210:
206:, the EFTS provided basic training to prospective pilots who, if successful, would go on to SFTS for further instruction that focussed on operational (or "service") flying. The course at SFTS typically consisted of two streams, intermediate and advanced, and included such techniques as instrument flying, night flying, advanced aerobatics, formation flying, dive bombing, and aerial gunnery. The total duration of training varied during the war as demand for aircrew rose and fell. Initially running for 16 weeks, the course was cut to 10 weeks (which included 75 hours flying time) in October 1940. A year later it was raised to 12 weeks (including 100 hours flying time), and again to 16 weeks two months later. It continued to increase after this, peaking at 28 weeks in June 1944.
289:
28:
353:, respectively. Eaton remained in command of the school until shortly before its disbandment on 3 April 1942. No. 2 SFTS had suffered a total of four serious accidents in Ansons and eleven in Wirraways, resulting in the deaths of three instructors and four students. Out of some 600 entrants, just over 550 pilots graduated from the school, among them
296:
No. 2 SFTS was reported as having achieved its nominal strength of 1,100 personnel, including 160 students, in
October 1940. By this time up to 2,000 flights per month were said to be taking place, 150 of them at night, with instructors completing up to 90 hours flying time per week. The school
365:. No. 60 Squadron was also disbanded on 3 April, after a brief career during which its activities had been limited to training exercises. The base facilities were taken over by No. 5 Aircraft Depot, responsible for maintenance of RAAF airframes, engines and other equipment.
329:
was established at Forest Hill from No. 2 SFTS aircraft and personnel. Equipped with 18 Wirraways, the unit formed part of the expansion of the
Australian military in response to the rapid Japanese advance in the first month of the Pacific War. A contingent of 68
301:
before proceeding to
Advanced Squadron. Another new unit, Maintenance Squadron, formed in March. From this point on, No. 2 SFTS phased out its Ansons, as single-engined and multi-engined aircraft training was split up on orders of the RAAF
268:
and became locked together. Both navigators bailed out, to be followed shortly afterwards by the injured pilot of the lower aircraft. The pilot of the upper Anson, however, found that he was able to control the interlocked aircraft using his
306:. By the end of July, only Wirraways were in operation, their numbers eventually reaching 96. A Wirraway crashed during an instrument training flight on 29 August, killing both pilots. In October, Scherger was posted to take over
241:, No. 2 SFTS was one of the so-called "Wagga Flying Training Schools", which together graduated over 3,000 pilots in the 1940s and '50s. The unit's inaugural commanding officer was Wing Commander (subsequently Group Captain)
245:, whose strict discipline and German ancestry quickly earned his establishment the nickname "Scherger's Concentration Camp". Scherger also served as station commander. One of the school's instructors was Flying Officer
321:
in
December 1941, the school's Wirraways were classified as Second Line (Reserve) aircraft in the defence of Australia, while the base was fortified with sandbags, trenches, and
162:
aircraft. The Ansons were phased out in July 1941, and the school became an all-Wirraway unit. In 1942 the RAAF divided the personnel and equipment of No. 2 SFTS between
1038:
806:
1033:
297:
underwent further reorganisation in
February 1941 with the establishment of Intermediate Squadron; successful students from this unit were awarded their
260:
on 29 July 1940. One of the Ansons crashed in August, killing its instructor and a student. Later that month the second flying course began, on
213:
The two Avro Ansons from No. 2 SFTS that collided in mid-air, locked together, and were then landed safely in a paddock, 29 September 1940
337:
The Air Board subsequently rationalised EATS facilities in southern New South Wales, dividing the staff and aircraft of No. 2 SFTS between
256:
Forest Hill was a new air base, and roads and buildings were still under construction when its first course of flying training commenced with
198:, Victoria, was supplanted in 1940–41 by twelve Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS), eight Service Flying Training Schools (SFTS), and
1028:
186:
RAAF aircrew training expanded dramatically following the outbreak of World War II, in response to
Australia's participation in the
342:
338:
331:
230:
167:
163:
209:
234:
187:
143:
882:
178:, respectively. No. 2 SFTS was disbanded that April, and the base facilities taken over by No. 5 Aircraft Depot.
696:
314:, who in turn assumed command of No. 2 SFTS. Like Scherger, Eaton also served as Forest Hill's station commander.
