AG25 Arnold scheme
I can tell you what happened with the first course, 42A, that trained in the Southeast Air Training Center, USA and graduated on Jan. 3rd. 1942.
First of all some of the chaps were commissioned straight away and the rest and majority were given the rank of Sgt.Pilots. Most of the commissioned stayed on in the States and were made Instructors. A few were posted back to England with all the N.C.O Pilots. At no time were we asked what type of Command we wished to be posted to. A majority were entrained when landing in Scotland straight down to Bournemouth where we stayed in comfort in the luxurious Bath Hill Court Flats for nearly two months before being posted all over the place. Some of us were posted overseas straight away before the two months were up and a few who did not go to Bournemouth were given various postings. I cannot remember ever being asked what type of aircraft I woulkd like to fly or which Command I would like. Note that I can only speak for the majority of the graduates who were not commissioned. I was posted to an Advanced Flying Unit at a small grass aerodrome called Brize Norton to convert on to multi-engined Oxfords. My Sgt. Instructor, also from Blackpool, asked me how many hours I had and when I told him 200, there was a silence then he said "Well I have 30 so we'll sort something out. " At the completion of my course, for the first time I was asked to complete a form stating which type of aircraft I wished to fly and I put down "Heavy Bombers". and was promptly posted to a Blenheim Operational training unit No 17 at Upwood belonging to 2 Group Light Bombers. They were equipped with Blnheims, Bostons and Venturas. I was posted to 105 who were a Blenheim Sqdn. but were just receiving the very first Mosquito's . I never operated on Blenheims, Thank God. From memory very few , if anyone, got what they desired and I can remember a lot of very disappointed N.C.O Pilots leaving Bournemoth. Although the Mossie was a wonderful aircraft and I was thrilled to take part in many low level daylight "Ops" on them ,I had always wanted to fly four engined types as I wanted a civil career in aviation and I eventually got my wish which I never regretted. Regle