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CAA/WTS/CPT/Flight Schools - Reference Thread


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rustywings
vintageproductions said:
and a close-up of the Lodewick patch being worn.

 

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Bob, here's a set of WWII era playing cards and shoulder patches from Lodwick Aviation Military Academy to go along with your cap. The cards are another treasure from "Square Deal Gregg".

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Here's a close-up of one of the Lodwick Flight Academy cards. Note the statements on the card in small print..."Country Club Of The Air" and "Training Pilots For The U.S. Army Air Forces".

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rustywings

Here's my accumulation of WWII era flight school patches and field patches worn by civilian contract personnel and flying cadets. Some of these shoulder patches were worn on tunics with the flight instructor wings previously illustrated. Let me know if you'd like a close-up or image of the back on any of these patches. Russ

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More flight school patches...

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WWII flight school patches. (I'm especially fond of the red flight instructor patch marked "March S.D." (March Sub-Depot; March Army Air Field; then March Air Force Base, Riverside, Ca.)

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Flight school and air field patches.

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The two patches with the "Link Trainer" qualification badges attached are from the Sacramento Air Depot.

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vintageproductions

I have always liked those War Eagle Field patches. I think they were all designed by Disney artists.

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rustywings

A number of these cloth wings and patches were previously illustrated in smaller groupings on this thread.

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I am so pleased that this has been expanded to include the patches. They are a very important part of this discussion and examination. Thank you Mr. Moderator and Russ for making this happen.

 

As I recall, I thought that you had three War Eagle patches? There is some really rare patches in your collection. Thanks for posting and I would think that patch guys should spend some time checking this thread out. I know that I will be back many times. Well done! Gregg

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I am so pleased that this has been expanded to include the patches. They are a very important part of this discussion and examination. Thank you Mr. Moderator and Russ for making this happen.

 

As I recall, I thought that you had three War Eagle patches? There is some really rare patches in your collection. Thanks for posting and I would think that patch guys should spend some time checking this thread out. I know that I will be back many times. Well done! Gregg

 

I can add a small and humble few to the thread. Not only has Russ given me wing envy, he is now heaping on a bad case of "small-patch collection syndrome" on me. Thanks Russ!

 

First, Chicago School of Aeronautics.

 

A not horribly uncommon patch for Riddle Aeronautics Institute.

 

Long Island Flight Training School (LIFTS). This one is on a white twill.

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Finally for tonight, a pre-cadet squadron patch. I have only seen 4 of these. One in the Pinks and Greens book, and then I had 3 that came out of an estate. I have two, and the other one ended up in Russ' collection (IIRC).

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rustywings

Good memory Gregg! Here's a close-up of a "Squadron 1 - War Eagle Field" Flight Instructor patch worn at "Polaris Flight Academy". These four inch wide patches were sewn to the front of the A-2's worn by civilian Flight Instructors during WWII. The cartoonish airplane depicted in the patch is holding a book that says, "How To Fly".

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Here's a photo copied out of a Polaris Flight Academy class book from 1943. The Flight Instructor is wearing a War Eagle Field - Squadron 1 patch.

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Close-up of the War Eagle Field instructor's jacket.

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rustywings

Polaris Flight Academy, War Eagle Field, Squadron 3, Flight Instructor's jacket patch.

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Copied from a 1944 Polaris Flight Academy class book, a Contract Flight Instructor wearing a Squadron 3 patch on his jacket.

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Here's a group of Polaris Flight Academy, War Eagle Field, Squardon 3, Civilian Flight Instructors. I find it interesting that several instructors are wearing Polaris Flight Academy issued cap pieces, while others are wearing C.A.A. War Training Service issued eagle cap piece with upswept wings.

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Another close-up of the Squadron 3 patch being worn.

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rustywings

Polaris Flight Academy, War Eagle Field, Squadron 13, Flight Instructor's five inch jacket patch.

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A little blurry, but here's a group photo of War Eagle Field, Squadron 13, Contract Flight Instructors, wearing the same patch.

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rustywings

Douglas Army Air Field, five inch jacket patch. I believe this "Advanced" school taught twin-engine flight. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

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I am not going to go down without a fight! This is P.T. Pete (the plane wrangler) from Stamford Flying School. This patch is embossed on a heavy cardboard or paper like material, Not sure how it would have survived for long if worn. It is in beautiful condition, and the colors are still as bright as day.