1007:
981:
962:
939:
920:
901:
835:
816:
795:
277:, coupled with the engine power of the Anson underneath. He then managed to make a successful emergency landing in a
265:
191:
894:
Units of the Royal
Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 1: Introduction, Bases, Supporting Organisations
872:
138:(RAAF) that operated during World War II. It was formed in July 1940, under the command of Wing Commander
667:
478:
513:
311:
119:
848:
Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume I – Royal
Australian Air Force 1939–1942
322:
282:
199:
135:
61:
508:
226:
79:
32:
No. 2 SFTS, c. September 1940: three Ansons (foreground) with a
Wirraway (middle right) and three
954:
852:
33:
709:
597:
582:
432:
414:
399:
663:
303:
264:. The school was then reorganised into Initial and Advanced Squadrons. On 29 September,
346:
326:
238:
171:
8:
278:
645:. Geraldton, Western Australia: National Library of Australia. 8 October 1940. p. 2
692:
350:
242:
175:
139:
114:
1003:
977:
958:
935:
916:
897:
878:
856:
831:
812:
791:
203:
932:
Units of the Royal
Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 8: Training Units
913:
Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 2: Fighter Units
787:
307:
288:
846:
274:
218:
147:
89:
619:. Portland, Victoria: National Library of Australia. 28 October 1940. p. 4
354:
250:
27:
1022:
868:
638:
612:
503:
195:
142:. Responsible for intermediate and advanced instruction of pilots under the
860:
298:
261:
155:
808:
From the Ground Up: The Training of RAAF Technical Ground Staff, 1948–1993
217:
No. 2 Service Flying Training School (No. 2 SFTS) was formed at
362:
318:
246:
222:
151:
1000:
Hatching an Air Force: 2 SFTS, 5 SFTS, 1 BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga-Wagga
358:
257:
159:
830:. Weston Creek, Australian Capital Territory: Aerospace Publications.
225:, New South Wales, on 1 July 1940, and came under the control of
976:. Loftus, New South Wales: Australian Military History Publications.
270:
190:(EATS). The Air Force's pre-war flight training facility,
929:
910:
891:
934:. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
915:. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
896:. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
134:(No. 2 SFTS) was a flying training school of the
1039:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1942
1034:Military units and formations established in 1940
1020:
828:Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force
741:Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force
804:
728:Units of the Royal Australian Air Force, Vol. 2
557:Units of the Royal Australian Air Force, Vol. 1
465:Units of the Royal Australian Air Force, Vol. 8
334:also began arriving at Forest Hill in January.
974:Bill Newton VC: The Short Life of a RAAF Hero
811:. Canberra: RAAF Air Power Studies Centre.
533:
531:
877:. Canberra: Air Power Development Centre.
427:
425:
381:
379:
377:
1002:. Maryborough, Queensland: Banner books.
951:The Royal Australian Air Force: A History
781:
310:, Northern Territory, from Group Captain
231:No. 5 Service Flying Training School
21:No. 2 Service Flying Training School RAAF
948:
844:
722:
720:
528:
287:
208:
551:
549:
547:
459:
457:
455:
453:
451:
449:
447:
445:
443:
422:
374:
235:No. 1 Basic Flying Training School
1021:
997:
867:
825:
664:Accident to Wirraway A20-251 of 2 SFTS
361:of the war, and future Prime Minister
357:, later to become Australia's leading
971:
717:
476:
470:
292:Wirraways of No. 2 SFTS, c. June 1941
71:Intermediate/advanced flying training
711:Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942
599:Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942
584:Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942
544:
440:
434:Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942
416:Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942
401:Royal Australian Air Force 1939–1942
132:No. 2 Service Flying Training School
1029:Flying training schools of the RAAF
13:
991:
697:Australian Dictionary of Biography
14:
1050:
343:7 Service Flying Training Schools
253:for bombing raids in New Guinea.
192:No. 1 Flying Training School
168:7 Service Flying Training Schools
930:RAAF Historical Section (1995).
911:RAAF Historical Section (1995).
892:RAAF Historical Section (1995).
699:. Retrieved on 20 February 2011.
477:Eaton, Mark (21 November 2002).
202:(CFS). While CFS turned out new
154:, New South Wales, and operated
146:(EATS), the school was based at
26:
805:Coulthard-Clark, Chris (1997).
