42 C
Danny you mention your correction to the upper age limit for Arnold Scheme as being 23. My Father was born Nov 1912 so was 28 when he started at Darr Sep 1941. Re the 251 eliminations on 42A due to flying deficiency, the Kew document remarks that 80 were given more training, 57 in BFTS, and 23 in Air Corps School of South East Air Corps Training. 75% graduated.
Other comments were that the course finished two weeks ahead of schedule, and that ground training was not good due to shortage of equipment. Another document dated 20 Oct 41 by AVM McKean US Air Liaison Mission, Ottawa states that the Course could be reduced to 24 weeks but must do 200 hours flying. Original requirement was 240. Next time I go to Kew I could photo parts of the file and pm them to you & Ian want.
My Father returned to UK found himself on an Instructors Course at 12 P AFU at Grantham June 42 on Oxfords. He instructs on DH82 at Cambridge 22 EFTS until Mar 43, then Oxfords 11 P AFU, then Blenheims at Woodvale until Nov 44. He then goes to 1655 MTU 7 is posted to 162 Squadron at Bourn Jan 45. Survives his 30 visits to Germany, the last one being 2 May to Kiel which I believe was the last ops by Bomber Command. 162 then moves to RAF Blackbushe and operates the ADLS service. He ends after taking part in the Battle of Britain flypast in Sept 46 and starts commercial flying in Malta on Consuls the civilian version of the Oxford.
I have his logbooks and RAF record. Also Vol 5 0f the Raf magazine published by the UK Cadets, Darr-Aero-Tech, Albany, GA. Nov 1941. Contains about 80 photos of the students with short biographies & instructors plus various poems such as Flying Instructors Lament, The Boys at Darr, The Ghost of a Solo. I also have hidden somewhere a similar magazine that records a Rugby Match played by the cadets.