Arnold Scheme facts for kids

The Arnold Scheme was a special program during World War II. It helped train British RAF pilots in the United States of America. The program was named after US General Henry H. Arnold. He was the head of the United States Army Air Forces and started the idea. The scheme ran from June 1941 to March 1943.

Why Pilots Were Needed

In the early part of World War II, the British RAF needed many more pilots. Training pilots in the United Kingdom was hard. This was because of enemy attacks and busy airfields. The weather was also often bad. So, other training programs were set up overseas. These included the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and the British Flying Training Schools. The Arnold Scheme was another important one. It showed how the UK and the US worked together. This cooperation grew after the Lend-Lease program started in March 1941. At that time, the US was still neutral.

How the Scheme Started and Worked

General Arnold's Offer

In April 1941, General 'Hap' Arnold flew to London. He met with RAF officers. He offered to train 4,000 British pilots. They would train alongside American cadets. The British Air Council quickly accepted this kind offer. Planning for the scheme began right away.

Churchill's Support

On May 10, 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent a telegram. It went to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Churchill called it a "splendid offer." He said General Arnold offered "one-third of the rapidly expanding capacity for pilot training in the United States." This capacity would be filled with British students. Churchill added that "the first five hundred and fifty of our young men are now ready to leave."

Training in the US

Unlike other British training schools, the US Army Air Corps did this training. It took place at military bases. It also used civilian flying schools. These were mainly in the Southeast Air Corps Training Center area. This was one of three big training areas in the USA.

The training had three main parts:

• Primary Course: This was the first step.
• Basic Course: This built on the primary skills.
• Advanced Course: This was the final stage.

Each training center had a British RAF officer. They helped with administration. Each school also had a British officer. They handled discipline and pay for the cadets. Before the US joined the war, British cadets wore civilian clothes. This was before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

Training Locations

• Primary training lasted 9 to 10 weeks. Experienced American civilian instructors taught these courses. Schools were in South Carolina (Woodward Field), Georgia (Albany, Americus), Florida (Carlstrom Field, Lakeland), and Alabama (Tuscaloosa).
• Basic training also lasted 9 to 10 weeks. US Army Air Corps and RAF instructors taught these courses. They were held at Cochran Field in Macon, Georgia or Gunter Field in Montgomery, Alabama.
• Advanced training prepared pilots for different types of planes. Single-engine courses were at Craig Field or Napier Field in Alabama. Multi-engine courses were first at Maxwell Field and Napier Field, Alabama, and Turner Field, Georgia. Later, they moved to Turner Field and Moody Field, Georgia.

Results of the Scheme

From June 1941 to March 1943, 7,885 RAF people joined the scheme. About 3,392 of them did not finish the training. Sadly, 81 cadets died during training. Of those who successfully completed the program, 577 stayed on as instructors for about a year. The rest went back to the UK. Most successful students became sergeant pilots. However, 1,070 were made officers. Pilot officer Cyril Joe Barton was a graduate of the scheme. He later received the Victoria Cross, a very brave award. Sir Michael Beetham also trained under this scheme. He later became a Marshal of the Royal Air Force, a very high rank.