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Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command

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consolidated with Western Flying Training Command on 1 November 1945, and was re-designated Western Flying Training Command. This reflected the massive demobilization after the end of the war, and the closure of the majority of the wartime training bases. On 15 December 1945 Western Flying Training
311:, Illinois. Other aircrew positions, such as B-29 flight engineers and RADAR operators were also trained later in the war as training requirements presented themselves. This included the first jet pilots in 1945. 232:
and Western. Training schools were assigned to the Centers based on the geography of the United States. In July 1943, these Centers were re-designated as Eastern, Central and Western Training Commands.
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in May 1940, the United States began rapidly expanding its military forces, and with the large numbers of men entering the military, the training requirements of the Air Corps were drastically expanded.
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Command consolidated with the Eastern Flying Training Command. The single entity became Army Air Forces Flying Training Command on 1 January 1946, with its headquarters at Randolph Field, Texas.
720: 257:: Ground training for all air cadets. Successful completion meant being assigned to a flying school for training. "Washouts" were returned to the regular Air Corps ranks for reassignment. 275:: Single or multi-engine aircraft schools for cadets becoming fighter, bomber or transport pilots. After graduation, the successful Air Cadet received his "wings" and were commissioned 1030: 1040: 867: 1035: 948: 943: 279:. In addition, experienced pilots in the field were sent to Training Command "transition schools" to acquire additional single or mulch-engine flying ratings. 17: 371:
Air Corps Flying Training Command (later Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, Army Air Forces Training Command), 23 January 1942 – 1 November 1945
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to provide organizational command and control over them, based on both training types and geography. The schools operated by WFTC part of the
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This article is about the Western Flying Training Command of 1943–1945. For the Western Flying Training Command of 1945–1946, see
241: 933: 912: 907: 28: 263:: Taught basic flying using two-seater training aircraft. Usually taught by contract flying schools operated by the WFTC 977: 236:
By 1944, WFTC controlled a large number of training schools in the Southwestern United States, and established several
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Gunnery training schools flew A-33, AT-6s, AT-1s, B-34s, B-10s and RP-63s for air-to-air flexible gunnery training.
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WFTC was inactivated on 1 November 1945, being consolidated into the new Central Flying Training Command at
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81st Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
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80th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
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38th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
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36th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
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35th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
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83d Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
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As a result, the centralized training of aircrew was divided into three Training Centers, the
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were used for pilots in training for C-47 transports along with bombardier training
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as part of the expansion of the training department of the Air Corps. After the
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The West Coast Air Corps Training Center was established on 8 July 1940 by the
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L-2, L-3, L-4, TG-5 and TG-6s were used for glider and liaison pilot training
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1104 W. 8th St., Santa Ana, California, 15 December 1944 – 1 November 1945
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were used for pilots in training for two engine bombers (B-25s and B-26s)
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Locations of airfields controlled by the Western Flying Training Command
