A French Pilot Training program using Fairchild PTs
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2001 3:40 pm
'One or two of the PT owners may have seen the location TUSCALOOSA on
their aircraft's USAAF record. Around seventy Aeronca-built PT-19A-
AEs were delivered there, circa October to November 1943. If you
have not seen your aircraft's service record and it has a
manufacturer's serial no. between 7303AE and 8003AE then your
aircraft is a likely candidate for this primary school in Alabama.
In the course of researching Fairchild PT I came across a lot of
training programs that I had never heard about before. Following
Operation Torch, the first combined allied invasion of enemy
controlled territory, the previously Vichy French forces in North
Africa joined in the Allies. Many young Frenchmen from North Africa
and Corsica took the opportunity, volunteered for training as airmen
and were shipped over to the USA to begin training for various air
force trades, including of course, that of pilot. The program was
sponsored by the USAAF and approximately followed the usual courses
of Initial, Primary, Basic, Advanced and Operational training.
The location chosen for the primary training was Tuscaloosa and the
first intakes began around July 1943 and the graduations of the final
primary courses somewhere around the middle of 1944. Initially,
Stearman trainers were used and then supplemented by the delivery of
seventy or so PT-19As.
Successful graduates of this training program eventually manned some
of the Free French Squadrons equipped with P-47s or B-26s and played
a part in the operations in liberating France and finally defeating
the Nazis. They also formed an important part in rebuilding Armee de
la Air.
Among those who helped me discover something of this was one, Patrice
Laverdet. Patrice's grandfather was one of these French cadets from
North Africa and later a B-26 instructor in this program, and who
sadly he died in a road accident in the USA shortly before the war in
Europe ended. I received a message from Patrice last week ,
announcing the launch of a website honouring this program, it's
particpants and sponsors.
Currently all the narrative is in the French language, but give it a
look you will find it interesting if you are a PT-19 driver.
The URL is: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/patrice.laverdet/
Regards to all, Tony'
their aircraft's USAAF record. Around seventy Aeronca-built PT-19A-
AEs were delivered there, circa October to November 1943. If you
have not seen your aircraft's service record and it has a
manufacturer's serial no. between 7303AE and 8003AE then your
aircraft is a likely candidate for this primary school in Alabama.
In the course of researching Fairchild PT I came across a lot of
training programs that I had never heard about before. Following
Operation Torch, the first combined allied invasion of enemy
controlled territory, the previously Vichy French forces in North
Africa joined in the Allies. Many young Frenchmen from North Africa
and Corsica took the opportunity, volunteered for training as airmen
and were shipped over to the USA to begin training for various air
force trades, including of course, that of pilot. The program was
sponsored by the USAAF and approximately followed the usual courses
of Initial, Primary, Basic, Advanced and Operational training.
The location chosen for the primary training was Tuscaloosa and the
first intakes began around July 1943 and the graduations of the final
primary courses somewhere around the middle of 1944. Initially,
Stearman trainers were used and then supplemented by the delivery of
seventy or so PT-19As.
Successful graduates of this training program eventually manned some
of the Free French Squadrons equipped with P-47s or B-26s and played
a part in the operations in liberating France and finally defeating
the Nazis. They also formed an important part in rebuilding Armee de
la Air.
Among those who helped me discover something of this was one, Patrice
Laverdet. Patrice's grandfather was one of these French cadets from
North Africa and later a B-26 instructor in this program, and who
sadly he died in a road accident in the USA shortly before the war in
Europe ended. I received a message from Patrice last week ,
announcing the launch of a website honouring this program, it's
particpants and sponsors.
Currently all the narrative is in the French language, but give it a
look you will find it interesting if you are a PT-19 driver.
The URL is: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/patrice.laverdet/
Regards to all, Tony'