786:. Crows Nest, New South Wales:
759:
746:
733:
702:
686:
673:
657:
631:
613:"Second flying training school"
605:
590:
575:
562:
516:. 14 September 1940. p. 16
99:"Scherger's Concentration Camp"
681:The Royal Australian Air Force
668:National Archives of Australia
643:Geraldton Guardian and Express
496:
407:
392:
387:The Royal Australian Air Force
317:Following the outbreak of the
266:two Ansons collided in mid-air
1:
775:
514:National Library of Australia
7:
782:Alexander, Kristen (2006).
670:. Retrieved on 4 June 2012.
10:
1055:
845:Gillison, Douglas (1962).
479:"Empire's sons remembered"
325:. On 1 January 1942,
249:, later to be awarded the
188:Empire Air Training Scheme
181:
144:Empire Air Training Scheme
136:Royal Australian Air Force
62:Royal Australian Air Force
726:RAAF Historical Section,
555:RAAF Historical Section,
509:The Sydney Morning Herald
463:RAAF Historical Section,
227:No. 2 Training Group
108:
103:
95:
85:
75:
67:
57:
49:
41:
25:
20:
949:Stephens, Alan (2006) .
368:
347:RAAF Stations Uranquinty
219:RAAF Station Forest Hill
148:RAAF Station Forest Hill
90:RAAF Station Forest Hill
955:Oxford University Press
853:Australian War Memorial
784:Clive Caldwell: Air Ace
239:RAAF Station Uranquinty
196:RAAF Station Point Cook
998:Ilbery, Peter (2002).
826:Eather, Steve (1995).
504:"Promotions announced"
293:
237:, at the neighbouring
214:
291:
212:
200:Central Flying School
972:Weate, Mark (1999).
327:No. 60 Squadron
312:Charles "Moth" Eaton
80:No. 2 Training Group
639:"Local and general"
308:RAAF Station Darwin
767:From the Ground Up
294:
243:Frederick Scherger
215:
204:flight instructors
140:Frederick Scherger
115:Frederick Scherger
884:978-1-920800-30-7
788:Allen & Unwin
765:Coulthard-Clark,
617:Portland Guardian
281:near the town of
126:
125:
1046:
1013:
987:
968:
945:
926:
907:
888:
864:
841:
822:
801:
770:
763:
757:
750:
744:
737:
731:
724:
715:
706:
700:
690:
684:
677:
671:
661:
655:
654:
652:
650:
635:
629:
628:
626:
624:
609:
603:
594:
588:
579:
573:
566:
560:
553:
542:
535:
526:
525:
523:
521:
500:
494:
493:
491:
489:
474:
468:
461:
438:
429:
420:
411:
405:
396:
390:
383:
30:
18:
17:
1054:
1053:
1049:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1044:
1043:
1019:
1018:
1010:
994:
992:Further reading
984:
965:
942:
923:
904:
885:
874:Mr Double Seven
838:
819:
798:
778:
773:
764:
760:
754:Mr Double Seven
751:
747:
738:
734:
725:
718:
707:
703:
691:
687:
678:
674:
662:
658:
648:
646:
637:
636:
632:
622:
620:
611:
610:
606:
595:
591:
580:
576:
567:
563:
554:
545:
536:
529:
519:
517:
502:
501:
497:
487:
485:
475:
471:
462:
441:
430:
423:
412:
408:
397:
393:
384:
375:
371:
184:
129:
118:
110:
37:
12:
11:
5:
1052:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1015:
1014:
1008:
993:
990:
989:
988:
982:
969:
963:
946:
940:
927:
921:
908:
902:
889:
883:
869:Odgers, George
865:
842:
836:
823:
817:
802:
796:
777:
774:
772:
771:
758:
745:
732:
716:
701:
693:Eaton, Charles
685:
672:
656:
630:
604:
589:
574:
570:Bill Newton VC
561:
543:
539:Clive Caldwell
527:
495:
483:Air Force News
469:
439:
421:
406:
391:
372:
370:
367:
355:Clive Caldwell
251:Victoria Cross
233:and the later
183:
180:
127:
124:
123:
112:
106:
105:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
87:
83:
82:
77:
73:
72:
69:
65:
64:
59:
55:
54:
51:
47:
46:
43:
39:
38:
31:
23:
22:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1051:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1017:
