Danny:-
The Towers Scheme must have been of vital assistance to the Royal Navy.
Indeed, but it was of three times more assistance (in aircrew) to the RAF, according to Hanson (see my 7400). I found that very surprising. Even if they didn't all finish up on 'boats, presumably they did all finish up in Coastal Command. So were all Coastal Command pilots trained thus, or only those trained in the USA, or only some of those trained in the USA?
Excellent post, Danny. I think that you have summed up brilliantly. Your take, as against the semi official summary of under-nourished, technically challenged, bolshie Brits, illustrates the massive advantage we have in getting our gen direct from the horse's mouth (if you'll excuse the term).
Chop/washout rates that reflect the required number of graduates rather than their competence are nothing new. They certainly happened in the RAF in my day, and I suspect still do.