German Flight Training

willycoppens · 7 January 2005, 04:40 PM

Hello,
I recall reading long ago an article about the German flight training program. It included a rather long list of requirements that cadets were expected to fulfill if they wished to earn their wings. Among these were flying at specified altitudes for given lengths of time, and making a required number of dead-stick landings from given altitudes.
Was this true, or an example of some journalistic license??? Of all the combatants, who probably offered the most comprehensive flight training program? Thanks.
Willy

Cigogne · 7 January 2005, 04:50 PM

Willy Coppens,

You'll want to subscribe to... or order back issues of Cross & Cockade International. Rammjaeger, who frequents here, wrote a wonderful two-part article on the subject that was well illustrated. I believe it appeared in the 2003 Issues. He can set me straight on that.

Cheers!

Cigogne · 7 January 2005, 04:54 PM

As to your question... it is true!

Dan_San_Abbott · 7 January 2005, 10:32 PM

Willy Coppens:
The German pilot was taught to fly in a rather determined way that involved testing the student knowledge and abilities at that point in training. One such test the student pilot received a signal from the ground and he was to shut off the ignition and deadstick land within a circle marked on the ground. This test was done at higher and higher altitudes with smaller circles. Flight training took almost a year. Then the pilot was sent to combat training school for fighters, recce or bombers.
Where American and British and I think French pilots received their wings after soloing, this was not so with the German pilot, he received his wings after a prescribed number of missions at the front.
Happy New Year,
Dan-San

rammjaeger · 8 January 2005, 02:05 AM

Hello,

Cigogne mentioned my article which was published in No.2 (Summer) and No.3 (Fall) VOL.34 of C & C International in 2003.

Willy, if you are meaning accidently this article then I can confirm you the truth of the mentioned details. Every requirement which was fulfilleld by a young trainee was confirmed in a little booklet. The number of flights was enormous but many lasted not more than 5 minutes. Maybe I will scan a page of a book for this thread later but today I have birthday and therefore other priorities.

VBR
Hannes

Immo_Frese · 8 January 2005, 04:03 AM

Na dann mal ganz herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag Hannes

Prost und gutes Feiern,

Immo

Rick · 8 January 2005, 06:30 AM

Happy Geburtstag, Hannes, and many more. Rick

Richard_Schrader · 8 January 2005, 07:15 AM

It seems to me that most German fighter pilots had spent a spell flying bombers or recon planes before going to fighters.

willycoppens · 8 January 2005, 10:35 AM

Gentlemen,
Many thanks for your replies. I have long believed that average pilots are truly products of their training. Japanese pilots in WWII were often criticised by their Allied counterparts as " lacking imagination ". I take it to mean that they flew in the way they were taught.
I would believe that the outstanding pilots of all combatents developed styles that suited them best, and stuck with them.
Willy

totoroman · 8 January 2005, 03:22 PM

I have also read about that criticism of Japanese pilots "lacking imagination". one person said that they always flew in a very "coordinated" manner... so it's interesting when I consider the auto/biography of Saburo Sakai who more than one mentions side-slipping and uncoordinated manuevers. (although Sakai would probably be regarded as an exceptional pilot in ANY air service).

from what I've seen in my research, I'd suggest that the -average- German pilot was "generally" better-trained than his Allied counterpart. by the end of the war I don't think I'd make that argument, however... the British had made some quantum leaps in pilot training by that point.

bleah... you'd probably get another opinion, lol!