FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27734, 11 August 1955, Page 11

FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL

CAMP AT BIRDLING’S FLAT RECORD DIVE-BOMBING RESULTS Pilots of No. 18 Course at the R.N.Z.A.F. Flying Training School. Wigram, have achieved the best divebombing results of any course in the history of the school. The course average bombing error—26.B yards—is the lowest ever recorded by five yards, and flying instructors consider it will be hard for succeeding courses to better this performance. The best individual results were achieved bv Acting-Pilot Officer P. S. Rule, of Gisborne. Of the 40 bombs dropped by him, many were direct hits and his average error was 14.8 yS Every morning this week, a flight of Hdrvards has left Wigram and landed on the peninsula fringing Lake Ellesmere, where the air weapons training camp is held at .the conclusion of every pilot’s course. The weather has been ideal, and the air-to-air and air-to-ground firing and dive-bombing have been carried out under very favourable conditions. For the 12 pilots, the weapons camp is the culmination of a long period .of training. Graduation day is less than a fortnight'away and squadron service in the R.N.Z A.F. will follow for most.