1011:
1009:1-875593-24-1
1005:
1001:
996:
995:
985:
983:1-876439-78-5
979:
975:
970:
966:
964:0-19-555541-4
960:
956:
952:
947:
943:
941:0-644-42800-7
937:
933:
928:
924:
922:0-644-42794-9
918:
914:
909:
905:
903:0-644-42792-2
899:
895:
890:
886:
880:
876:
875:
870:
866:
862:
858:
854:
850:
849:
843:
839:
837:1-875671-15-3
833:
829:
824:
820:
818:0-642-26509-7
814:
810:
809:
803:
799:
797:1-74114-705-0
793:
789:
785:
780:
779:
768:
762:
755:
749:
742:
736:
729:
723:
721:
714:
713:, pp. 234–238
712:
705:
698:
694:
689:
682:
676:
669:
665:
660:
644:
640:
634:
618:
614:
608:
602:
600:
593:
587:
585:
578:
571:
565:
559:, pp. 164-167
558:
552:
550:
548:
540:
534:
532:
515:
511:
510:
505:
499:
484:
480:
473:
467:, pp. 102–103
466:
460:
458:
456:
454:
452:
450:
448:
446:
444:
437:
435:
428:
426:
419:
417:
410:
404:
402:
395:
388:
382:
380:
378:
373:
366:
364:
360:
356:
352:
348:
344:
340:
335:
333:
328:
324:
320:
315:
313:
309:
305:
300:
290:
286:
284:
280:
276:
272:
267:
263:
262:CAC Wirraways
259:
254:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
229:. Along with
228:
224:
220:
211:
207:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
179:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
128:Military unit
121:
120:Charles Eaton
116:
113:
107:
102:
98:
94:
91:
88:
84:
81:
78:
74:
70:
66:
63:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
40:
35:
29:
24:
19:
16:
1016:
999:
973:
950:
931:
912:
893:
873:
851:. Canberra:
847:
827:
807:
783:
766:
761:
753:
748:
740:
735:
727:
710:
704:
688:
680:
675:
659:
647:. Retrieved
642:
633:
621:. Retrieved
616:
607:
598:
592:
583:
577:
569:
564:
556:
538:
518:. Retrieved
507:
498:
486:. Retrieved
482:
472:
464:
433:
415:
409:
400:
394:
386:
336:
316:
295:
255:
216:
185:
156:CAC Wirraway
131:
130:
76:Part of
15:
756:, pp. 13–15
601:, pp. 82–83
572:, pp. 19–22
541:, pp. 12–13
537:Alexander,
389:, pp. 67–70
363:John Gorton
359:fighter ace
339:Nos. 5
319:Pacific War
258:Avro Ansons
247:Bill Newton
223:Wagga Wagga
164:Nos. 5
152:Wagga Wagga
96:Nickname(s)
86:Garrison/HQ
34:Tiger Moths
1023:Categories
953:. London:
776:References
708:Gillison,
679:Stephens,
596:Gillison,
581:Gillison,
512:. Sydney:
431:Gillison,
413:Gillison,
398:Gillison,
385:Stephens,
351:Deniliquin
345:at nearby
283:Brocklesby
176:Deniliquin
172:Uranquinty
160:Avro Anson
111:commanders
104:Commanders
50:Allegiance
304:Air Board
122:(1941–42)
117:(1940–41)
53:Australia
871:(2008).
752:Odgers,
739:Eather,
683:, p. 136
436:, p. 109
403:, p. 111
323:gun pits
271:ailerons
861:2000369
769:, p. 29
743:, p. 81
730:, p. 39
586:, p. 56
568:Weate,
418:, p. 97
279:paddock
221:, near
182:History
109:Notable
45:1940–42
1006:
980:
961:
938:
919:
900:
881:
859:
834:
815:
794:
649:20 May
623:20 May
520:20 May
488:25 May
332:WAAAFs
58:Branch
42:Active
36:(rear)
369:Notes
299:wings
275:flaps
150:near
1004:ISBN
978:ISBN
959:ISBN
936:ISBN
917:ISBN
898:ISBN
879:ISBN
857:OCLC
832:ISBN
813:ISBN
792:ISBN
651:2012
625:2012
522:2012
490:2012
349:and
341:and
273:and
174:and
166:and
158:and
68:Role
695:at
666:at
194:at
170:at
1025::
957:.
855:.
790:.
719:^
641:.
615:.
546:^
530:^
506:.
481:.
442:^
424:^
376:^
285:.
1012:.
986:.
967:.
944:.
925:.
906:.
887:.
863:.
840:.
821:.
800:.
653:.
627:.
524:.
492:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
_%22piggyback%22_in_a_paddock_near_Brocklesby_2.jpg)