WWII Trainer Question

[John Ceglarek]

Thanks for all the interesting information. I'm not at all interested in what's done today...my interest lies with what was done during primary training in WWII...and I'm still not certain I understand completely. Maybe I should have asked the question slightly differently:

1. During WWII primary training, did the student solo from the same position he/she sat when the instructor was in the plane, or did the student have to switch cockpits to solo?

2. For the PT-23, the Stearman, and the N3N, who sat where? I've read references to the instructor sitting in the front of a PT-23 with the student behind...is that true? What was the arrangement for the other aircraft mentioned?

Sorry to be a bother...but I'm certain this forum is the best place to gather this information...I'm just not able to sort it out from the various posts so far.

Thanks,

John

[N3Njeff]

The Naval Aicrcraft Factory N3N-3 in 1940.

1.) Sat in same seat for solo & instruction.

2.) Instructor sat in front, student in the back.

[gilt]

It was, and still is, normal practice to have the student sit in the seat that he will fly the plane from when solo.

The N3N, Stearman, PT-22, were normally soloed from the rear seat. The PT-19/23/26, were normally soloed from the front seat.

The key word here is "normally", there were exceptions, such as the occasional Navy practice of front seat solo (with sandbag in the rear, for solo formation practice.

Tom-