Chongqing, it would be astonishing if there were not more massacre; modernized interceptors were badly needed.  Besides the pre-war types, there were licensed assembled Polikarpov I-15, I-16, Bellanca 28-90B, Curtiss CW-21, Vultee V-12, and local designed Chu-X-Po , but all the efforts failed due to lack of logistic supports.  In May 1939, a U.S. deal was signed, with China receiving three Curtiss-built prototypes, plus 27 knock-down kits.  The Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO) at Loiwing, near the China-Burma border, would undertake the assembly.

Though an orphan design , three initial production Demons were shipped to China in May 1940 and eventually passed onto the Flying Tiger, i.e. 1st American Volunteer Group; the trio were planned to tackle high-flying Japanese recon.  On their ferry flight from Rangoon to Kunming, 23 December 1941, all three crashed due to poor visibility.  Facing the advancing Japanese forces, none of the 27 CKD kits were completed before CAMCO was forced to evacuate to India in 1942.  It’s important to us to keep the origin story of forgotten pioneers alive.  Our identity comes from our knowing our story, and being able to tell it so well.