FUTURE AIRMEN

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1940, Page 8

FUTURE AIRMEN

EXPERIMENT IN BRITAIN. •• •fftrr LONDON, May 14. In the heart of the rolling Midland country 1 -was shown to-day the fruits o f qne of .the,most lar-reaching ejcpoin,mei)ts yet undertaken hy the Royal Air (Fprce, said a correspondent re*, coptly in an English newspaper. When the Royal Air Force expand siop scheme ov»S launched a few years ago the most urgent problem. was how to find Ahe vast of' trained mechanics needed for Britain's; thousands of warplanes. It was decid* ■ ed that the force should recruit boys; and .tra iu - .them for .the job. Tlipse ■ responsible went .through fh.e, lists of technical officers to the, best teachers. They laid out this air, station like a public school —but a school where aerodynamic .laboratories take ;the> place ,<of .the sixth form-room. They<said that the boys should work, barn .and play hard. The job .lias been. done surpassingly well. The happj T legion is recruited at the. age, of <ISR mostly from boys who have, attained spine proficiency,in sec-, oiujary .or higher elementary schools. . They arc entered in their apprenticeship for' three years, in the course of which they learn, to quote one of the instructors, “as much as a. shipyard .apprentice'does in 'five years.” ( i Their .workshops- and .laboratories, may .well ;be .described as a school-, boy’s .dream of heaven.- .In them -the ’ boys learn,:.to handle .delicate precis-j ion .Instruments <and to juggle .with vast mechanical hammers. They live, together and learn, together. There , are .48 ; acres ,of playing fields for them,, a swimming bath 100 ft. long,' a great gymnasium, ~a cinema and library.: I .walked through the living rooms, the correspondent adds. Outwardly, they look just like .those hutments, which soldiers of the last .war avill remember—but .there, the (resemblance ends. This new generation enjoys central heating, with-,hot and ,cpl{l water ■in the washing sheds ; ..apd a bath for every six men. . , The .visitor gets the finest picture of this band of .cheerful’ experts-to-be ■when he sees them at their lathes and Ranches. They come, from every quarter of Britain, and yet all have been (moulded and blended into the discipline of a great ser.vice.,