Fall 2024 Militaria & Collectibles Auction
Lot 91:
Description
Dick Rossi (April 19, 1915-April 17, 2008) an ace with six victories over Japanese planes as a Flying Tiger, also flew 735 transport missions as a Hump pilot. Months before Pearl Harbor, Dick Rossi gave up his commission as a U.S. naval aviator to fly P-40s over Asia. He joined the First Pursuit (Adam and Eve) Squadron of Chennaults American Volunteer Group; which became known to history as the Flying Tigers. When the Tigers stopped flying in 1942, Dick flew more than 700 missions over the hump from India to China in C-46s and 47s. Donald Rode Rodewald (Sept 7, 1918-Sept 16, 2002). Donald Rodewald launched his aviation career early when he took his first airplane ride in a Ford Tri-Motor. He was hooked on flying and earned his private pilots license at age 16. After a year of college, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and graduated from their Aircraft Armament School in 1939. While at Selfridge Field, MI, Rode heard about the recruitment of personnel to the AVG for China service and promptly joined. Rode worked through difficult conditions, like other other armorers, to keep the limited number of P-40s combat ready until the Flying Tigers were officially disbanded in July, 1942. Rode volunteered for service in China for another five months with the U.S. Army’s 75th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Fighter Group before returning home to start his own Army flight training. First, an armament test pilot at Eglin Field, FL, Rode went back to China but this time as a combat fighter pilot in the 75th Fighter Squadron. Before coming home he would serve as Operations Officer at Kiagwan Field in Shanghai. Rode continued his Air Force career after the war by testing weapons at Eglin, AFB and later as Research & Development Officer at the Pentagon. He furthered weapons development on combat tours with the F-86 in Korea where he tested new guns and gunsights. A crash landing on instrument approach in 1954 left Rode a paraplegic. However, he continued his aviation career as a civilian with Lockheed Aircraft until his retirement in 1974. Rode revived his flying career while in retirement when a new device made flight possible for paraplegic pilots. With the device, a Piper Comanche 260, a lot of flying skill and courage, Rode became the world’s first paraplegic to attain solo, around the world flight in 1984. The approximate size is 8 x 10 inches. These signed photos are copies of actual period photos. The signatures are original. Good overall condition.
Condition: See description for notes on condition. Please note that all items are sold as is without returns, so please ask questions in advance of bidding.
Share this lot:
