In the beginning, only three types of aircrew were trained, pilots,
air observers, and wireless operator - air gunners, but the expansion
of air operations overseas, and in particular, the introduction of the
four-engine bomber with its large crew, made it necessary to modify and
extend the training program.
Before the war ended, the Plan was producing eight different aircrew categories, Pilot, Navigator, Navigator B (bomb aimer training in
addition to navigation), Navigator W (additional wireless training),
Air Bomber, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Air Gunner, and Flight Engineer.
So let us visualize the life of these lads from the farm, factory,
offices, and school as they undertake the courses which lead to winged
graduation, thence to coastal protection of our Canadian soil or across
the seas to wartorn Europe.
Finding recruits was no problem. Tens of thousands of young Canadians from every walk of life swarmed to the Air Force recruiting offices across the country. A substantial number of them were bitterly disappointed to discover that the RCAF was not ready to accept their
services since the BCATP could not get into full operation and take in a
large number of recruits until the vast apparatus of the Plan had been
built and thousands of instructors trained.
Those who could not wait to get into action wrote the Air Force
off and enlisted in the Army and Navy. Others joined the RAF over in
Britain. Recruiting standards from the point of view of physical fitness were high for aircrew candidates. Many hopeful pilots never got past
the initial medical given at a recruiting office. After the usual formalities and a medical board, you were told to go back home and to wait to be called up.
