History No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School RAAF



tiger moths of no. 3 efts, april 1941


no. 3 elementary flying training school (no. 3 efts) formed @ essendon, victoria, on 2 january 1940, , came under control of southern area command. inaugural commanding officer squadron leader roy king, fighter ace credited 26 victories in australian flying corps during world war i. essendon aerodrome had been established in 1921, , home several private aviation clubs , schools including royal victorian aero club, ana flying school, , victoria & interstate airways ltd. airfield s position hub of civilian flight instruction in victoria led becoming base third flying school raaf raised during world war ii. same principle followed in establishing no. 1 efts @ parafield, south australia, no. 2 efts @ archerfield, queensland, , no. 4 efts @ mascot, new south wales.



wackett trainers of no. 3 efts, february 1942


the first training courses @ no. 3 efts not conducted raaf instructors under auspices of eats essendon s civil organisations under government contract. training aircraft privately owned de havilland tiger moths , gipsy moths. air cadets subject raaf discipline, , school s training program directed squadron leader king. initial intake of sixteen students arrived on 8 january 1940, , received 8 weeks of instruction finished on 4 march; 1 of trainees had prior flying experience, , course accident-free. next student intake @ no. 3 efts arrived on 5 february 1940. school s inaugural eats course commenced in may. overall student numbers @ time reported being 48, while staff totalled 50. second eats course began in july. time, essendon s civilian presence had been absorbed military organisation; privately owned aircraft taken on raaf, had begun employing own aircraft, first being gipsy moth arrived in march. training accidents frequent, particularly during landings, did not result in fatalities.


clyde fenton, known exploits flying doctor in northern territory before being commissioned pilot in raaf, served instructor @ no. 3 efts mid-1940 1942. king posted command no. 5 efts @ narromine, new south wales, in december 1940. time no. 3 efts reported having graduated 200 pilots in 8 flying training courses had run since formation. 1 of graduates nicky barr, become fighter ace in north african campaign twelve victories credit. no. 3 efts began operating ground-based link trainer on 17 february 1941. school started flying introduced cac wackett trainer in august 1941, type proved troublesome, delaying training program. september november 1941, detachment of personnel no. 11 efts utilised training facilities @ essendon, after home aerodrome @ benalla had been inundated heavy rain. no. 3 efts s instructors, students , wackett trainers transferred no. 11 efts during april 1942, , essendon school disbanded on 1 may.








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