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and this is a drawing of P.T. Pete from the 42-G Plane Wrangler Class book from Stamford Flying School. I also have the cap badge for this school posted earlier.

 

Interestingly, looking through the book, I don't find any of the instructors wearing any school-specific insignia.

 

I'll try to keep up the good fight and post a couple more tomorrow. But I have to pace myself, as I have nothing in the league of Russ.

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rustywings

I think this is a four-engine (B-29) flight instructor's patch. With the "lamp-of-knowledge" depicted in the patch, I assume it's a school patch. Please help me fully identify this one...

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I wanted to add a few more patches, then some slightly different items. First, this really mothed civilian instructor patch. Only one I have every seen like this.

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Here are a couple of gunner school patches. The top one is more than likely a sweetheart-type patch that would have been glued on a woman's compact or purse, I believe. The bottom patch is rather common, as these things go.

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For these next few items, I will ask the moderators indulgence. At the start of WWII in 1939, the US was neutral, but many an American headed off to fight for the Allies (I suspect a few for the Axis, but we will not talk about them). China, of course, had the AVG Flying Tigers, and England had its Eagle Squadrons. Many pilots headed to Canada to train in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BACTP) (for a good intro, see this site: http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%...Air%20Force.htm ).

 

At one of the local flea markets I found this, a Canadian Memorial Cross (given to the families of Canadians who died in service). Interesting for a number of reasons, it is to an American. Second, although to a WWII casualty it is a George V obverse, which is the type issued during WWI. Next of Kin of early WWII casualties (approx the first 5,000) were given George V type crosses as the George VI issues were not ready until later in the war. So, he was likely one of the first casualties of WWII (and an American!). FInally, His service number is a low one, which makes sense considering he died in 1940.

 

SWANSON, Flying Officer, WILLIAM RUFUS, C/2409. Royal Canadian Air Force. 10th September 1940. Age 25. Son of Robert Clarence and Helen Swanson, of Long Beach; husband of Beatrice Arlene Swanson, of Long Beach. Myrtle Plot. Lot 109. Killed in 1940 at the Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario. Fleet Fich Aircraft #1015 did not recover from an inverted spin and crashed 5 miles south of Belleville, Ontario,Canada.

 

I kind of thought that this fit in with the general theme of WWII civilian flight schools. I suspect at his age (25), he may have ended up returning to the US and acting as a flight instructor if he had survived longer?

 

Later, (again with the forbearance of the Mods), I would like to post a recent purchase, a set of flight instructor wings for the No. 19 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) that may have trained some American citizens prior to Pearl Harbor.

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Because of the US neutrality, it was hard for the Americans to directly support the Allies when the war first started. However, they did have the lend lease program that allowed the US to trade material and supplies for bases and such, and many Americans were able to (and did) go to Canada and get flight training. I met and talked to a man who was training British pilots when he was a civilian flight instructor before the war as part of the lend lease program. The RAF and RCAF established a large number of basic an primary flight schools all over Canada and I believe they trained some American pilots both before and likely just after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

From my reading, civilian flight instructors in the BCATP program were very much like the contract civilian flight instructors in the US. Civilian pilots associated with flying schools and flying clubs helped train many of the cadets in elementary flying (the EFTS schools) and in advanced flying (service flying training schools SFTS). I have some photos of an American class of cadets that had just been given RAF wings (and their US silver wings) that I will try to dig up.

 

These wings are civilian instructor wings of the No19 EFTS school that was located in Manitoba Canada. The metal one is screw back and marked J R Gaunt. The bullion one is on a white melton backing. the center device is the state seal for Manitoba. I am not sure if any American pilots were trained there, but it is likely some did go through that school.

 

In any case, I wont post anymore non-US instructor items, but I thought that this did go well with the memorial cross.

 

Patrick

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rustywings

The commercial airlines, Southern Airways, has a loyal and incredible history of contracting with our government to train pilots for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force from 1941 through 1973.

In 1941, Southern Airways opened two flight schools to take on the task of training Flying Cadets for the Army. The two contract flight schools were named "Southern Aviation School" in Camden, South Carolina, and "Southern Aviation Training School" (S.A.T.C.) in Decatur, Alabama. Here's a Flight Instructor's wings and shoulder patch for S.A.T.C.

