Don't shoot the messenger!
Danny, I gave you my sources. I, of course, wasn't there. I offered the figures in good faith but they are not "my" figures.
(1) 'RAF Wings over Florida' by Will Largent, Purdue University Press.
This book is a collection of of interviews with cadets and instructors from both Arcadia and Clewiston
(2) 'The Royal Air Force over Florida' by A.M. de Quesada, Arcadia Publishing.
This is a pictorial record of life at Carlstrom and Riddle Fields. Happily it contains a picture of my late father and a couple of other gents whom I have since had the privilege of "interviewing".
You, of course, were there, and tell us of no 'indiscipline' on 42C.
This RAF cadet (name given) on 42F said:
"We followed the same "Mickey Mouse" guidelines and rules set down for new U.S. cadets. It was mostly nonsense and new to us. In fact, several in my class were eliminated because they had too many demerits for not obeying rules that didn't make sense to them. Some of the cadets who were eliminated went to Canada and continued their training there. Great Britain had been at war for two years and desperately needed pilots. The United States, still in a position to pick and choose, could enforce stringent rules that had nothing to do with flying performance. A high washout rate was not as alarming to the United States as it was to the British."
Jim Cousins, U.S. civilian instructor, became a flight commander and later squadron commander at 5BFTS, retired 1977 as an Eastern Air Lines captain said:
"As a matter of fact, the British were miles ahead of us in training techniques and we (American civilian instructors) were happy to train the RAF cadets strictly under the British system.
The concept of the BFTS program targeted one primary goal: to turn out pilots by concentrated training within the proper allocated time. The Arnold Scheme didn't zero in on the real needs of the British.
To begin with, the Army Air Corps did all of those ridiculous things like hazing underclassmen and making them eat at the mess while sitting at attention. Stuff not connected in any way with flying. It's no wonder that the washout rate in the Arnold Plan was so much greater than that of the BFTS. Some of the boys who washed out at Carlstrom got a second chance and were reassigned to Riddle. Several of them completed our course with no problem and went on to become great pilots".
Danny, those of us who weren't there can only read what is written. Your contribution to our knowledge on this thread has been enormous, and long may you continue to entertain and enlighten us.
If the recollections and figures that I have republished here in my genuine enthusiasm to engage with your open question do not mirror your own experiences then I am sorry. I wasn't there - you were.
mea culpa
IanBB