China's Wings: War, Intrigue, Romance and Adventure in the Middle Kingdom during the Golden Age of Flight is a 2012 book by Gregory Crouch, published by Bantam Books. The book discusses the history of the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) and is focused on William Langhorne Bond as the central character.Mondor, p. 3. Harry Eagar of the Maui News stated that "is largely a biography of Bond."Eagar The book also describes Moon Fun Chin, a Chinese-American who rose from peasant roots, to become a lead CNAC pilot and finally to owning his own airline.Bergin Among other events, the book discusses the establishment of the first airline in China, the Second Sino-Japanese War, "The Hump" airlift, and the 1938 Kweilin incident.Muller, p. 67 The book ends after the 1949 Communist takeover.Kirkus Reviews
Background The author used interviews with surviving CNAC staff, including Moon Fun Chin; Bond's letters, memoirs, and reports; and archival materials made by CNAC pilots. Richard R. Muller, who reviewed the book for World War II magazine, stated that these sources, including Bond's recollection of the evacuation of Hong Kong, were "impeccable".Muller, p. 68
Reception Colleen Mondor of Booklist stated that it was "thoroughly researched" and "readable".
Kirkus Reviews stated that China's Wings was "recondite but dramatically rendered and obsessively researched."
Josh McMahon of The Star-Ledger stated that the book is "an interesting read" and that it would be a good companion to In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson, and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand though "Crouch's storytelling skills aren't at the level of Hillenbrand and Larson".McMahon
Muller stated that the book was a "compelling narrative" and "an exceedingly appealing combination of adventure story, aviation and military history, and earthy travelogue."
Notes
References - First posted November 7, 2011 Print Version
External links China's Wings, Gregory Crouch official website extensive China's Wings photo gallery, on website of author Gregory Crouch China’s Wings, interview by Marshall Poe (August 30, 2012)