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The face page of a 1942 dated Southern Airways class book which ties the airlines to its "Primary" flight schools. SATC trained both British and American flying cadets.

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Southern Aviation Training School Flight Instructor's wings.

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Back of SATS wings.

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Close up of shoulder patch.

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Back of SATS patch.

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Dedication page from SATS classbook.

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Previous graduates from SATS.

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Southern Airways pilots and instructors began wearing this style wing and cap piece in 1943.

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Back of wings and cap piece.

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Close up.

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rustywings

The two original flight schools described above shut down in 1945. With the sudden need for pilots in Korea in 1951, Southern Airways contracted again and established a flight school for the USAF in Bainbridge, Georgia. Here's the Flight Instructor's wings for that school.

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Back of the "Bainbridge" Flight Instructor's wings. This civilian contract school remained open from 1951 to 1961.

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Southern Airways shut down their school in Bainbridge in 1961. Today, the site is an industrial park. This marker is apparently all that remains.

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rustywings

In the early 1960's, with the Viet Nam conflict quickly escalating, Southern Airways again contracted with the U.S. Army to train helicopter pilots. They opened a "Primary" flight school at Camp Wolters near Mineral Wells, Texas. Here's a Flight Instructor's cap piece.

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Back of the Camp Wolters cap piece.

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1960's era shoulder patches for "Flight Instructor" and "Instructor Pilot" with corresponding instructor's wings. (What is the difference between a Flight Instructor and an Instructor Pilot?)

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Back of Instructor's patches.

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The Viet Nam era Flight Instructor's wings at Camp Wolters were made by O.C. Tanner, Salt Lake City. The design of the Instructor's wing is near identical to the Army pilot design.

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Back of the flight instructor's wings (center) with two Army pilot wings for comparison. (Two O.C. Tanner produced wings with different hallmarks, plus a Robbin's made wing at the bottom).

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According to a little internet research, Southern Airways was responsible for training 40,000 military pilots from 1951 to 1973.

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Another shoulder patch and Flight Instructor's wing variation...most likely jeweler-made.

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rustywings

Please feel free to post your Southern Airways Contract Flight School wings, patches and photos here. I'm sure there are numerous Viet Nam era rotor-jocks out there who have items and tales from their days at Camp Wolters. We would sure like to hear from you.

Russ

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rustywings

A neat, but somewhat blurry picture of a group of WWII Flight Instructors.

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WWII era picture of a Flight Instructor.

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1942 dated picture of a Mira Loma Flight Instructor. Note the cap piece with two-blade prop.

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WWII Flight Instructor cap pieces.

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Back of cap pieces.

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A very distinguished looking Polaris Flight Academy Instructor. Note the gilt pilot wings.

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Contract Flight Instructors assigned to Cal Aero, Mira Loma and Polaris Flight Schools wore the top piece on their crushers and the bottom insignia on their overseas caps. The overseas cap pieces have a red, white and blue enamel roundel in the center of the airplane profile.

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A little blurry, but this picture shows a flight instructor from Cal Aero wearing a similar piece on his overseas cap.

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Another flight instructor wearing the same cap piece.

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rustywings

During 1943, a number of Flight Instructors wore a pair of the smaller airplane profile insignia on their collars. Here's an image of the overseas cap piece and two different collar pieces. (The small pin without prop represents Cal Aero Flight Academy. The small pin with the three bladed prop represents Polaris Flight Academy).

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A couple of flight instructors wearing the collar pieces described above.

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All three pieces for size comparison.

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All three pieces for size comparison.

 

Those are neat Cal-Aero items. I posted this one before, but I think this rare Cal-Aero wing deserves another view with his brethren.

 

P

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The Cal Aero, Polaris and Mira Loma cap badges have always been my favorite! With the V for Victory incorporated into the wing design and the red, white and blue roundel…….just can’t get any better for my taste. Does anyone have an idea or documentation as to who designed it and what year they started to use them? Gregg

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John Cooper

More great additions and I love the photos of them in wear! Is the maker of the Cal Aero, Mira Loma and Polaris Flight School badges known?

 

John

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