Show C i j j Training War Pilots Pilots Britain Turns Them Out by the By ny PAUL l IA MANNING NING ENGLAND a Royal Air Force Training School Th The 2000 pilots gunners navigators and wireless operators now being turned out each month In assembly assembly assembly assem assem- bly line fashion throughout Britain Britain Britain Brit Brit- ain are specified by British officers oW- oW officers cers today as the real reason for tor forthe forthe the success of ot the royal air force Air supremacy they sa say will willbe willbe be maintained because England Is now turning out well trained air crews at an astonishing rate Each month from 50 per cent of England's airfields a minimum minimum minimum mini mini- mum of 2000 airmen with seven months training take their place alongside the men al already already already al- al ready In R. R A. A F. F ranks At this training field I saw law the type of program responsible for this training up speed which Is Isnow isnow isnow now keeping pace with the delivery delivery delivery de de- de- de livery of U. U S S. S warplanes In Eng Eng- land Its It's all done on a factory basis At this typical school 32 men are taught bombing 32 learn how to handle Wellington Spitfires and Hurricanes 32 study navigation 32 learn wireless wireless wireless wire wire- less and 32 gunnery And each month with clock clock- like regularity 40 of ot these students receive their wings then move on to front line airdromes airdromes airdromes air air- where they are matched Into crews and given final reconnaissance reconnaissance reconnaissance recon recon- training over the North sea ASSE ASSEMBLY LL LUKE LINE INSTRUCTION The most Impressive feature about this assembly line type of training program is the ability of the th students and the quality of instruction In a narrow brick building used by the bombing classes student student student stu stu- dent bombardiers with four weeks instruction score direct hits from a theoretical height of ot feet Out on the field Held student pilots learn combat by staging amazing aerial duels high above the air air- drome Splitting into sections one group in North American Har liar yards will roar down in screamIng screamIng screaming scream- scream Ing power dives to 1200 feet re release release release re- re lease dummy bombs on a theoretical theoretical theo theo- North sea convoy then swoop up into a steep turn and make ready for lor another attack Then from Irom a distance two- two squadrons of Spitfires idling along in reconnaissance will suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly spring to life and race flat out at m. m p. p h. h to attack the bombers Simultaneously Hurri c can canes a n e s representing Heinkel will plummet down from their escorting escorting escorting escort escort- ing level to feet and sud- sud denly the sky kY Is broken broke twisting screaming planes iV 3 KEEP l FORMATION On I U UNTIL SIGNAL GIVEN Until the battle batHe reaches reach dogfight stage the fight conducted along lines nJ m out by the squadron ff fil k Nursing the young pilots by radio communication keeping the squadron into Inta present a wide front ar and covered flank the lead leader r denly Rives gives the signal to tot I formation and each m man ti n his own lie singles out an tries to come in from the while pouring part of bullets into the other Jt ca co l Because In air fights th these thes ii you aim for the pilot Hi HII t Is armored too well Shoe Shot half haIt of ot his tail tall and he m may maj hobble away so aim for th th- th Only in this particular the bullets were camera mounted on the wings of f plane to record direct hits In one corner of the sk a Harvard Just pulling out screaming dive was n against a fast Spitfire Af Ar superior speed and power vir pilot looped up In a sharp sharr suddenly flatten el and came in on the tai ip little Spitfire to score a burst tailO YOU CAN FLY A ANYTHING ANYTHING- Later in the hangars hangar pilot of ot this North Amt Ami Harvard was looking V plane He was long limbed long a pleasant Yorkshire fact face he had a stoop probably a aTc ace c from squeezing Into He lie said that these Ani Ami training planes could st stet star r. r amazing amount of ment That they made ti vu t t noise of most airplanes did not mind because th iwas I Iwas was there and walling waiting m Anyway hp he added J ll can fly one of ot these tra HIM r can fly anything i |