Birth Date: 1917-May-28
Born:
Francis & Mabel Cook
Home: Newmarket, Ontario (parents)
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
16 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Hagersville, Ontario, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Leading Aircraftman
Service Numbers
R/100837
16 Service Flying Training School, Hagersville, Ontario. Anson aircraft 6477 and Anson 6734 collided during the landing approach at the aerodrome.
LAC Cook was in aircraft 6477 and was the only casualty. The occupants of 6734 as survivors, are not identified, nor is the instructor in 6477.
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
The Avro Anson was known by a number of nicknames including "Faithful Annie" or "Flying Greenhouse". It was the first aircraft to be flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936. In 1940, a Canadian government owned company, Federal Aircraft Limited, was created in Montreal to manufacture the Anson for Canadian use. Nearly 3,000 Anson aircraft were produced and, in the early days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the Anson was the standard trainer for many pilots, observers (navigators), wireless operators and bomb aimers. More than 20,000 aircrew received training on the Anson. In Canadian service, the aircraft was substantially re-designed with the substitution of North American engines and many other airframe and equipment changes. Harold Skaarup web pages
Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.
There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.
For More Info on RCAF Station Hagersville see here
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Hagersville ON
RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Cayuga ON
RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Dufferin ON
Newmarket, Ontario (parents)
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.com
Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Avro Anson History