RAF Flying Training Command
Encyclopedia
Flying Training Command was an organization
within the Royal Air Force
which controlled units responsible for delivering flying training
. The command's headquarters were at Shinfield Park, Reading
in Berkshire
.
which were responsible for flying training on 27 May 1940; Reserve Command
, formed 1 February 1939, was absorbed into Flying Training Command on the same date. The remainder of Training Command became Technical Training Command
on the same date. No. 21 Group was transferred to Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940, responsible for the RAF College and the Service Flight Training Schools from the Midlands northwards. Nos 50, 51, and 54 Groups were flying training organisations transferred from Reserve Command to Flying Training Command when it was formed. Flying Training Command was eventually re-absorbed into the newly re-established Training Command on 1 June 1968.
No. 23 Group was reformed as No 23 (Training) Group in Inland Area on 12 Apr 1926 by re-numbering No. 3 Group RAF
. It was transferred to RAF Training Command
on 1 May 1936. It was then transferred again to Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940. It was reabsorbed into Training Command in 1968 and disbanded on 2 May 1975.
in Berkshire
to Exeter
in Devon
in 2004 the college relocated at the same time. The site has since been developed into residential accommodation, however The Lodge, the centrepiece of Shinfield Park, a Georgian listed building remains and is waiting redevelopment.
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Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
within the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
which controlled units responsible for delivering flying training
Flight training
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills....
. The command's headquarters were at Shinfield Park, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
History
Flying Training Command was formed from the elements of Training CommandRAF Training Command
Training Command was the RAF's command responsible for flying and ground training from 1936 to 1940 and again from 1968 to 1977.-History:Training Command was formed from Inland Area on 1 May 1936 and absorbed into RAF Support Command on 13 June 1977...
which were responsible for flying training on 27 May 1940; Reserve Command
RAF Home Command
RAF Home Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for the maintenance and training of reserve organisations from formation on 1 February 1939 as RAF Reserve Command with interruptions until it ceased to exist on 1 April 1959.-History:...
, formed 1 February 1939, was absorbed into Flying Training Command on the same date. The remainder of Training Command became Technical Training Command
RAF Technical Training Command
Technical Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering aircraft maintenance training and other non-flying training, initially in Berkshire then in Cambridgeshire.-History:...
on the same date. No. 21 Group was transferred to Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940, responsible for the RAF College and the Service Flight Training Schools from the Midlands northwards. Nos 50, 51, and 54 Groups were flying training organisations transferred from Reserve Command to Flying Training Command when it was formed. Flying Training Command was eventually re-absorbed into the newly re-established Training Command on 1 June 1968.
No. 23 Group was reformed as No 23 (Training) Group in Inland Area on 12 Apr 1926 by re-numbering No. 3 Group RAF
No. 3 Group RAF
Number 3 Group of the Royal Air Force was an RAF group first active in 1918, again in 1923-26, part of RAF Bomber Command from 1936 to 1967, and part of RAF Strike Command from 2000 until it disbanded on 1 April 2006.-The 1930s and World War II:...
. It was transferred to RAF Training Command
RAF Training Command
Training Command was the RAF's command responsible for flying and ground training from 1936 to 1940 and again from 1968 to 1977.-History:Training Command was formed from Inland Area on 1 May 1936 and absorbed into RAF Support Command on 13 June 1977...
on 1 May 1936. It was then transferred again to Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940. It was reabsorbed into Training Command in 1968 and disbanded on 2 May 1975.
Shinfield Park
After Flying Training Command left, the Meteorological Office College relocated from Stanmore in Middlesex in October 1971. Following the relocation of the Met. Office HQ from BracknellBracknell
Bracknell is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire, England. It lies to the south-east of Reading, southwest of Windsor and west of central London...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
to Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in 2004 the college relocated at the same time. The site has since been developed into residential accommodation, however The Lodge, the centrepiece of Shinfield Park, a Georgian listed building remains and is waiting redevelopment.
Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief
Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief were:- 27 May 1940 Air Marshal Sir Lawrence PattinsonLawrence PattinsonAir Marshal Sir Lawrence Arthur Pattinson KBE CB DSO MC DFC was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command.-RAF career:...
- 7 Jul 1941 Air Marshal Sir William Welsh
- 17 Aug 1942 Air Marshal Sir Philip BabingtonPhilip BabingtonAir Marshal Sir Philip Babington KCB MC AFC was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command.-RAF career:...
- 6 Oct 1945 Air Marshal Sir Arthur ConinghamArthur Coningham (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham KCB, KBE, DSO, MC, DFC, AFC, RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. During the First World War, he was at Gallipoli with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, where he became a flying ace...
- 15 Oct 1947 Air Chief Marshal Sir Ralph CochraneRalph CochraneAir Chief Marshal Sir Ralph Alexander Cochrane, GBE, KCB, AFC, RAF was a British pilot and Royal Air Force officer, perhaps best known for his role in Operation Chastise, the famous "Dambusters" raid....
- 1 Mar 1950 Air Marshal Sir Hugh WalmsleyHugh WalmsleyAir Marshal Sir Hugh Sidney Porter Walmsley KCB KCIE CBE MC DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during and after World War II.-RAF career:...
- 1 Aug 1952 Air Marshal Sir Lawrence PendredLawrence PendredAir Marshal Sir Lawrence Fleming Pendred KBE CB DFC was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command.-RAF career:...
- 20 Dec 1955 Air Marshal Sir Richard AtcherleyRichard AtcherleyAir Marshal Sir Richard Llewellyn Roger Atcherley KBE, CB, AFC & Bar was a senior commander in the RAF who also served as chief of Air Staff for the Royal Pakistan Air Force.-Early life:...
- 1 Mar 1959 Air Marshal Sir Hugh ConstantineHugh ConstantineAir Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Alex Constantine KBE CB DSO was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command.-RAF career:...
- 24 Sep 1961 Air Marshal Sir Augustus WalkerAugustus WalkerAir Chief Marshal Sir George Augustus Walker GCB CBE DSO DFC AFC MA was a Second World War bomber pilot and jet aircraft pioneer, later Inspector-General of the RAF and RAF Air Chief Marshal.-Early life:...
- 26 Jun 1964 Air Marshal Sir Patrick DunnPatrick Dunn (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Patrick Hunter Dunn KBE CB DFC was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command.-RAF career:...
- 1 Oct 1966 Air Marshal Sir John DavisJohn Davis (RAF officer)Air Chief Marshal Sir John Gilbert Davis GCB OBE was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Training Command.-RAF career:Davis joined the Royal Air Force in 1933...
External links
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