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RCAF / NATO Flying Training Photographs
In 1958 I entered the Royal Netherlands Air Force for pilot training. I was selected to go to Canada. Arriving at the first station RCAF Centralia, Ontario in May 1959. After graduating from Language School I entered Primary Training School. First flight in a Chipmunk trainer was made in B-Flight on June 29, 1959. Due to four different nationalities all conversation was to be made in English. Quite a problem for a few of us in the beginning! Hours flown at Centralia: 25.
After graduation from PTS we were stationed at RCAF Station Penhold, Alberta in Course 5904. This course was the last full NATO course to be trained in Canada. Nationalities were: Canandian, Norwegian, Danish and Dutch. We started with 18 Flight Cadets and graduated all from 4 Flying Training School in March 1960. According to S/L Thorneycroft, our Squadron Commander, this was quite an achievement. Hours flown at Penhold: 163.
Training continued at Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Flying with C-Flight of No 2 Advanced Flying School started in April 1960. We flew T-33 aircraft for the remainder of the pilot traing program. All, except one, graduated and received their wings on August 19, 1960. Hours flown at Portage: 132.
After returning to the Netherlands I flew F-84F and F-104G. I left the service in 1966 and continued flying for Lufthansa on B-727, B-747 and Airbus A-310. I retired in 1995.
Course 5904 History
Course 5904 was born at Centralia in June 1959, and was made up of Course 5903, which had just completed Basic School, and seven Danes, four Norwegians and two Dutch students who had just completed a few weeks of language school.
After a week of ground school, ’04 took to the air in the “Charming Chipmunk”. None of us will ever forget that first ride! To those of us who had never flown before that was the moment of truth. 25 gruelling hours later, four of us were CT’d, one was recoursed, and 18 proud fledging pilots graduated.
5904 took to the rails for a three-day trip to Penhold, Alberta. The trip across the wilds of Canada took the NATO students completely by surprise. They had no conception of the vastness of the country, and all they could say was: “When will we get there?” At long last the gate of QF opened for the 18 young pilots. We were welcomed by the CO, the OC, and our Course Director, F/O Steuart. Also gained was one course member, a F/C Wallace, from Course 5902.
Next day we left for GIS, where we were to spend most of our next 24 weeks learning about the “plumbing system” of the Harvard, how “not to get lost” in Nav, Flight Procedures (IFR? VFR?), Masses in Met end Messes in GSK. Besides, we were swamping in OT subjects: Effective Speaking, Leadership, OD & R, World Affairs, etc., etc. The big break came in the second week; we actually had a ride in the Harvard. It was fabulous! The noise, the speed, the bewildering array of instruments. PLUS the instructor in the back, dismayed us.
Seven hours of instruction later most of us had gone solo. This was a logical and perfect time for a solo party. And so we had one. Everyone was gay; the students because they “could do it by themselves”, the instructors, because they didn’t have to suffer through the TO’s and landings anymore.
Soon we were doing instrument flying. Now the shoe was on the other foot – the instructors took off and landed. First it was a relief, but gradually we became uncomfortable; our landings were improving, and theirs seemed to deteriorate.
After our ICHT & ITT, the course was given two weeks leave. Friday,November 27 found 19 of us going in different directions. Some were going home, and most of the NATO’s to USA or Mexico. Each one came back with some pretty tall tales to tell in the Mess. Four cars went on mid-term leave; three came back. One was given to the USA for defence purposes.
Course 5904 got back to the grind rather early as the instructors were keen to start navigational training. On our own nav trips no one really got lost, but there were some of us who came home on the radio compass. Night-flying was terrific. Of course the moon-lit nights, the flashing nav lights, the confusing runway lights and the dim cockpit lights all made it very exciting. The most exciting time occurred when there was a runway change with about 12 harvards up.
All this time F/O Regehr and his crew were trying to teach us the proper procedures in the Link. However, due to fires, spins and stalls more was learned than probably intended. Washout days in QF were taken up with emergency procedures, curling, films, basketball and the occasional NAP.
Drill and PE at Penhold became a sort of game for 5904, the game being to see who could miss most periods without getting into trouble. After frequent weekends of TOO, and trips to the guard house, the game stopped.
Now our eyes took to the east once again and the T-Bird. We on Course 5904 think we have something to boast about, that is – 19 started and 19 finished. This is a fact we understand, that hasn’t been done in the history of the school.
Even though we look forward to the T-Bird, Wings parade, and for the NATO students the thought of getting back home, we on 5904 shall always remember Penhold, the Harvard, the instructors; for QF has been a good station, the Harvard has been fun to fly and we have met some very nice people on RCAF Station Penhold.
5905 says Goodbye.
List of Flight Cadets
RCAF Walter E. Bresch Gerald F. Forslund Robert G. Gell David J. Pirrie Joseph G.J. Sabran John. W. Wallace |
RnorAF Eivind Aase Hans C. Askov Hans C. Christansen-Brahms Bjorn “Tex”Enoksen Odd B. Johannessen Per Myrvang |
RDAF M/sgt Eriksen Kaus “Speedy”von Hahn Ole F. Jensen Kaj Petersen Borge Poulsen |
RNeth AF Hub Groeneveld Wim “Curly”Simoons |