Founder of the Flying Tiger Line, Inc.
Prescott’s Flying Tiger Line was the nation’s first regularly scheduled transcontinental all-freight company.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Robert W. Prescott was the founder of the world’s first successful air-cargo company, the Flying Tiger Line, where he proved that the business of flying cargo was both necessary and lucrative. Flying Tigers served its customers until 1989 when it was bought by Federal Express. The name for his company likely came from Prescott’s service in the American Volunteer Group, known by its nickname, the “Flying Tigers.” As a Flying Tiger, Prescott fought the Japanese in the skies over China and was credited with six aerial victories.