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were used for high performance two-engine training in perpetration for
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were trained in flying skills. WFTC also operated aircrew schools for
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were used for two-engine pilot training and also navigator training
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In addition to the American Air Cadets, Cadets from the British
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Shortly after the end of World War II on 15 December 1945,
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History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002
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Training commands of the United States Army Air Forces
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Military units and formations disestablished in 1946
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Santa Ana Army Air Base, California, 25 August 1943
1036:Military units and formations established in 1943 1022: 456:, California, 21 December 1943– 1 November 1945 353:Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command 186:Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command 489:Bombardier and Specialized 2/4-Engine Training 368:Office of the Chief of Air Corps, 8 July 1940 861: 427:, California, 11 September 1943 – 16 Jun 1946 791: 789: 585:, Arizona, 25 August 1943 – 20 December 1943 390:, California, 1 April 1942 – 1 November 1945 408:Basic/Advanced Flight Training (California) 868: 854: 514:, Arizona, 26 February 1945 – 16 June 1946 346:Army Air Forces West Coast Training Center 204:. It was inactivated on 1 November 1945. 786: 697:were used for four-engine pilot training 479:, Arizona, 8 January 1943 – 16 June 1946 466:Basic/Advanced Flight Training (Arizona) 539:, Nevada, 25 August 1943 – 16 June 1946 14: 1023: 755: 753: 849: 751: 749: 747: 745: 743: 741: 739: 737: 735: 733: 168:Western Flying Training Comman emblem 29:Flying Division, Air Training Command 725:Air Force Historical Research Agency 399: 337:West Coast Air Corps Training Center 18:West Coast Air Corps Training Center 394: 24: 988:Western Technical Training Command 983:Central Technical Training Command 978:Eastern Technical Training Command 730: 25: 1052: 622:twin-seat, single engine trainers 602: 1008: 961: 882:Army Air Forces Training Command 876: 719: This article incorporates 714: 214:Office of the Chief of Air Corps 194:Army Air Forces Training Command 171: 132: 118:Army Air Forces Training Command 85: 68: 44: 913:Western Flying Training Command 908:Central Flying Training Command 903:Eastern Flying Training Command 508:, New Mexico, 10 September 1943 323:Central Flying Training Command 242:Aviation Cadet Training Program 39:Western Flying Training Command 834: 825: 816: 807: 798: 777: 362: 358:Inactivated on 1 November 1945 13: 1: 709: 552:Classification/Preflight Unit 190:United States Army Air Forces 138:World War II American Theater 92:United States Army Air Forces 502:, New Mexico, 8 January 1943 450:, California, 8 January 1943 421:, California, 8 January 1943 339:on 8 July 1940 and activated 188:(WFTC) was a command of the 7: 759:Manning, Thomas A. (2005), 375: 10: 1057: 329: 307:were centrally trained at 230:Gulf Coast (later Central) 207: 26: 970: 959: 921: 895: 888: 642:Advanced flight training 550:81st Flying Training Wing 526:80th Flying Training Wing 487:38th Flying Training Wing 464:37th Flying Training Wing 448:Victorville Army Airfield 435:36th Flying Training Wing 406:35th Flying Training Wing 384:, California, 8 July 1940 192:. It was assigned to the 167: 162: 149: 144: 123: 113: 105: 97: 81: 63: 55: 43: 38: 608:Primary flight training 588:(No units ever assigned) 572:83d Flying Training Wing 542:(No units ever assigned) 537:Las Vegas Army Airfield 454:Santa Ana Army Air Base 437:Primary Flight Training 388:Santa Ana Army Air Base 301:flexible aerial gunners 198:Santa Ana Army Air Base 721:public domain material 629:Basic flight training 659:Specialized schools: 612:Boeing-Stearman PT-17 583:Douglas Army Airfield 500:Roswell Army Airfield 289:Free French Air Force 663:Curtiss-Wright AT-9s 419:Merced Army Airfield 922:Specialized schools 646:North American AT-6 273:Advanced (Phase II) 101:Command and Control 971:Technical training 783:Manning, 2005, 33. 