RCAF WW2 Pilot and Navigation Instructor Jim Milne Video

[piano music]

Title Screen: “Jim Milne, Claresholm Trained Pilot” Jim Milne, Pilot; hand drawing of airman on white background.

Image of RCAF embroidered flying patch on black leather log book cover; page opens to log book with entries and hand drawing of pilot in uniform.

Transcript of narration:

I enlisted in the Air Force in February of 1942.

Jim Milne on camera. Hand drawing of pilot in uniform.

The ultimate desire was to be a pilot, and at that time,

[plane flying overhead]

Colour image of a Lancaster bomber flies across the screen (animated); hand drawing of pilot in uniform remains on screen.

I was dreaming of being a Lancaster pilot.

First thing you had to do is to go to the Manning Depot and that was in Brandon, Manitoba.

Photos on screen: image of students in classroom; 3 troops of airmen marching on parade ground; inset

Vintage video footage of men in shorts running past camera; vintage video footage of airmen marching on parade ground.

And you spent about, oh, I guess probably two months there,

[film reel ticking]

Vintage video footage of airmen marching on parade ground

learning how to March and so on, and supposedly discipline.

Screen title “Initial Training School;” hand drawing of man “riding” Tiger Moth flies across the screen (animated).

Well, from Brandon, we went to the initial training school in Virden, where we were flying Tiger Moths.

Jim Milne on camera.

You spent about eight hours of duo training and then they’d turn you loose – solo.

[plane flying overhead]

After that you had to put in so many hours, I think it was about 80 hours of practice flying.

Page turns to Air Force log book full of flight entries and hand drawing of pilot looking at Tiger Moth; page turns to hand drawing of pilot in uniform.

Screen title: “Service Flying Training #15 Claresholm

Then I got sent to Claresholm, Alberta for the advanced flying

[plane flying overhead]

Image of 3 Ansons flying across the screen (animated).

“Service Flying” as they called it, Number 15, SFTS. I spent about two months at SFTS, flying Ansons.

Hand drawing of man in Anson flies across the screen (animated).

The Mark II Anson, which were a modified version of the one that came over from the UK.

Jim Milne on camera. Inset: Photo of planes in the sky.

A good deal of it was “circuits and bumps,” simply learning to land and take off.

[plane flying overhead]

Hand drawing of Anson flies across the screen (animated).

Otherwise, it was flights to and from certain Plan towns. That was the navigational part of it, because you didn’t want people flying around and not knowing where they were.

Black screen, with full moon coming into frame, airplane flies across screen in front of moon (animated).

Part of the training, at all stages of the training, was night flying and instrument flying. Instrument flying and night flying were almost synonymous, as far as the skills were concerned.

Jim Milne on camera. Photo of man in Link trainer with instructor standing beside it.

That was the whole design of the Link trainer: it was to give you the feeling of flying, and it was pretty effective. It was a filter.

[piano music]

Photo of Link trainer “crab” devise on map.

People who couldn’t manage that, didn’t proceed to actual flying. Somewhere along the line I even had to instruct on the Link.

Jim Milne on camera. Background group photo of pilot graduating class in front of airplane.

Well, every time there was, a new flight arrived at Claresholm airport, the local men’s club put on a dance, and brought all their daughters to the dance hall.

[film reel ticking]  

[big band music playing]

Vintage video footage of curtains opening to big band on stage; video footage of airman and woman dancing. 

So, we all lined up, mostly crew on the one side and girls on the other side. About three or four guys were courageous and went out and danced.

Vintage video footage of big band playing.

And finally, one of our guys said, “Come on, everybody! Let’s us get out here and do it proper!”

Jim Milne on camera.

So that’s where I picked Betty out of the opposite line.

Photo of woman sitting on stairwell; b/w photo of pilot and instructor in flight; photo wireless radio operator in flight.

[piano music]

The training was excellent. They couldn’t do any better. Well, I went to Rivers, Manitoba took a special course on navigation, and I became a Navigation Pilot Instructor.

Jim Milne on camera; photo of woman sitting on stairwell.

Betty and I got married in Claresholm on August 1st, 1944.

[crowd cheering, clapping]

Hand drawing of Anson and smiling pilot flies across the screen, “war’s over!” underneath.

Jim Milne on camera; group photo of pilot graduates; RCAF crest appear overlayed.

We’re so fortunate. Betty and I have traveled around the world because of the type of work I was doing.

Video of Canadian flag waving over group photo of pilot graduates.

And undoubtedly, we were in the best place in the world to be.

End Credits: Claresholm & District Museum, Claresholm & District Museum, Archives, Library & Archives Canada, Bomber Command Museum of Canada, Footage courtesy of Glenbow Archives, Jim Milne Collection.