2 ELEMENTARY FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL
ARCHERFIELD AIRFIELD,
BRISBANE, QLD
DURING WWII

 

2 Elementary Flying Training School 2 EFTS began life as 3 Elementary Flying Training School 3 EFTS at Archerfield on 6 November 1939. It was renamed to 2 Elementary Flying Training School on 2 January 1940.

Fifteen Tiger Moths arrived at Archerfield from Richmond on 5 January 1940 and operated from a civilian hangar until some Bellman hangars were erected at Archerfield.

Some extra Tiger Moths and Gipsy Moths were commandeered from civilian owners such as the Royal Queensland Aero Club, which also provided flying instructors. The Aero Club instructors taught theory of flight, navigation, cypher and controlled the unit technical library.

In January 1940 there were 134 airmen and 50 officers under instruction at 2 EFTS at Archerfield. Cross country training flights went to Dalby and Coolangatta.

There were many training accidents (23 listed below), fortunately without any fatalities. Very heavy landings were fairly common accidents.

Tiger Moth A17-4 of 2 EFTS on 3 Dec 1940 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-13 of 2 EFTS on 2 May 1940 4 miles NW of Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-14 of 2 EFTS on 11 May or March 1940 at Ripley 13 miles SSW of Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-15 of 2 EFTS on 12 April 1941, 2 miles NW of Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-18 of 2 EFTS on 14 March 1940 at Manly 10 miles NE of Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-18 of 2 EFTS on 28 Jan 1941 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-20 of 2 EFTS on 17 January 1942 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-21 of 2 EFTS on 22 February 1940 at Redcliffe

Tiger Moth A17-23 of 2 EFTS on 11 April 1940 at Redbank

Tiger Moth A17-38 of 2 EFTS on 30 March 1942 at Goodna

Tiger Moth A17-47 of 2 EFTS on 1 October 1940 two miles north of Goodna

Tiger Moth A17-50 of 2 EFTS on 6 March 1941 at Rocklea

Tiger Moth A17-108 of 2 EFTS on 9 Mar 1942 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-337 of 2 EFTS on 10 Nov 1941 at Pullenvale 8 miles WNW of Archerfield

Tiger Moth A17-346 of 2 EFTS on 18 Feb 1942 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-351 of 2 EFTS on 4 Dec 1941 at Fort Lytton

Tiger Moth A17-352 of 2 EFTS on 4 Dec 41 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth N.6903 of 2 EFTS on 2 Dec 1941 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth N.9135 of 2 EFTS on 11 Mar 1941 at Archerfield Airfield

Tiger Moth A17-20 of 2 EFTS on 12 April 1941 collided with civilian Aeronca VH-ACH, ½ mile north of Archerfield Airfield

Gipsy Moth A7-85 of 2 EFTS on 21 Mar 1941 at Archerfield Airfield

Gipsy Moth A7-87 of 2 EFTS on 16 Nov 1940 approx. 3 miles west of Archerfield Airfield

Gipsy Moth A7-122 (VH-UIQ) of 2 EFTS on 24 Jan 1940 at Archerfield Airfield

 

COMMANDING OFFICERS

DATE COMMANDING OFFICER
06 Nov 39 Flt. Lt. T.C. Curnow
.
10 Jun 40 Sqn. Ldr J. H. Wright
20 Oct 40 Sqn. Ldr. R.C. Philips
.
09 Jun 41 Sqn. Ldr. W.R. Garratt
.
28 Nov 41 Wg. Cdr. G.C. Matthews
.
24 Apr 42 No. 2 EFTS disbanded at Archerfield

Wing Commander "Skipper" Matthews was an ex World War One AFC Pilot.

 

REFERENCE BOOK

Units of the Royal Australian Air Force - A Concise History
Volume 8 - Training Units
Compiled by RAAF Historical Section

 

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This page first produced 2 September 2013

This page last updated 13 January 2020