695:Consolidated B-24s 669:Lightning training 348:on 29 October 1942 277:Second Lieutenants 996: 995: 957: 956: 679:Beechcraft AT-11s 673:Beechcraft AT-10s 648:(single engine); 599: 598: 261:Primary (Phase I) 179: 178: 16:(Redirected from 1048: 1013: 1012: 1011: 1004: 965: 893: 892: 880: 870: 863: 856: 847: 846: 841: 838: 832: 829: 823: 820: 814: 811: 805: 802: 796: 793: 784: 781: 775: 757: 718: 717: 685:Beechcraft AT-7s 635:and Vultee BT-15 400: 395:Major Components 267:Basic (Phase II) 175: 157:Ralph P. Cousins 136: 89: 74: 72: 71: 48: 36: 35: 21: 1056: 1055: 1051: 1050: 1049: 1047: 1046: 1045: 1021: 1020: 1019: 1009: 1007: 999: 997: 992: 966: 953: 939:Glider Training 934:Contract Flying 917: 889:Flying training 884: 874: 844: 839: 835: 830: 826: 821: 817: 812: 808: 803: 799: 794: 787: 782: 778: 758: 731: 715: 712: 616:Fairchild PT-19 605: 600: 520: 397: 378: 365: 355:on 31 July 1943 335:Established as 332: 305:Radio operators 285:Royal Air Force 244:. These were: 210: 196:, stationed at 182: 151: 137: 69: 67: 51: 32: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1054: 1044: 1043: 1038: 1033: 1018: 1017: 994: 993: 991: 990: 985: 980: 974: 972: 968: 967: 960: 958: 955: 954: 952: 951: 946: 941: 936: 931: 925: 923: 919: 918: 916: 915: 910: 905: 899: 897: 896:Flying schools 890: 886: 885: 873: 872: 865: 858: 850: 843: 842: 833: 824: 815: 806: 797: 785: 776: 728: 711: 708: 707: 706: 705: 704: 701: 698: 688: 682: 676: 670: 656: 655: 654: 653: 639: 638: 637: 636: 626: 625: 624: 623: 604: 603:Major Aircraft 601: 597: 596: 592: 591: 590: 589: 586: 574: 573: 569: 568: 567: 566: 563: 554: 553: 546: 545: 544: 543: 540: 528: 527: 522: 518: 517: 516: 515: 512:Williams Field 509: 506:Kirtland Field 503: 491: 490: 483: 482: 481: 480: 468: 467: 460: 459: 458: 457: 451: 439: 438: 431: 430: 429: 428: 422: 410: 409: 398: 396: 393: 392: 391: 385: 377: 374: 373: 372: 369: 364: 361: 360: 359: 356: 349: 341: 340: 331: 328: 316:Randolph Field 281: 280: 270: 264: 258: 252: 249:Classification 218:Fall of France 209: 206: 180: 177: 176: 169: 165: 164: 160: 159: 155:Major General 153: 147: 146: 142: 141: 140: 139: 125: 121: 120: 115: 111: 110: 107: 103: 102: 99: 95: 94: 83: 79: 78: 65: 61: 60: 57: 53: 52: 49: 41: 40: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1053: 1042: 1039: 1037: 1034: 1032: 1029: 1028: 1026: 1016: 1006: 1005: 1002: 989: 986: 984: 981: 979: 976: 975: 973: 969: 964: 950: 947: 945: 942: 940: 937: 935: 932: 930: 927: 926: 924: 920: 914: 911: 909: 906: 904: 901: 900: 898: 894: 891: 887: 883: 879: 871: 866: 864: 859: 857: 852: 851: 848: 837: 828: 819: 810: 801: 792: 790: 780: 774: 770: 766: 762: 756: 754: 752: 750: 748: 746: 744: 742: 740: 738: 736: 734: 729: 727: 726: 723:from the 722: 702: 699: 696: 692: 689: 686: 683: 680: 677: 674: 671: 668: 667:Lockheed P-38 664: 661: 660: 658: 657: 651: 647: 644: 643: 641: 640: 634: 631: 630: 628: 627: 621: 617: 613: 610: 609: 607: 606: 595: 587: 584: 581: 580: 579: 578:Headquarters: 576: 575: 571: 570: 564: 561: 560: 559: 558:Headquarters: 556: 555: 551: 548: 547: 541: 538: 535: 534: 533: 532:Headquarters: 530: 529: 525: 524: 523: 521: 513: 510: 507: 504: 501: 498: 497: 496: 495:Headquarters: 493: 492: 488: 485: 484: 478: 475: 474: 473: 472:Headquarters: 470: 469: 465: 462: 461: 455: 452: 449: 446: 445: 444: 443:Headquarters: 441: 440: 436: 433: 432: 426: 423: 420: 417: 416: 415: 414:Headquarters: 412: 411: 407: 404: 403: 402: 401: 389: 386: 383: 382:Moffett Field 380: 379: 370: 367: 366: 357: 354: 351:Redesignated 350: 347: 344:Redesignated 343: 342: 338: 334: 333: 327: 324: 319: 317: 312: 310: 306: 302: 298: 294: 290: 286: 278: 274: 271: 268: 265: 262: 259: 256: 253: 250: 247: 246: 245: 243: 239: 234: 231: 227: 222: 219: 215: 205: 203: 199: 195: 191: 187: 181:Military unit 174: 170: 166: 161: 158: 154: 148: 143: 135: 131: 130: 129: 126: 122: 119: 116: 112: 108: 104: 100: 96: 93: 88: 84: 80: 77: 76:United States 66: 62: 58: 54: 47: 42: 37: 34: 30: 19: 836: 827: 818: 809: 800: 779: 760: 713: 691:Boeing B-17s 652:(two-engine) 650:Cessna AT-17 633:Vultee BT-13 593: 577: 557: 531: 519: 494: 471: 442: 425:Minter Field 413: 352: 345: 336: 320: 313: 282: 272: 266: 260: 254: 248: 235: 223: 211: 185: 183: 128:World War II 114:Part of 33: 363:Assignments 309:Scott Field 297:Bombardiers 124:Engagements 1025:Categories 929:Bombardier 710:References 620:Ryan PT-22 477:Luke Field 293:Navigators 202:California 152:commanders 145:Commanders 949:Navigator 255:Preflight 59:1940–1946 1015:Aviation 773:29991467 769:71006954 376:Stations 163:Insignia 109:Training 944:Gunnery 330:Lineage 226:Eastern 208:History 150:Notable 90:  64:Country 1001:Portal 767:  594: 82:Branch 73:  56:Active 238:Wings 765:OCLC 693:and 618:and 299:and 287:and 184:The 106:Role 98:Type 303:. 1027:: 788:^ 771:, 732:^ 614:, 295:, 228:, 200:, 1003:: 869:e 862:t 855:v 31:. 20:)

Index

West Coast Air Corps Training Center
Flying Division, Air Training Command

United States

United States Army Air Forces
Army Air Forces Training Command
World War II

Ralph P. Cousins

United States Army Air Forces
Army Air Forces Training Command
Santa Ana Army Air Base
California
Office of the Chief of Air Corps
Fall of France
Eastern
Gulf Coast (later Central)
Wings
Aviation Cadet Training Program
Second Lieutenants
Royal Air Force
Free French Air Force
Navigators
Bombardiers
flexible aerial gunners
Radio operators
Scott Field
Randolph Field

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