AIR FORCE TRAINING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 128, 30 April 1940, Page 2

AIR FORCE TRAINING

WORK IN NEW ZEALAND. ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB. “Air Force Training in New Zoa land” was the subject of an address given by Squadron-Leader A. G. Ger rand, officer commanding the Eoya New Zealand Air Force Station ai Oliakea, at the weekly luncheon of tb< Palmerston North Rotary Club ye&ter day. The activities of the Air Force, tin speaker said, fell into two main classes home defence and the very large worl of carrying out certain training. Tin latter was also divided into two mail sections—the training of all the grounc personnel and the training of crew: for aircraft. The outbreak' of hostili ties accentuated the work of the Ai Force in manifold ways. Many mei had to be trained in specialised trades such as mechanics and riggers. Tin civil possibilities of finding these mei were investigated and training school: were set going. The motor trade pro 1 vided a large number of mechanic: , with basic experience, and the Gov ernment railway workshops also pro vided a satisfactory school of training and were working at full capacity now in training flight mechanics and rig gers. In addition, there wore certair specialised trades for which no hell could be obtained in civil life. These included armourers. photographers wireless operators and others. It wa: essential to have large numbers o: these men on hand to look after anc maintain equipment. For these the Aii Force had produced its own school: of instruction. It had also formed since the war began its own schoo of instruction for clones and storemen These belonged to a very important class, which was apt to be overlooked The clerks included many men who hac qualified and practised as barristers, solicitors and accountants. In addition. there were many other trades loi which men wore required. In some cases, if the men h-wl not sufficient experience in civil Hie. the Air Force had to take them and “apprentice them to these trades.” There were very many other minor trades, including such classes as blacksmiths, welders, coppersmiths, metal workers, carpenters, meteorologists, parachute packers, cooks and butchers. All these men went through a course of training at the ground training school at the start. This was a short course of three or four weeks, in which the trainees learnt musketry and- physical drill and also had training in discipline. VARIED KNOWLEDGE. ? The crew of a large aircraft might consist of the captain, first and second pilots, navigator, wireless operator, bomb aimer and air gunner, Squadron-Leader Gerrand proceeded. Almost all of these had some training in the duties of the others and some had been trained in all the other duties. Every member of the crew was taught how to handle a gun and how to use the wireless. Detailing the amount of training necessary for these duties, the speaker said that to produce a suitable reconnaissance report wa6 a matter for considerable training. The type of things to be looked for, and the manner in which the report had to be set out, had to be known if the report was to have its fu.l value. in New Zealand the Air Force was concentrating on the training of air gunners, air observers (the service name for bomb aimers and navigators), and pilots. Any individual member of the crew couid be drawn from one of these classes, except wireless operators, who were being trained in .New Zealand only to meet the country’s own requirements. Subjects .which air crews had to take now involved a fair amount of mathematical knowledge, and a matriculation standard was insisted on. With the numbers of men the Air Force was endeavouring to train, the imparting of this educational knowledge was going to bo one of the hardest difficulties the Air Force had to overcome. A correspondence school had been established in New Zealand and men could study while waiting for training. After the training at the ground school more intensified courses followed at the training schools. The speaker described the course for the air gunner. The best air gunners were chosen as air olxservers, and were given a further 12 weeks of training. The bomb aimer, by means of an ingenious apparatus, received the same impression in his training as if he were actually flying in the air. Later he was sent up in ail aeroplane, using certain apparatus. The pilot first did about 50 hours of flying at an elementary flying school, where lie was taught how to fly, and received training in the . specialised work of the Air Force. Then he went to a service flying training schoo], where lie was trained in bombing, navigation and handling an aeroplane under more difficult conditions, such as at night. He would also receive training in service types of aeroplanes. While he said that he did not wish to quote figures, Squadron-Leader Gerrand mentioned, to give some idea of the magnitude of New Zealand's air effort, which was proceeding quite satisfactorily, that before the war there was only one flying training school. This school still existed and its output was now more than trebled. There were also several other flying training schools. When the Canadian training, sciiemo was in full operation airmen would receive their elementary course in New Zealand and would be sent to Canada for the completion of the training. On the motion of Mr C. V. Ciochetto, the speaker was accorded thanks for his address. Mr J. A. Grant presided at the luncheon, and visitors present were Rev. G- S. Cook (Otaki Beach), Messrs C. Tf. Spencer, C. L. Mayo and P. lv. Fowler (Palmerston North).