[RodM]

Thanks for the clarification on the documented payments. I guess the next question would be whether there exists documentation on the verification process used by the Chinese in awarding payments. It is a shame that the documentation (if any) accompanying each individual payment/claim isn't available for scurtiny (I presume it is not based on this whole ruckus).

Personally, I would not presume any specific methodigy used in the verification of claims/for payments without documentary proof.

The example of RAF Bomber Command losses, although seemingly irrelevant to the AVG, was cited as an example of the "other side must be under-reporting losses" theory, which, as has been pointed out, gets thrown about, based upon subjective opinion and without concrete proof. Obviously any serious researcher uses the official records, not news reports, so any argument about losses reported in the prss are irrelevant. While there may be gaps in the documentation on Japanese losses, I'm sure that there are enough surviving examples to allow a complete assessment for certain days/periods.

Cheers

Rod