MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --Among rows of gray A-10C Thunderbolt IIs on the Moody flightline, one aircraft commands attention before its engines even start. Sweeping camouflage stretches across the aircraft while a bold blue fuselage stripe and the unmistakable Flying Tiger emblem cut through the gray backdrop of modern airpower. More than heritage paint, the aircraft serves as a tribute to Brig. Gen. David Lee “Tex” Hill, the legendary Flying Tigers and the combat legacy carried on today by the 23d Fighter Group.
“The late Brigadier General David “Tex” Hill was a member of the Claire Chennault’s American Volunteer Group, famously known as the Flying Tigers,” said William Godwin, 23d Wing historian. “He flew P-40 Warhawks with the 2nd Pursuit Squadron as a flight leader.Tex was credited with 12 and a quarter aerial victory during his time with the American Volunteer Group. On July 4, 1942, the American Volunteer Group disbanded and the 23d Fighter Group activated. Hill joined the 23d Fighter Group as a Major and was the first commander of the 75 FS. On November 4, 1943, he took command of the 23d Fighter Group.Tex Hill would go on to flying the P-51 Mustang with the 23d and raised his total number of aerial victories to 18 and a quarter. “
That history runs deep. Hill served as a commander within the American Volunteer Group, whose combat missions in the China-Burma-India Theater became legendary during World War II. After the AVG was disbanded in 1942, its mission and fighting spirit lived on through the 23d Fighter Group, with the 75th Fighter Squadron continuing that lineage. Today, that heritage is reflected not only in the aircraft’s design, but in the Airmen who brought it to life. Behind the scenes, 11 Airmen from the 23d Maintenance Squadron dedicated an extended amount of time to transform the jet. The project demanded technical expertise, coordination and attention to detail, ensuring the finished aircraft honored both the squadron’s heritage and the Airmen who carried that legacy forward.
“First, it was just another project to us, but once we got into it, we realized it was something different,” said Senior Airman Memphis Waller, 23d MXS aircraft structural maintenance. “It gave us a chance to learn new techniques and be part of something we knew people would remember. The process itself was a lot of work. First, we sanded the aircraft down and cleaned up the old paint, then wiped everything down to make sure the surface was ready before we painted it. After that, we had to de-mask the plane and track down where every stencil belonged so we could repaint each one correctly. The masking process was different from what we usually do, so there was definitely a learning curve, but seeing it all come together made it worth it.”
The aircraft’s story began long before the camouflage pattern and Flying Tiger insignia took shape on the Moody flightline. Following an asset transfer from Korea, maintainers at Moody accepted and processed the A-10 before taking on the extensive restoration project themselves. What started as a routine transfer quickly became something more, an opportunity to transform the aircraft into a visual reminder of the squadron’s enduring history.
For the Airmen involved, the project carried meaning beyond restoring an aircraft.
“When people see the heritage aircraft alongside the P-40 in the air park, they can immediately connect the history,” said Staff Sgt. Tucker Lee, 23d MXS noncommissioned officer in charge corrosion control. “It’s a continuation of the Flying Tigers legacy, and that’s something this wing takes a lot of pride in. We just hope to keep carrying that tradition forward.
“If the original Flying Tigers hadn’t been successful, we wouldn’t be here today carrying that name and history,” he continued. “The shark teeth that people associate with the A-10 started back with the P-40s, and now they’ve become part of what makes the Warthog iconic. Keeping that heritage paint scheme and the nose art reminds us where we came from and pushes us to continue that legacy of success.”
That pride was reflected in every stage of the project. From carefully matching historical details to working long hours as a team, maintainers ensured the aircraft would stand as a faithful tribute, reinforcing a shared connection between generations of Airmen, past and present.
Now complete, the aircraft serves a dual purpose. It remains a fully mission-capable combat platform while also standing as a visible reminder of the squadron’s heritage. Each time it takes to the skies, it carries forward a legacy that began with the Flying Tigers, proving that while technology evolves, the spirit of the mission endures.
“American Volunteer Group and the 23d Fighter Group set the standard for the Flying Tigers for future generations,” Godwin said. “The American Volunteer Group in 1941 were told they would not last two weeks. Eighty-five years later, the Flying Tigers are still going strong. The men and women of the 23d Wing are standing on the shoulders of giants and leading the way with close air support and combat search and rescue.”