moonloon Posted 11 May , 2007 Share Posted 11 May , 2007 how long did it take to train a pilot before they were posted top a squadron? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblake66 Posted 11 May , 2007 Share Posted 11 May , 2007 Not long, a matter of months. Six months training for Lafayette Escadrille according to Bert Hall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 11 May , 2007 Share Posted 11 May , 2007 I am not sure what the average time was but, as an example, here are some of the dates relevant for the Australian 2/Lieut Percy Eric Palmer now buried in La Belle Alliance Cemetery. 28/10/16 Detached for duty with RFC (from AIF) 26/1/17 Joined RFC No 3 School (Exeter) 16/3/17 Commissioned to RFC and discharged from AIF 17/7/17 Kia with 29th Squadron He had only been with the Squadron 3-4 days when he was killed on patrol. This suggests he was training for 6 months (give or take) assuming his flying training started from when he joined the RFC School. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlight Posted 12 May , 2007 Share Posted 12 May , 2007 Hi, Another example is Major James McCudden. In his book, "Flying Fury" he writes of when he became a pilot, the dates being: 24/01/16 Left Number 3 squadron (where he started as a mechanic on 15/06/13 and ended up flying as an observer, being promoted to flight sergeant on 23/01/16) to return to England for flight training ??/03/16 First solo flight just before being posted to Number 41 squadron 16/04/16 Qualified for his Royal Aero Club Certificate 01/05/16 Posted to Central Flying School for training as a 'scout' pilot 08/07/16 Arrived in France at Number 20 squadron, flying an FE2b All in all, this took 24 weeks, two weeks short of six months. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisM Posted 14 May , 2007 Share Posted 14 May , 2007 Moonloon... Here's another example, from 1917 (Lt. E.T. Evans, 34 and 206 Squadrons). I don't know how typical it was. February 5th Reports to Inns of Court O.T.C. Berkhamsted for officer training March 13th Arrival at RFC - St. Patrick's Hall/ Wantage Hall, Reading for basic theoretical training April 23rd First flight at 4 Reserve Squadron, Catterick June 7th First solo flight June 30th To 46th T.S. Tadcaster July 4th To 46th T.S. Catterick August 7th To No.2 School of Air Gunnery, Turnberry August 31st Back at Catterick he gets his "wings" September 4th To 15th Training Squadron, Doncaster September 19th To Spittlegate October 5th To Hursley Park Camp, Winchester October 17th Embarks for France October 18th To No. 1 A.D. B.E.F. France October 21st To 34th Squadron October 24th First flight in France (as passenger) October 26th First flights as pilot October 27th First patrol over the lines Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 14 May , 2007 Share Posted 14 May , 2007 ??/03/16 First solo flight just before being posted to Number 41 squadron 16/04/16 Qualified for his Royal Aero Club Certificate 01/05/16 Posted to Central Flying School for training as a 'scout' pilot And if I remember correctly, almost immediately having gained his wings McCudden became a flying instructor. Regards, Jon S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timhog Posted 15 May , 2007 Share Posted 15 May , 2007 Pilots that have recorded there time at Shoreham all say that the weather played a big part in life, with no flying for days on end. With this plus the time taken to move men from one place to another the real training time was more like 3 months than 6. Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 15 May , 2007 Share Posted 15 May , 2007 Do I recall that pilots could arrive at their squadron with only 10 hours solo flying experience behind them. It must have been akin to suicide to go into air combat with this meagre level of flying experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 15 May , 2007 Share Posted 15 May , 2007 It seems that the training period varied over the course of the war, as well as with respect to particular situations. S.F. Wise: Canadian Airmen and the First World War gives some details about the training operation in Canada. The first cadets began flying in mid-March, 1917 (after coming 'straight in'). A group of eighteen finished training in May and sailed for overseas on 16 June. They were described as all having over 50 hours of "air experience". Once in England, however, they were given extra instruction on "service type" aeroplanes. A group arriving in England in late July, for example, were not posted to service squadrons for two months or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 15 May , 2007 Share Posted 15 May , 2007 James. Do you think 'straight in' implies they had no previous flying experience? I would have expected early volunteers to possibly have had done some previous flying - although just a hunch on my part. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 15 May , 2007 Share Posted 15 May , 2007 James. Do you think 'straight in' implies they had no previous flying experience? I would have expected early volunteers to possibly have had done some previous flying - although just a hunch on my part. Neil Neil, In this case 'straight in' would mean no previous flying or military experience of any kind. Earlier on (1915-1916), there was a policy (in RFC Canada) of only accepting candidates who had paid for some private flying training, but by 1917 this was no longer the case. Incidentally, at the start of the war there were only about two dozen Canadians with flying licences, and by 1917 there were no longer any private flying schools. (There were still some down in the States, though). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 16 May , 2007 Share Posted 16 May , 2007 Thanks James. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 17 May , 2007 Share Posted 17 May , 2007 I prolong this tread merely to post, as a bagatelle, this newspaper advert from January of 1918. It describes the sort of fellow that the RFC was looking for. (I guess!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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