Subject: What it took to get wings in WW II.
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 7/13/03 12:37 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:


"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...


Keith,
I would be interested to know the course of academic study in the RAF.
What
math and physics? How high the washout rate (,more or less)before even
getting
to flying school? How high the washout rate for physical reasons? Any
idea?.


In the case of Frank Harbord the only screening he mentions prior to
attending
flying school was a fairly standard medical which included eyesight and
depth
perception. There were no academic requirements and the washout rate for all
reasons seems to have been low. They all received training as navigators,
gunners
and bomb aimers and were allocated duties pretty much on overall performance
and operational requirements.

He was 18 years old and had been working in a local factory and
was a member of the territorial army when he volunteered as an
air observer.

Of the 60 men who enlisted with him 55 made it into squadron service.
Only about 5% survived the war, most being killed in the desperate attacks
of summer 1940 when unescorted Blenheims and Battles were taking 80%
casualties in single raids attempting to stop the German advance in France.

Keith


80% casualties(aaargh) ! Those were times that tried mens souls. (sigh)
I guess that is why Churchill said, " I can build an Air Force second to none
with America's washed out pilots".

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer