ROYAL AIR FORCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 108, 3 November 1939, Page 4

ROYAL AIR FORCE

,—«» PILOTS IN TRAINING

UNENDING RIVER OF MEN

( } A very broad, continuous river, of men is draining in th£ Royall Air Force, men of the Volunteer ■ Reserve, whom I was privileged to Visit at one of the newest training centres, "wrote Major C. C. Turner in the London "Daily Telegraph" recently. This is one of the Initial Training Wings. It differs from ,the Schools of Military Aeronautics of- the last war in many respects. A large number of this strikingly fine body of young men are already pilots, having learned to fly and Received much otner training in the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve. Another important contrast to the Schools of Military Aeronautics of twenty-five years ago, of which I retain intimate memories, is due to the great technical progress of the intervening years. This training is no sudden burst of * activity due to the outbreak of war and destined for an early decline. It is an ordered continuation of measurestaken during the past two or three years. Watching these men at. drill and in classes, I think almost the most vivid impression on my mind was their superb quality, both physically and educationally. In these respects they are vastly superior to the men under training for the R.A.F. in the last year of the War of 1914-18. In the matter of'numbers the figures, which I must not disclose,-are staggering. Members of the Volunteer Reserve become sergeant pilots on passing into the regular Air Force. A considerable proportion of those now under training t are certain to be given commissions. ' Not only pilots; but. air observers, air gunners, wireless operators, and general personnel are being provided from this and other centres. Instruction includes administration, the elements of the theory of flight, air navigation, bombing, signals, and all that comes under the designation of airmanship. EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY-FIVE. . The ages of the men here are from 18 to 25 years. They offered; their services before the war, and iri most cases also began training. As they move on their places will be taken by others | from civilian life who .are entering through the Volunteer Reserve. Talking films play an important part in the instruction in flight theory, meteorology, deck landings, recognition of enemy aircraft, and other subjects. No actual flying is carried out at this and similar establishments, but pupils recommended as pilots are given a special course in the Link Trainer, a contrivance whit&h enables an instructor to discover a pupil's reactions in the air in controlling his machine in various flying conditions. It tests his ability to fly blind, that is by instruments alone, in fog. This training wing is. strong .op the sporting side. It includes among its personnel Air Commodore A. C. Critchley, eminent in greyhound racing circles, and there are Sergeant Len Harvey, Corporal Eddie Phillips, and Tommy Farr oh the boxing side, and the golfei's J. S. Morrison and Leonard Crawley; -..-.) / I could write muiih about the conditions in which tht- school is placed, the quarters, and the provision x lor games and recreation. - Owing to the fact that the Quarters were a huge block of service flats, and as many of the civilian staff as possible have been retained, the chief supervisor of the cooking department is a French chef de cuisine. The roast beef, which was an item on the midday menu during my visit, nevertheless looked truly British. • One may- recall that at the time of the Armistice in 1918 the total number of trained pilots in the R.A.F. was 8000,. and of all R.A.F. personnel 283,000. There were 9.0 000 nAIoU then under trainind