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Artifacts

Civil Air Transport Picture

Artifact Details

A framed print of a horse mid stride with a saddle and tack

The CIA published calendars under the guise of CAT Incorporated.

In August 1950, the CIA secretly purchased the assets of Civil Air Transport (CAT), an airline that had been started in China after World War II by Gen. Claire L. Chennault and Whiting Willauer. CAT would continue to fly commercial routes throughout Asia, acting in every way as a privately owned commercial airline. At the same time, under the corporate guise of CAT Incorporated, it provided airplanes and crews for secret intelligence operations.

This graphic is from one of the Tang Horse calendars published by CAT.  It is a reproduction of a stone rubbing of a miniature replica of one of the six bas-reliefs adorning the entrance to the tomb of Emperor Tang Tai-Tsung at the ancient village of Peng P’u, China.  The original carvings were based on paintings by Yen Li-pen when Emperor Tang was at the height of his glory in the year 637.

Artifact Specs

111 cm x 84.5 cm x 2 cm

(L x W x H)

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