Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

Charney arrived in England as part of the Argentinian volunteer contingent in 1940 or 1941, after which he received flight training, but I cannot find out where. He was made a Sergeant pilot in April 1941 and joined 91 Squadron in June 1941 recording his first combat on 15 June 1941.

Can anyone tell me where he trained and when?

regards

Keith

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

KEITH,

I fully recommend you to contact Claudio Meunier, who wrote one or two books about the Argentinians in RAF Service.
I am following his steps and writing about the Brazilians in RAF Service...however my work already passed the 1,600 pages in 7 volumes...
Att.,
Adriano B.

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

Cheers Adriano, I had thought of Claudio having read various articles on the internet, but hoped the forum members would give me the answers I want.

Good luck with the Brasilians,

regards

Keith

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

Still searching for details of Charney's service. I believe he was either at 53, 57 or 58 OTU. If at 53 OTU he would have been on No.2 or No.3 Course which graduated on 27 May and 10 June 1941 resepctively. If 57 OTU then course 20 seems the most likely (completed 9 June 1941), while if he was at 58 OTU he would have been on No. 4 or No.5 Course. I am basing these dates on his award of Wings in April 1941 and before joining 91 Squadron in June 1941. Does anyone have details of who was on these courses?

regards

Keith

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

After a LOT of work I have the answer, I think.

Based on the records of other pilots and the ORB of 91 Squadron.

Charney was at 4 ITW in August 1940 before progressing to 9 FTS at Hullavington in December 1940. Having received his wings he joined 57 OTU (course 20) on 23 April 1941 and from thence appeared at 91 Squadron on 10 June 1941.

Well chuffed !

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

I am however missing his time at an EFTS in October-November 1940, where he flew Tiger Moths. Some sources mention he was at Cranwell but apart from a fleeting reference to 17 EFTS i cannot see a link.

Ken Charney - mentioned in Clostermann's book
 

In his book "Le grand cirque" (--> The Big Show, I think in fact it ought to be The Big Circus, one of those offensive RAF operations over the Europ. continent) Pierre Clostermann mentioned Ken Charney in the caption of a photograph showing a group of pilots (possibly a whole squadron's pilots). Of course this was after his pilot training. I can't remember if PC mentioned him in the main text.

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

Yep, Charney gets a few mnetions. Charney and he were friends and there's a good photo of him and Charney shaking hands after a sortie

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

Ken Charney later took command of 132 (City of Bombay) Squadron and ended up taking the Squadron to the Far East, where they landed in Hong Kong in early ly September 1945, before being disbanded 1946. Quite a bit about him, including claims, is in Aces High.

Cheers

Allan

Re: Ken Charney - training 1940-41
 

His recent re-burial in Argentina was quite an event. Sadly he died in obscurity in Andorra from a mixture of cancer and alcohol abuse.