No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School RAAF

De Havilland Tiger Moth trainers at No. 2 EFTS in March 1940 - AWM P11200.003

Archerfield, Qld. Mid-1940. A parade at No. 2 Elementary Training School (EFTS) - AWM PO1418.004

Brief History

No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School was formed at Archerfield on 6 Nov 1942. Originally numbered '3', the unit was renumbered to '2' on 2 January 1940. Fifteen Tiger Moth aircraft arrived from Richmond on 5 Jan 1940, and were housed and operated from the civilian hangar. pending the construction of Bellman hangars. The flying strength of the unit was complemented by the addition of Gipsy and Tiger Moth aircraft from civilian sources such as the Royal Queensland Aero Cub. The latter organisation also supplied flying instructors.

In January 1940, the strength of the School consisted of 20 officers, 134 airmen, 50 officers under instruction and two civilian instructors. The latter taught theory of flight, navigation and cypher and controlled the unit technical library. With the intensity of training and the standard of the pilots undertaking courses, there were constant aircraft incidents, none of which resulted in fatalities as heavy landings were the most common incidents. As a segment of their training, pupils flew training exercises to Dalby and Coolangatta, returning to Archerfield. 806 Empire Air Training Scheme pupils passed through the unit, of which 610 successfully graduated to Service Flying Training Schools.

Ground Staff

• Raymond George Bunney 5 Mar - 25 Apr 1942

Trainees

• † Roy Thomas Aston Wallis Dec 1940 - 10 Feb 1941

Notes

Source of information - Units of the Royal Australian Airforce - A Concise History - Vol 8 Training Units - Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995