RAF pilot training, 1940

[Bill Walker]

The Canadian Aviation Museum has a pdf book that covers this topic in some detaill, look at Chapter 3 in particular. http://www.airmuseum.ca/refs/aerodrome_of_democracy.pdf

[Kutscha]

Thanks Bill, very interesting.

To be more specific, I was looking for the training mainly during the BoB, and in GB.

[timothy]

Can only help between Nov 39 & Jul 40.

= Tim

[Kutscha]

That would be great if you would Tim.

[timothy]

Kutscha – not a huge help, I’m afraid, & not typical, because we were the last 20 Pre-war Cranwell Cadets-to-be. Cranwell had become an FTS & was full, so we had to start on Tiger Moths at 9 FTS, Ansty.

　http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ok/01cadet.jpg
What a soul-destroying waste of time. God knows how they filled in the ground time with talk??
Can’t recall the Exercises No1-22 – but they were 4 year-old stuff. In addition we did 2 Cross-countries, Spinning & 8 hrs Link Trainer.
40 hrs Dual, 34 hrs Solo, FOUR months!!
　
So on to Cranwell – Harts & then Hinds. Again, Exercises No1-22!! But we did do 16 cross-countries, 5 Air-ground firing, 2 Aerobatics, 7 Bombing with 25lbers, one Quarter Attacks & some Formation. Two night flights. 27 hrs Dual, 65 hrs Solo, 3 months. Instead of 3 peacetime years!!
Ground School – Engines, Theory of Flight, Map Reading, Parachute maintenance (?) - there must have been something else??
　
Fully trained – on to No1 Squadron, Northolt.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...yforbattle.jpg
18-26 July - Dual experience in Miles Master, Solo in Master.
Solo in Hurricane.
Climb to 29,000’, 2 Formation flights, 2 ‘Dogfights’, 1 ‘Attacks’, 1 Air Firing, 2 Sector Recce. 16 hours, then:

27 July Patrol St Catherine’s Point to cover de-beaching of Tanker.
30 July Patrol.
31 July Patrols x4
etc
15 August 'Destroyed' Me109 near Harwich. With hindsight - doubtful!
16 August Shot down!!
　
= Tim