Lieutenant-General Claire Chennault, left, commander of the US 14th Air Force, explains flying techniques to pilots at Kunming airport in Yunnan province in 1944. [Photo/Xinhua]

On Dec 20, 1941, the AVG saw action for the first time, shooting down three Japanese bombers and destroying a further six on the ground, according to the Flying Tigers Museum in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, where much of the aerial combat took place.

Starting in 1943, the Flying Tigers also assisted flying over the Himalayas, helping to ship strategic materials from India to China to break through the Japanese line of defense. The Flying Tigers left China in 1944.

The Flying Tigers participated in more than 100 battles, shooting down 272 Japanese aircraft and destroying another 225 on the ground, according to the museum.