How many flight hours did WW2 pilots have?
Flight Training Aircraft Each pilot had 65 flying hours of primary training and 75 hours of both basic and advanced training. During the war, each phase was reduced first to 10 weeks and then to nine weeks.
What was the life expectancy of a RAF pilot in WW2?
Life Expectancy The average life expectancy of a spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain was an astonishing four weeks. During the battle, 544 British RAF pilots died.
What was the life expectancy of a spitfire pilot?
four weeks
The bravery of the pilots – known as ‘The Few’ – cannot be disputed but is it really true that the average life expectancy of a spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain was just four weeks, as is often claimed.
How many pilots did the RAF have in WW2?
By one tally, British RAF aircrew numbered 2,353 (80\%) of the total of 2,927 flyers involved, with 407 Britons killed from a total of 510 losses.
What was the average age of a WW2 pilot?
They were often very young, too: the average age of an RAF fighter pilot in 1940 was just 20 years. Of those killed, the average age was 22.
Why did the RAF need so many new pilots in 1939?
In September 1939 trained pilots were urgently needed if the Royal Air Force (RAF) was to meet its operational commitments. The struggle and success in achieving the required number of pilots is one of the overlooked ‘battles’ of the war. Time was of the essence.
How many planes did the RAF have in WW2?
In 1939 RAF Bomber Command had 23 operational bomber squadrons, with 280 aircraft. This modest force gave Britain the means to immediately strike back at Nazi Germany, but only against strictly military targets at first.
How long did it take to become a World War II pilot?
Final tests and examinations completed advanced training. If successful the pupil received his flying brevet or Pilot’s Wings. The time taken to qualify as a pilot could vary. At the start of the war it could be as little as six months (150 flying hours). On average it took between 18 months to two years (200-320 flying hours).
What was the purpose of the RAF Bomber Command?
RAF Bomber Command During The Second World War. The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) bombing offensive against Nazi Germany was one of the longest, most expensive and controversial of the Allied campaigns during the Second World War. Its aim was to severely weaken Germany’s ability to fight, which was central to the Allies’ strategy for winning the war.