Merced Army Flying School - Yearbook (Merced, CA)

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.,,,,-I I 2 .- M :4',Wn. QSM, XZYXNDTXZXIYXN HZIEHD Ready for Gxygen Hop. lLink Trainerl which handles iusr like +he real airplane. ln +hese are +augh+ fhe procedures which are la+er prac- 'riced in fhe air on 1'eam rides under rhe hood. Al+i'I'ude Flighfs are made +o accusfom cadefs fo fhe use of oxygen and 'rhe reacrions of +he plane in fhe lighfer afmosphere. One of +he mos+ fhrilling of all 'lhe cadel' missions is +he firsf nigh'I' cross-counlry +rip. Having flown nigh+ local a+ Basic, nighl flying i+self is nor so unusual, bul' 'ro follow The lighl' lines 'io anolher cify means a new s+ep in +raining. Flying +akes bu+ half of fhe day-+he remainder is spen+ in +he classroom, a+ a+hle+ics, or drilling. Then for +en days, fhe class has a break in +heir advanced rraining-'ren days of gunnery pracrice a+ Closeup. Above, Top: AT Advance Twin Engine Trainer. BoHom: AT-6's on The line ano'l'her school. Here cadefs pracfice ar ground and aerial gunnery. Wifh machine guns moun'red on +he lrainers, each man shoo+s several hundred rounds every day. Yes, af any advanced 'flying school is +augh+ +he necessary sub- iecls which any Army Air Forces pilol' mus'I' know, fo prepare him for service in +he field as an officer. Bank her This way. Wafching 'lhe flight Trainer wifh conirol unil. Tes+ing 'lheir oxygen masks. Ground crew off duly, buf sfill +alking shop M , il A r , i . . ll 'mf Q ,N gf? 'T' vm:-U

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NIGHT FLIGHT gy L. ,, sez-mmm mfwwwj' S ww ' -riij' 5 . . , F H W M ,. , , ,L., . , Kyxl m','L1 ' m'kk p i V? A-'.- Y,'A1 ,. A . T ., V .,.., 1 A -s T 'A 1 . ., ' f E .. i ig Y ,- E 1 g,,, E ,, an . E . I ,P ' K - , fs ' -- , 'Elf-. Lx Y ' WI 1 if 'Gif fi... - u . A' P A . .,kL f -v H ,EL I K iQr.i.aL ., ' 4.4 ? Q i m - .,. f V f - L , 3 , L,. ..,, . 1 K iz .V ,gn :gg . E ,ii q, is .,,,. ', , K 5 H ,- 5 ' - V IR , xml' N' reg: K - a K ' N ..,, ' , , . - . A- .. T A T f f s Q f A ,. ' L liii is .L ' W il A M , 'W ' HITVHNEHT THHININH Where fhe pig iron is 'iaken and molded in+o fhe finished product The +hird and lasf phase in an avia- fion cade+'s lraining is ai' Advanced, and il' is here lhal' +he polish is applied and 'rhe kinks faken ou+ before sending him ou+ as an officer. For +he firsf lime, +he cade+ is considered a pilol'-and 'lhe insfrucfor, his flighi' commander. He learns 'ro carry +he responsibili+y which will soon be his-+0 know ihai' in his hands are fhe lives of orhers as well as his own. Having comple+ed Primary and Basic fraining, +he boys decide 'I'hey're pilo+s and +ha+ fhis Advanced si'uf'f isn'+ going +o gel' +hem. No Sir! AHer handling fhose basic frainers, +he AT's are going +o be easy. All goes well-fhe cadeis repori in. No hazing from +he upperclass-in facr, no +rouble a+ all as long as +hey remain eager. The firsl' +en hours of 'Flying a+ Advanced is devoied 'ro fransifion. During +his 'rime 'lhe cadei' learns fo handle fhe 'fasfer and heavier ship wifh i+s addifional equipmenr, such as re+rac+able landing gear, hydraulic flaps, and consfanf speed prop. These are fhe days of worry, 'For whai' cade+ wan'l's 'Five sfars? However, +he lime goes quickly, and 'rhe cadefs say Goodbye 'io lhe 'lime when +hey could 'rake up a plane by +hemselves and fly as fhey desired, for formalion flying walks in 'Phe door and remains. lns+rumen+ flying is an imporfanl' par+ of 'rhe iraining, pari' of if on fhe ground in fhe Jeep 'A' Leif, Top: THE OLD PUSH-UP is a siandard man killer in The Training Cenlers, bu+ cadels, becoming fougher and iougher, refuse +o be fired, come back for more. BoHom: Final Exams.

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Wit f ' 1. . 2 gf ggggi KZ g, , . exft' f' ' , Top Row, Left: Gentlemen with swords once settled their quarrels at dawn. But these gentlemen, aviation cadets in the Training Center, work out with foils in order to develop cat-like quickness and dexterity which will be valuable to them in settling scores in air combat. Center: After a long flight. Right: Cross-country preparation. Middle Row. Left: Back to the barracks after a hard day's work in the air. Center: British cadets fold Old Glory at Retreat. Right: Advanced navigation trainer. Bottom Row, Left: A sextet of aviation cadets in the air as they are determinedly making a broadiump on the obstacle course used in the physical training program. When the full story of this war is written, there will be a special chapter devoted to the hours of scientific study, the subsequent hours of manpower, prespiration and drudgery now being expended to toughen our combat fliers for the fight. Men were not made to fly at rarefied altitudes of 30,000 feet, nor were they built to be wrenched in the air at speeds of 500 miles an hour. But our enemies are doing it. We must. And the rugged physical conditioning program in the Training Center is the successful answer to how we can. The keystone in the training program is the development of those muscles and nerves most used in combat flying. Center: Sky Bound. Right: Advanced Trainers. Lett: Like a man from Mars with a death ray generator in his hands, this Army Air Forces photographer draws a bead as squadrons of planes roar across the cloud banks. Anywhere he may point his finder he will catch the growing flights of aviation cadets doing precision formation flying. M l My KW, - it 1' 4 ' E5 fail Q f CQQ, X jffilc