Western Flying Training Command
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| Western Flying Training Command | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Western Flying Training Command |
| Caption | Patch of the United States Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command |
| Dates | 1940–1945 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Role | Pilot and aircrew training |
| Garrison | Randolph Field |
| Notable commanders | Henry H. "Hap" Arnold |
Western Flying Training Command The Western Flying Training Command was a major United States Army Air Forces training organization established to prepare pilots, navigators, and bombardiers for service during World War II. It operated a network of training schools, airfields, and support units across the western United States, integrating instruction drawn from prewar programs at Randolph Field, Kelly Field, and Maxwell Field with wartime expansion influenced by planners from Air Corps Tactical School and leaders associated with Army Air Forces Training Command. The command coordinated with military and civilian institutions including Civil Aeronautics Authority contractors and wartime procurement offices in Washington, D.C., and contributed trained aircrew to theaters such as the European Theatre of World War II, Pacific Ocean Areas, and China Burma India Theater.
History
The command originated from pre-1941 pilot training initiatives at Randolph Field and organizational reforms after the Attack on Pearl Harbor accelerated expansion of Army Air Forces training. During 1941–1945 it absorbed responsibilities of earlier entities like the GHQ Air Force training branches and adapted syllabus changes promulgated by Henry H. "Hap" Arnold and staff from HQ AAF in response to operational demands from the Eighth Air Force and Twentieth Air Force. The program responded to manpower mobilization measures such as the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 and collaborated with industrial partners in Wright-Patterson Air Force Base procurement reviews. Postwar demobilization followed directives from War Department General Staff transitions and the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate service.
Organization and Structure
The command was structured into flying schools, pilot schools, primary schools, basic schools, and advanced schools, administered through numbered flying training wings and base units. Its chain of command connected to Army Air Forces Training Command and coordinated with regional commands like Air Technical Service Command for maintenance and Air Transport Command for ferrying trained crews. Leadership included senior officers who had served in formations such as the 1st Pursuit Group and staff officers trained at Air Corps Tactical School and Command and General Staff College. Support units often included personnel from Women's Army Corps detachments and liaison with Civil Aeronautics Authority-licensed flight instructors contracted under War Department agreements.
Training Programs and Curriculum
Curricula followed multi-stage programs: primary flight training, basic flight training, and advanced single-engine or multi-engine instruction, as well as specialized navigator and bombardier courses coordinated with Army Air Forces Navigator School standards. Training incorporated instrument work derived from procedures used by crews in the Eighth Air Force and navigation techniques from veterans of China Burma India Theater. The bombardier syllabus employed methods developed at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School and used bombsights similar to those in B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator operations. Night and instrument training paralleled tactical doctrines tested in units such as the 35th Bombardment Group and 33d Fighter Group.
Bases and Facilities
Major facilities included Randolph Field, Kelly Field, Glendale Airport (Arizona), Luke Field (Arizona), Vance Field, Buchanan Field, Mather Army Airfield, and Calexico Municipal Airport among dozens of airfields across states like Texas, Arizona, California, and Colorado. Training worked with municipal airfields such as Santa Maria Army Airfield and military airfields like Davis-Monthan Field and March Field and maintained liaison with industrial centers in Los Angeles and San Diego for maintenance and parts supply. Auxiliary fields and bombing ranges included sites used by units deploying to the Pacific Ocean Areas.
Aircraft and Equipment
Primary trainers included types such as the Stearman PT-17, Fairchild PT-19, and Ryan PT-22 for initial instruction, while basic and advanced phases used AT-6 Texan, BT-13 Valiant, and multi-engine types like the AT-9 Jeep and AT-10 Wichita. Advanced bomber and transport training sometimes used variants of B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, and C-47 Skytrain for transition courses. Instrument trainers, link trainers, and bombsight trainers derived from systems evaluated at Wright Field and maintained under standards from Air Technical Service Command supported the curriculum. Ground schools equipped facilities with maps from Office of Strategic Services-era cartographic products and navigation aids consistent with Army Air Forces doctrine.
Notable Personnel and Units
Instructors and commanders included veterans of units like the 1st Pursuit Group, 19th Bombardment Group, and officers who later served in theater commands such as the Eighth Air Force and Fifth Air Force. Noteworthy graduates and cadre moved to commands including the 15th Air Force and XX Bomber Command. Training wings and base units spawned combat squadrons like the 332d Fighter Group-affiliated personnel and members who later received decorations such as the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), Silver Star, and Air Medal. Women instructors and support personnel often came from antecedent programs linked to the Women Airforce Service Pilots and Women's Army Corps.
Legacy and Impact
The command's legacy is evident in the rapid expansion of United States Army Air Forces aircrew capacity that supported campaigns in the European Theatre of World War II and Pacific War. Its methods influenced postwar pilot training doctrines adopted by the United States Air Force training establishment and civilian aviation programs regulated by the Civil Aeronautics Board. Many former training bases transitioned to municipal or Air Force use, contributing to aviation infrastructure in cities like San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Denver. The command's record intersects with broader wartime mobilization efforts under leaders such as Henry H. "Hap" Arnold and planners from Air Corps Tactical School, shaping mid-20th century airpower development.