Oregon's first "Ace" was Chinese-American. He flew combat 1937-40 in Curtiss Hawk II and Gloster Gladiator biplanes and sent 8.5 "Sons of Nippon" (with associates) to the proper reward, even rammed an A5M, his Gladiator folded it's wings but he managed to parachute safely. He got his Pilot's License in Portland, but was in a contingent sent to Germany for advanced instruction in 1936 and he spoke of flying Arados and Heinkel "ein und funfzig" fighters!

Sorry, don't have his name, this was all I got. Anyone have more data?

That is an interesting person. Too bad you have to die before you get any recognition !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Chin

__________________
Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

Too true...evidently Major Chin was shot down and wounded on no less than three occasions during the war also.

http://www.sinoam.com/ARTHURCHIN2.htm

__________________
Bill Murray
Why do we press harder on the remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?

To add insult to injury they made him a transport pilot after being a fighter pilot. I bet he was angry over that.

__________________
Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

Found another site regarding the major that seems a little more detailed, evidently Major Chin was discharged from the Chinese Air Force prior to the end of the war. Could this perhaps be due in part to his injuries? According to the site it was as a US Army Air Forces officer that he flew transports. Unfortunately it is not clear why he was discharged before the end of the war. Now I'm curious and gonna see if I can't find anything more about why.

http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/china_chin.htm

__________________
Bill Murray
Why do we press harder on the remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?

Neat stuff. Perhaps it was because of his injuries he was transferred to trabsport planes?

Wonder why he got training in Germany?

I havent heard of a chinese american ace before, In less it was part of the Flying tigers.

__________________

P-40, P-51, and the Spitfire for my opinion these were the three best allied aircraft.

I know of another Chinese American Fighter Pilot, not an ace but he did his part as well.
Lt. Wah Kau Kong of the 353rd, flying a P-51B. Unfortunatuly killed over Blomberg Germany 02/22/44.
All who knew him said he was a great guy, and had a sense of humor to.
His plane was named "Chinaman Chance" on one side, and "No Tickee No Washee" on the other.
Born in Honolulu and shot down one FW-190, before one got him a month later. Was written up in Time magazine the month he died.
Working towards a Masters in Chemistry at University of Honolulu, and scored the highest ever in the entrance exam.
American...all the way!

__________________
"Danger Will Robinson!"

If the P-40 is rated as one of the best Allied aircraft of WW2, then no wonder it took us five bloody years to beat the Axis !!!

He did well to get out of a bi-plane that folded it's wings !

Other Chinese American pilots:

Electronic Aviation - Aviation News - First Chinese WWII USAF Pilot Passes Away

Chinese-American Composite Wing
http://www.sinoam.com/photo_gallery_5-1.htm
http://www.sinoam.com/photo_gallery_5a.htm

Had the privilege to interview Art in the late '80s.

He told me he put his feet against the instrument panel and pushed. Before he was able to do that, he had struck his head a few times against the canopy of his wildly tumbling Gladiator.

Art along with a number of Chinese-American young men including John Wong and Clifford Louie had received basic flight training at Swan Island near Portland on a Fleet trainer purchased by donations from the Portland Chinese community. Art and John returned to Kwangtung Province in China and joined the Provincial (i.e. warlord) Air Force. The Cantonese Air Force had close ties with the Luftwaffe. Art and John were amongst four Cantonese Air Force pilots sent to Lager Lechtfeld for advanced training.

John Wong indicated in a letter to me that they received gunnery training from the Germans which served him (and Art) well in the Sino-Japanese War.

If you think Luftwaffe-trained pilots shooting down JNAF planes and making ace is strange ... a pilot from the neighboring Kwangsi Province received advanced training with the JAAF at Akeno. This pilot named Chu, Chia-hsun, scored at least 5 kills (confirmed by Japanese records) including a JAAF Ki-2 bomber and a Ki-27 fighter.

well if that was off the sig, then that is my opinion. P-40 was mostly against the Japanese. The spit, and mustang were as well, but in the Europeon theater of the war. Anyways sorry about going off topic.

__________________

P-40, P-51, and the Spitfire for my opinion these were the three best allied aircraft.