Warbird Information Exchange

My sister asked if I knew where our father did his pilot training, circa 1944.
Is there a records search that would provide those details?

She did ask one question I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't know the answer to...did officer/pilot candidates attend basic training or was it wrapped into primary?

I do know two thing for certain...
He did primary in San Diego in PT-22s ...I've always assumed it was at the Ryan school...good assumption?

Later he did some B-17 training in surplus YB-40s. Does that provide a clue to location...after all, there weren't many.

Thanks

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Gooday John,

The folks at ArmyAirForces.com would be a big help for you. You may not know there was a fire in 1973 that destroyed most the Army personal records, hard hit were the AAF records, so any paperwork, photos you have would be a big help, so would his full name and serial number. Do you know what he did in the air force?
The Ryan's primary flying school left San Diego by 1 June 1943, it could have been earlier than that so that's a start. The surplus YB-40s were use as flexible gunnery trainers, pilots did not train for flexible gunnery so he either "wash-out" of flight training or he flew them at a gunnery school.

Hope that's a help,

Tom

Many of the war-weary YB-40s were based at Yuma, AZ as gunnery trainers and were marked U-(two-digit number); some were also based at Laredo, TX but I believe those were for the initial YB-40 training program. Some of the ex-Yuma birds were sent to Ontario, CA for scrapping and appear at the end of the movie The Best Years of Our Lives.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

He was a B-17 pilot, and he said he got some YB-40 time during training. he wasn't a washout as he retired as a Lt. Col. from the USAF after 27 years as Command Pilot.
No indication that he was stateside flying gunnery trainers.

Thanks, I'll try try the other forum.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Have you tried Veterans Affairs in St Louis?

Much to my surprise, I found his records in an old briefcase. Based on a very quick scan of his records, here's what I found....

According to his AAF Form 5 (monthly flying record) in October of 1944 he got 30 minutes of YB-40 time at 82nd Training Wing in Lincoln, NE. Sorry, no serial.
So not all YB-40s ended up as gunnery trainers.

Based He apparently soloed in PT-22 at the 5th AAFFTD at Hamet, CA....class 62...Feb-Apr, 1944. Total time, 65 hours.

Then transferred to the 14th AAFFTD at Lancaser, CA.. There he flew BT-13s for 70 hours. Apr-June 44.

3027 AAFBU, Pecos, TX, July-Sept 1944. He did advanced training in UC-78s and AT-17s.

Yuma AAF for 4 hours of B-17G and 4 hours of Link time in Sept 44,

In October, 44 he went to 82nd Training Wing, at Lincoln, NE. Where he flew B-17F/G and a half hour in YB-40.

Nov 44 to Feb 45, he was at the 222nd CCTS at Ardmore, OK. For more flying in the B-17F/G.
Feb-Apr 45, he was back to Lincoln

In May, he went to the 774th BS, 463rd BG.
Talk about timing. His records indicate he flew Gs and one month a "CB-17".
He left the 463rd in Feb 46 (did they go home?) And stayed in Italy until the middle of 46, ending up with an Aviation Engineering Battalion.
During his summers during college, he worked for the county Highway Dept, so that fits.

I also noticed his rank was given a FO until he graduated from advanced training, then he became a 2nd Lt.
Is Flying Officer the same as Aviation Cadet (perhaps an official pay grade?)
I know some guys (X% of every class) were made Flying Officers in lieu of a commission.
(There was an episode about that in an episode of the 12 O'clock High TV series).

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.