In this forum we usually talk or discuss fighters, bombers and some transports, just for the fun of it and for info for those whom have a never ending desire for aviation matters!
During my 7 years as a full time flight instructor, I found that there were 3 "kinds" of pilot want-a-be's! First, you have the trainee who is trying to prove something to someone else! Second, you have the one who is trying to prove something to him or herself! And last, you have the trainee who really wants to learn to fly and is a never ending source of questions, investigations and long hours of study to be become what he or she has always wanted to be: a Pilot!
As far as my love of aviation, I built my first glider, (toy), when I was 10 years old! It didn't fly very well, but boy, did I pride myself for that! I can remember to this day, in 1944, when I saw a flight of 4 B-17's fly low over Thomasville, Georgia, I guess on their way to Moody AFB, and the effect which that had on me!
One thing is for sure, all these B-17, B-24 and fighter pilots were not "born" in those aircraft and they had to be trained! So, I thought it might be interesting to some of you by showing you some of the "trainers" which were used to train pilots during the late 30's and though-out the forties, men and women who went on to help win the "big" war against tyrants and dicktators.
The first aircraft is the one I soloed in 1948, at the ripe old age of 14! We didn't know anything much about the CAA back then, it was just something we had heard about at our little ole 1800 foot dirt strip. (Didn't know you were supposed to be 16 to solo, or get a student pilots certificate). Had a grand total of 174 hours, 30 minutes, when I finally did get a student pilots certificate!
Fairchild PT26
This aircraft trained many, many pilots in the early forties, but had problems with both the Inverted Ranger, 160HP engine and the "plywood" wings and center section. In Texas, though out the Southeast U.S., the weather played havoc with these aircraft and they were soon replaced by more durable trainers. Here are some of the other trainers which were used:
Vultee BT-13
C-17, or T-50, or UC-78
Beechcraft C-45, my favorite multi-engine trainer!
and the one aircraft which trained thousands of pilots and was used by serveral countries as their "advanced trainer" was the famous T-6 and SNJ and Harvards:
While there many other aircraft used in training pilots during those early war years, it is a testament to the rugginess of these old aircraft as most all of these shown year are still flying, having been rebuilt and re-stored by aviation buffs all over the world!
BTW, this is what I was flying, for 19 years, when I retired in 1998!
