Madame Chiang's brother, an influential banker that went by the name T.V. Soong, was already in Washington lobbying Roosevelt to support a plan that saw American pilots manning Boeing B-17 bombers with Chinese air force markings while bombing Tokyo. Coincidentally, Soong's campaign reached its peak in the fall/winter of 1940, just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This was when Chennault and his party arrived.

Out of the meetings they had with American officials, the AVG was born. There would be no bombing of Tokyo, but Claire Chennault was given the green light to recruit American pilots to go to China to fight the Japanese. By the time the AVG became active in China, the war had broken out between the US and Japan, but most of the pilots and crew that signed on remained in China. They had not only signed contracts, but they also knew it was likely going to be a long time before they had an opportunity to fly in combat if they went back home.

The Flying Tigers are known for their famous Curtiss P-40 Warhawks with a shark's mouth painted on the front. Though the Tigers are the best-known group that flew planes painted with a shark's mouth, it was originally a German idea, which was adopted by the British and then by the AVG, who liked the distinctive look.