"Washouts" in the Arnold Scheme.
Ian BB,
All true - but only "up to a point, Lord Copper !"
The "hazing" problem could only exist in one "interface" between the last American "Upperclass" Course (No.?) and the first RAF "Lowerclass" (42A). This (at Carlstrom) led to a riot of which the details seem to have been hushed up - at least, I could never find any (supposedly the Upperclass came off worst from the ensuing combat).
When the RAF in turn became the "Upperclass"of 42A, they would be followed by a RAF "Lowerclass" (42B) and peace reigned thereafter (as both classes combined, in true British style, to confront the real enemy - the "Management").
In truth, they weren't too bad. The "bull" was no worse than in a British FTS - just different, and if you didn't try to "buck" the system, but just went along with it (when in Rome...), life was comfortable enough (and much more luxurious, better fed and housed than on a UK Station). Of course, there was always the usual malcontent: they got rid of him in short order.
The contrast between the Arnold system (two months at each of three different Schools dotted round the States) and the BFTS (all six months in one spot) was really no problem. It might well have made your social life (if any) more difficult, but then that's not what you're there for, is it ?
Btw, "program" is perfectly correct American spelling. "..,and to develop a feeling of security..". You're in a war, for pity's sake ! There is no "security" !
The real tragedy was the 3,392 "washouts". A few (number unknown) might have had a second chance in Canada. But it is hard to resist the suspicion that that the RAF lost many potential pilots unnecessarily (that they badly needed at that stage). As a matter of interest, and in very rough figures, the total output from the Arnold plus BFTS just about balanced the 8,000 odd pilots killed in our Bomber Command campaign (taking no account of the POWs).
And we still haven't solved the mystery of the dramatic fall in the loss rates at the 42D - 42E point in the Arnold schools (and maybe now never will).
Danny.