Reference 7177
Flying Tiger Dial
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History
- The Flying Tiger Watches were Issued for the U.S. Air Force’s 23rd Tactical Fighter Group.
- The 23rd Fighter Group is the home of the Air Force's legendary Flying Tigers and is stationed at Moody Air Force Base. The 23rd Fighter Group's primary mission is forward air control, close-air support, interdiction, and combat search and rescue operations.
- The 23rd Fighter Group traces its roots back to the 23rd Pursuit Group, which was formed on December 17, 1941, just 10 days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The group had three squadrons assigned to carry out their mission: the 74th, 75th, and 76th Fighter Squadrons.
- A particularly interesting note is that the aircraft assigned to the group has the unique "Shark Teeth" nose art. The Flying Tigers are the only Air Force unit authorized to carry this distinctive and historical aircraft marking.
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Flying Tiger Crest
Dial Variations
- The Flying Tiger watches were produced in two batches:
- Mk. 1 Flying Tiger Dial: Featuring both the “U.S. Air Force” inscription and the Flying Tiger logo.
- Mk. 2 Flying Tiger Dial: Retaining the Flying Tiger logo but omitting the “U.S. Air Force” inscription.
- The casebacks of both variants were identical to those of the baseline 7177. Most examples were finished in Silver/Sablé, Black PVD, or NTS PVD.
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7177 Flying Tiger Mk. 1 Dial - Silver/Sablé
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7177 Flying Tiger Mk. 1 Dial - Black PVD
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7177 Flying Tiger Mk. 2 Dial