Twas in the early sixties
7 months from application to finish BFTS PCK (Winjeel)
6 months at AFTS (Vamp mk35) (with no leave in between) to Grad
OCU (5 Sqn) pressure cooker conversion + OJT on many dets
early off to Vietnam - on 6 days notice (replaced an LMF returnee)
It was an example of what they will do when warm bodies are required on-line at the coal-face. We got precious little Service Training and only a modicum of rifle-tossing drill. All that I can clearly recall is being frequently charged for this that and the other by WoD Ashton (a real barking charmer of a strutting martinet ex British Army Guards RSM). And getting sozzled in the cadet's club of course.
Spent most of my time at PCK on CB (confined to barracks / weeding parade grounds). My most poignant memory was of swapping sloping tin roof-top sides on Block 44 (cadet's accomm) to avoid the gaze (and strident screams) of WoD Ashton. He knew someone (presumably a cadet) was on the three-storey building's roof but couldn't get a visual bead on just who it was. I was up there affixing my HF and FM antennas to the ridge. I finally tired of the game and quickly swung from a gutter through my open window. He later tracked me down courtesy of the tell-tale antenna wires leading through my window top. Curses.... never have been good at covering my tracks.
I reviewed my records, logbooks and old course photos and worked out that, discounting back-coursers, it was actually just over a 60% chop-rate. i.e. they took any warm body and then just weeded out the dross. As I recall, I was one of only 7 direct entries - the rest being ex-airmen and navs/sigs. One of the Navy bods gotchopped because he was never present for a running change. He was tracked down by the SP's hanging around the WRAAF's wet canteen at ASCO - when he should have been suited up, helmet in hand for a running change on the flightline. That might give you an insight into the sort of grist-mill it was.
I doubt that I'd have the patience to do it via Tamworth. I wonder if Dick Exler is still there at Tamworth grading the studes. Top troop, ex RAF and ex-Saudi PC9/Strikemaster, very experienced .... even if he did have a stude bang out on him whilst inverted (in protest at Dick's outside loop, no doubt). If he's typical of the calibre of IP's grading at Tamworth, anybody with the right approach to military flying should be able to breeze through.