Flight Mechanic / Fitter II Conversion Courses (1942/1943)

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Member for

11 years 7 months

Posts: 90

I am trying to track down the course contents for the Flight Mechanic Course and the Fitter II Conversion Course for the period 1942/1943.

Can anyone help out (or point me in the right direction)

Regards

Pete

Original post

Member for

11 years 7 months

Posts: 90

Tony

Thanks for the links; I have managed to obtain some information using the approach that you have suggested but I have not come up with a definitive course content list yet, particularly for the Fitter II Conversion Course.

I was hoping someone had access to training documents from the relevant period which contained the course content and the timescales allocated to each subject.

Regards (and thanks again for your interest)

Pete

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 658

Hi Pete,
I have some note books that belonged to a guy who did the Flight Mechanics training course in 1940, a bit earlier than you were interested in. But dare say it was much the same, covered such things as basic workshop practice, use of measuring equipment, micrometers, verniers etc. Properties / heat treatment of materials, screw threads, trade tests, along with other related studies.

The notes then cover mostly engine related info details of A.S. Jaguar / R.R. Kestrel and their inner workings, along with airfield procedures, packing of spares etc. Course looks to have been from Feb to July 1940, the guy then went on to do further training in Canada.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]236067[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]236068[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]236069[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]236070[/ATTACH]

A few scans attached, can let you have further if this sounds of interest. Cheers, Chris.

Attachments

Member for

11 years 7 months

Posts: 90

Chris

Thanks for the information and the scans; I really enjoy seeing the original hand drawn diagrams and notes as it somehow makes the subject matter more human.

Your details tie in with my current understanding of the Flight Mechanic Course content with the "precision" engineering section, the aero engine section, the components section (propellors etc) and the procedures section. I don't know whether there were others and I am still trying to establish the timescales allocated to each section.

The bigger conundrum is the Fitters II Conversion Course which enabled the Flight Mechanic to progress from a Group II trade to a Group I trade. I do not know if the course covered the same subjects (but in more detail) or whether there was a completely different set of subjects.

Regards (and thanks again)

Pete

Member for

11 years 7 months

Posts: 90

I am just doing some further research on this subject and wondered if anyone could explain the differing roles of a Flight Mechanic (E) and Fitter II (E).

I know the Flight Mechanic was a Group II trade and the Fitter II a Group I trade but I am not clear on the difference in the actual roles.

Also, I am beginning to think that the Fitter II Conversion Course was used to convert Flight Mechanic (E) to Fitter II (A) and vice versa. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I am struggling with this at the moment, so any help would be much appreciated.

Regards

Pete