Wingcommander Posted August 13, 2011 Share #1 Posted August 13, 2011 Hello all, been a while since I posted here! I thought I'd show you my new acquisition.....BFTS wings from #1 school, Terrell Texas. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOKIEMAN Posted August 14, 2011 Share #2 Posted August 14, 2011 Thanks for posting your wing. There were six British Flying Training Schools in the U.S. Their insignia are always interesting and elusive to obtain. There are three varieties of the #1 BFTS Wing, which was worn as a cap badge and shirt badge. There are two varieties with a red 5-pointed star, one with the #1, one with out. There is also a 6-pointed star veresion, which after 35 years of collecting, still elludes me. Attached picture depicts to two 5-point varieties. The civilian instructors also wore British style ranks on thier shoudler loops. The instructor pictured is a Primary Flight Supervisor, the rank loops show seperately are for Flight / Ground Instructors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOKIEMAN Posted August 14, 2011 Share #3 Posted August 14, 2011 Shoulder Loop Insignia and School Crest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffP Posted August 14, 2011 Share #4 Posted August 14, 2011 This nice one was listed on eBay just a few weeks ago, pictures of which I copied to past into the fine book "Eagles Recalled" by Warren Carroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted August 14, 2011 Share #5 Posted August 14, 2011 Just to expand on Cliff's post (oops--Cookieman's post!), I also have one of the school yearbooks from Terrell Texas. These wings were worn by the British/Canadian cadets, as well as the American instructors and staff. They seemed to have no real pattern of wear, with some using the 5 pointed wing on the cap, and others using them on the uniform (and vice a versa with the 6 pointed star). These BFTS schools were set up as part of the lend-lease program and trained British pilots for a year or two before the US entered the war and likely complemented the other training schools in Canada that made up the British Commonwealth Air Training Program (BCATP). After that, the school trained American cadets as part of the Contract Flight Training (CFT) program IIRC. You will find a whole different series of wings (usually along the lines of the RAF wings) that represent the different elementary flight training schools (EFTS), BFTS, AOS, etc that sprouted up all over Canada during the war. That is a whole new field of collecting. Here is a 6 pointed star variant and a picture of a one of the senior instructors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #6 Posted August 14, 2011 Copied from a 1941 dated cadet class book, here's a #1 BFTS wing sewn to an overseas cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted August 14, 2011 Share #7 Posted August 14, 2011 This is another one of the BFTS school wings. I am still not 100% sure which school. This one came as part of a grouping to a guy who was an instructor at this school and eventually was an Eastern Airlines pilot after the war. Sadly, I don't know his name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted August 14, 2011 Share #8 Posted August 14, 2011 Copied from a 1941 dated cadet class book, here's a #1 BFTS wing sewn to an overseas cap. Hey Russ, you and I have the same cadet class book. It sure is hard looking at all those wings, and knowing how few likely exist, isn't it!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #9 Posted August 14, 2011 American Contract Flight Instructors at #1 BFTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #10 Posted August 14, 2011 Hey Russ, you and I have the same cadet class book. It sure is hard looking at all those wings, and knowing how few likely exist, isn't it!? You're sure right about that Patrick! The classes conducted at #1 BFTS in 1940-1941 were, of course, all British Cadets. But immediately after our entry into the war, they mixed the classes with about 25% American flying cadets. Here's a picture from a class book depicting both American and British Cadets. Notice the American wearing British style cadet officer rank on his shoulders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #11 Posted August 14, 2011 American and British Cadets presenting their respective colors at Terrell, Texas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #12 Posted August 14, 2011 Another colors presentation. Note the difference in uniforms from the previous photo. Copied from two different class books...winter vs summer at Terrell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #13 Posted August 14, 2011 British Cadets from #1 BFTS marching in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #14 Posted August 14, 2011 British Cadets from #1 BFTS played their championship soccer game in the Cotton Bowl. (Another image copied from a 1942 dated class book). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 14, 2011 Share #15 Posted August 14, 2011 American Contract Flight Instructors were referred to as "Flight Commanders" at #1 BFTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOKIEMAN Posted August 15, 2011 Share #16 Posted August 15, 2011 To clairfy a few points, based on my recent purchase of Volumes 1 thru VI, of "Detached Flight", the "Class" books of #1 BFTS. I have been through them a few times and can make some educated conclusions. Unfortunately these books are not dated. By the time Volume I was published, three Courses (Classes) had already graduated and returned to the UK. Civilian Instructor "Rank" Insignia do not show up in photographs until Volume III Three stripes - Chief Ground Instructor and Advanced and Primary Flight Training Supervisors Two+Half Stripes - Stage Commanders Two Stripes - Flight Commanders One Stripe - Ground and Flight Instructors American Cadets did not joint the "Courses" until Volume III, no AAF Cadets in Volume VI The cloth wings depicted at the beginning of the this discussion were worn "ONLY" by Civilian Flight Instructors. In one of the Volumes, cadets are wearing their RAF wings (the pictures must have been taken after they graduated). A the pictures are grainy, this could lead one to believe they are wearing the civilian instructor wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingcommander Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share #17 Posted August 16, 2011 Gents, thanks for your comments and photos. It's good to learn so much about a small piece of insignia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #18 Posted August 25, 2011 Just to clarify some of the previously clarified, I also have the first six volumes of "Detached Flight" from #1 BFTS. Found attached to blank pages inside classbooks #I, #III, and #VI are personal photos, official letters, love letters, ticket stubs, and the likes, of which many are dated. From these dates it appears #1 BFTS started a new "course" or class about every 10 to 12 weeks until December 1944. Some of the scrapbook-type of items found inside these class books might be of interest to fellow BFTS collectors. Here's a graduation dinner menu from "#1 Course" dated October 24, 1941, held in Dallas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #19 Posted August 25, 2011 Inside the menu. Signatures of British Cadets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #20 Posted August 25, 2011 Inside Volume VI is an interesting letter from #1 BFTS Wing Commander F.B. Tomkins to U.S. Army Brigadier General Walter Kraus. Both R.A.F. Commanding Officer Tomkins and General Kraus are depicted in this classbook. Dated December 5, 1944. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #21 Posted August 25, 2011 A photo of R.A.F. Wing Commander Tomkins (far right) and #1 BFTS Squadron Leader Billington (far left) with U.S.A.A.C. General Kraus during graduation ceremonies for Course #22. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #22 Posted August 25, 2011 Class #22 graduation at #1 BFTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #23 Posted August 25, 2011 Pass and review photo. This detatched photo is dated December 1, 1944, and is printed in the Volume VI classbook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #24 Posted August 25, 2011 A loose photo of RAF "Most Outstanding Cadet" Trenchard, graduating from #1 BFTS, dated December 1, 1944. Note USAAC General Kraus is in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 25, 2011 Share #25 Posted August 25, 2011 Three American Contract Flight Instructors at #1 BFTS. Note the instructor on the left is wearing his CAA/WTS cap piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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