Training-which was best for 1914-1918 airmen?

PFFF · 1 March 2005, 05:26 AM

Training-which was best for 1914-1918 airmen?
German-an pilot canidate would undergo training months/weeks as an observer before becoming a pilot himself.
British-is it true a infantry machine gunner could-upon transfer being approved- find himself as an observer within six hours of leaving the trenchs with no instruction except MG training?

GrandSon · 7 March 2005, 02:06 AM

Our website:

www.multimania.com/vbrault

contains the story of my grandfather and his training. Right now in French language only but pretty soon in English.

GrandSon.

Vin · 8 March 2005, 02:37 AM

Just read the account of one Australian pilot’s beginnings.

He was in the lighthorse in the Middle East from August 1915 to December 1916. He was stationed near the then only RFC training camp at Heliopolis and applied to join the RFC in April 1916. He was told he would have to apply to join the BEF first, then he would be transferred to the RFC. The AIF wouldn’t let him transfer until December 1916 when he was accepted initially into groundstaff as a truck driver. He then went to the UK in January 1917 and remained truck driving until June when he went to Oxford for air training., then to Waddington Airfield in Lincolnshire in August 1917 where he earned his wings by the end of September.. After further training in two seaters and leave, he . commenced training for scout aircraft in October. He then went to Scotland for gunnery training in January 1918 followed by further air combat training in February and was posted to France in March. From horse, to motor vehicle to aircraft.