The Tiger Shark motif on the AVG P-40 aircraft was the idea of (3PS) Hells Angels Flight Leader Erik Shilling and (1PS) Adam & Eve Vice Squadron Leader Charles Bond, when they found a British magazine with photographs of an RAAF P-40 in desert camouflage. When the two took the idea to Chennault he wanted the entire Group to adopt the motif. Even today Shilling and Bond claim first for idea and application of the Tiger Shark paint job on the P-40’

Each of the squadrons, now with an approved name, designed their respective squadron insignia. The Hells Angels decided on a red colored silhouette of a very shapely female with halo and wings outlined in white. Each Hells Angels pilot had his own “Lady” painted on his individual aircraft; subsequently each “Lady” had her own personality. Yet the colors of red on white were the standard for the entire squadron. This same motif and insignia is used today by active United States Army, Marine Corps and Air Force squadrons, additionally a fighter squadron of the Israeli Air Force.s of the AVG. Erik Shilling actually painted his P-40 first, as Bond had gone off base to acquire the paint, whereas Shilling got paint on the base from Chinese personnel that were painting the Chinese Air Force insignia on the P-40’s.

During the seven month combat operations of the AVG this unit acquired a record of 297 Japanese aircraft destroyed, as confirmed by British and Chinese Intelligence. Other sources have placed the total Japanese aircraft destruction, caused by the AVG, at well over 600 to 900, including aircraft destroyed on the ground during strafing operations. AVG losses were 4 pilots killed in air combat, 7 killed by ground fire, 3 died as a result of Japanese bombing while they were on the ground and 1 missing in action presumed dead. That reflects an AVG to Japanese kill ratio of 50 to 1, a record that has never been equaled. Chennault reviewed official Japanese war records, after the war. The Japanese reported the destruction of 544 AVG aircraft. Of note was the fact that at no time did the AVG possessed more than 100 aircraft in their unit. The AVG was disbanded on July 4th 1942, at which time few accepted returning into the US Army Air Force, most optioned to return to the US where they returned to active service or other war efforts. The reason many refused immediate return to active service, in China, was the manner by which Brigadier General Bissell, USAAF, presented the option to them. Bissell had been a long time adversary of Chennault and the Flying Tigers. Chennault, who had accepted return to active military service, immediately prior to deactivation of the AVG, at the rank of Brigadier General continued to command the 14th Air Force in the China Burma Theater (CBT). The 14th Air Force all referred to themselves as “Flying Tigers”, even though the real “Flying Tigers” had been deactivated on July 4th 1942. General Chennault was forced into retirement immediately prior to the Japanese surrender. At the official surrender ceremony, onboard the USS Missouri, General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur asked, “Where’s Chennault?” As a final insult General Chennault, founder and commander of the AVG, who had fought the Japanese Empire since 1937 was not even permitted to be present at the official end of hostilities, of which he had participated in for 8 years, unlike the 4 years of participation by other US officials at that ceremony.

To answer the questions of lineage between HAMC and a military organization is that Arvid Olsen; “Flying Tigers” Hells Angels squadron gave the idea of the name to the actual founder of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, in Fontana, California. The selection of our colors, red on white, is a result of the association of Olsen with the HAMC founders, like the insignia of the 3Ps “Hells Angels”. The insignia of the HAMC, our copyrighted Death Head can also be traced to two variant insignia designs, the 85th Fighter Squadron and the 552nd Medium Bomber Squadron. Frank Sadliek, past president of the HAMC San Francisco Chapter designed the official “Death Head” insignia. Arvid Olsen died May 16th. 1974 in Point Clear, Alabama.