The A2A Simulations Community

Cpl WC Collier


[img][img]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd104/sambt_photos/IMG_0002.jpg[/img] [/img]

Cpl W C Collier

A photo of Cpl Willis Jones. He was appointed as a company clerk, a job he did not like. When the flight program became available Willis saw this as a way to transfer out of being a clerk. He was accepted for pilot training and his life became a little more exciting. The next post will be " The War time Reflections of Willis Jones".

Sam


[img][img]http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/2461/img0014nk4.th.jpg[/img] [/img]

Hi Sam those documents(certificates and diplomas) are great.Have you considered donating a scan of those here.
http://aafcollection.info/
Look also here
http://aafcollection.info/topic-idx.html
and here
http://aafcollection.info/topic-lst.html

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA

Great sites. Thanks. I can't seem to get PDF to work. Thanks again.

Sam

I am going to try and post " The War Time Reflections of Willis Jones." This is an article that was written on Jones that was in his local hometown paper. My scanner could not scan the story as a whole so I will have to post it the best I know how. In parts. Very neat photo of Jones in pilot training and I hope you can see it.

Picture below is of Jonesy and other members of his cadet class. He is on far right in photo. A fine looking group of young men that did their duty.

Sam

[img][img]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd104/sambt_photos/th_IMG_0015.jpg[/img]
[/img]

Here is one side of story as it was written. You have to struggle to read it.
Well worth the effort though.

Sam

[img][img]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd104/sambt_photos/th_IMG_0012.jpg[/img]
[/img]

Center portion with great shot of Jones.

[img][img]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd104/sambt_photos/th_IMG_0011.jpg[/img]
[/img]

A while back Jonsey and his wife celebrated 50 years of marriage. On the suggestion of their minister they renewed their vows by getting married again in his WW2 uniform. Willis said he could still get into it with no problem.

I doubt if my wife would marry me again. If there is still an interest more later.

Sam

[img][img]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd104/sambt_photos/th_IMG_0013.jpg[/img]
[/img]

I especially enjoyed the picture of Air Cadet Willis Jones.
By the way do you have any idea which aircraft Bevers and Jones trained in during Cadets? My dad's first trainer was the Ryan PT-22(Primary Trainer),Vultee BT-15(Basic Trainer),the Cessna AT-17 (Advanced Trainer) and finally the famous Link Trainer before flying B-17's.
After my dad's combat service for a short while in the states back in 1945 he headed a school of 400 in the USAAF as a certified 4 engine instructor and as an instructor on those trainers too.Yes it would be nice to know Bevers and Jones trainer aircraft just out of curiosity.It must have been pretty tough being a POW in a Stalag for them.I am glad my dad never experienced that.

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA

I have been reading what you post since you first starting doing this thread and each time I see there is a new one up. I can't wait to click the button. I have always enjoyed seeing what you bring to show us. I for one still appreicate everyone that you guys/gals post. Please keep them coming and if I had my guess there are many more people that enjoy them that just dont speak up.

_________________

Thanks alot Jon and Pointman for the nice comments on story. I have a few more things that I will post later. Mainly documents and a few more photos. Any news or updates from Bevers or Jones of interest I'll let you all know. The last conversation I had with Jones he said he was trying to contact the family of the R/O Sgt. Fleming. No news as to his success.

Small world story. Back in late summer Willis was flying to New England for a wedding. His grandson I think. A member of the brides family was a POW in the same stalag as Jonesy. I just received a Christmas card from the Jones family and after the Holidays I plan on calling for a chat . I'll find out about the trainers and his conversation with the POW.

I would like to wish the Shockwave team, members of this forum, and all that have read the story "Dear Mom", a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Sam

You have a happy holiday too Sambt and to everyone else at Shockwave Productions and have a Happy New Year too.

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA

Jonesy called me over the holidays and I had a chance to ask about the trainers. He said PT 18, BT 15 and AT 17. I could have misunderstood about the PT 18. That does not jive with the Ryan PT 22 that your dad trained on. Bevers was in the class ahead of Jones and probably trained on the same A/C as Willis. According to Jonesy Bevers got assigned as pilot and he as co-pilot due to Bevers graduating ahead of him.

I am familier with the Stearman as a trainer and know very little about the various types. Wasn't it policy to contract civilian flying schools for initial flight training? Probably a lot of pilots started out in Piper Cubs and Taylor Craft. I believe it took almost nine months to train an American pilot. Toward the end of the war because of attrition, German and Japanese pilots were blown out of the sky due to shortened training cycles.

Do you have any info on types of trainers or a link with photos? I would like to know more now that you brought it up. Jonesy is going to call again soon. I'll make a list of questions to ask him and if anyone would like to ask him something I will pass it on. Bevers will soon be going to Arizona for the winter and will be stopping off to visit Willis. They are both still in good health and keep in contact with one another.

I asked Jonsey about his meeting with the POW. He went to the guys house and had a good visit and chat. I'm sure it ran deep. He also said he is still trying to contact the family of the R/O Fleming. Any more info I will pass it on.

Sam

Yes there were a lot of different trainers.
From Wikipedia here is the PT-18 (Primary Trainer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT-18_Kaydet

Here is the (Basic Trainer) BT-13 or BT-15 (different engine)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BT-13

And here is the (Advanced Trainer) AT-17
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_AT-17

Here is my dad's Primary Trainer the Ryan PT-22
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT-22

The Cessna AT-17 (or Cessna T-50)was featured in a very early American Television show of the 1950's called "Sky King"
you could watch the episodes here
http://www.americanflyers.net/entertainment/skyking.asp

This of course is THE site to ask questions from the USAAF vets
http://www.armyairforces.com/

And here is a video about the Boeing/Stearman Primary Trainer
http://www.zenosflightshop.com/Primary_ ... dvdset.htm

There was also the Link trainer which was used in the training program.
It came after using the Advanced Trainer from the logbook of my dad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_Trainer

The Pilots also had extra training on the B-17 before being shipped overseas from what I was told.

Here is my dad's class picture.

http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/phot ... e=0;136919

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA