Brand, Frederick James
Killed in Flying Accident 1942-07-29
Birth Date: 1922-June-07
Born:
Son of Christopher and Emily Elizabeth Brand, of Stansted, Essex, England.
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RAFVR
Unit
36 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School (RAF)
Base
RCAF Stn. Pearce, Alberta
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Leading Aircraftman
Service Numbers
1337274
First Burial
Mountain View Cemetery, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)This incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Stearman (Kaydet) Serial: FD990
- Stearman (Kaydet) Serial: FD980
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Stearman Kaydet PT-27 PT-17
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The prototype Stearman PT-13 Kaydet two seat biplane first flew from Wichita, Kansas in October 1934. Fitted with Lycoming R-680 radial engines, the first trainers, designated PT-13s, were delivered to the US Air Corps in mid 1936 together with more aircraft in 1937 and 1938. In 1940 demand for the trainer increased rapidly and outstripped Lycoming's capacity to supply engines. This led to the Continental engined version, the PT-17.
The importance of the Stearman PT-13/PT-17 to the US war effort cannot be overemphasized. Approximately 70% of all US military pilots, who fought in WW II received their initial flight training in this sturdy aircraft. A further 10,000 RAF and Fleet Air Arm pilots used the Stearman trainer for primary training, at British Flying Training Schools throughout the United States, between 1941 and 1944.
8,430 Stearmans were built before manufacturing ended in 1944. No other biplane was ever produced in such numbers. Over 1,000 Stearman trainers remain in flying condition today.
The RCAF was supplied with 300 PT-17s in the summer of 1942, to expand its fleet of basic trainers. They served with No. 3 Flying Instructors' School, Arnprior, Ontario and four Elementary Flying Training Schools, in the Prairies. After about four months they were traded in for Fairchild Cornells, because the open cockpit was found unsuitable for winter training.Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
Kaydet trainer
Wikipedia Kaydet trainer 
Harold A Skaarup Web Page 
RCAF PT-27 Serials - Kestrel Publications
36 EFTS (36 Elementary Flying Training School)
An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.
For more information on RCAF Station Pearce see here
RCAF.Info - RCAF Station Pearce AB
Vintage Wings - Ghosts Of Southern Alberta
Stearman (Kaydet) FD990
Stearman (Kaydet) FD990
Equivalent to USAAF PT-17. With No. 36 Elementary Flying Training School at Pearce, Alberta. Destroyed in mid-air collision with Stearman FD980 on 29 July 1942. Total of 3 fatalities.1942-03-19 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1942-July-29 Accident: 36 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Brand | Clark | Gross
1943-02-11 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
Stearman (Kaydet) FD980
Stearman (Kaydet) FD980
Equivalent to USAAF PT-17. With No. 36 Elementary Flying Training School at Pearce, Alberta. Destroyed in mid-air collision with Stearman FD990 on 29 July 1942. Total of 3 fatalities.1942-03-19 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1942-July-29 Accident: 36 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Brand | Clark | Gross
1943-02-11 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07