By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2023
During World War II, the need for air power required pilots, and flight schools sprang up throughout the United States.
Located in Douglas, Georgia, the WWII Flight Training Museum is a memorial of the 63rd Flight Training Detachment. The museum has been restored and is the most intact, complete, and original WWII flight training school left in the United States.
The airfield was part of the South Georgia College’s Pilot Training Program run by the Raymond-Richardson Aviation School. The school then began training Army Air Corps pilots between 1941 and 1944 under the supervision of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
The WWII Flight Training Base trained over 7,000 cadets in the 9-week basic flight training in the PT-17 Stearman Biplane Trainer aircraft. After basic training in Douglas, the pilots went on to other bases for advanced training to become fighter, bomber, or transport pilots.
Stearman Instructors Flight Uniform – Photo: Friedrich Seiltgen
Thirteen of the original buildings are intact, and the museum is in a former barracks building. The base had several barracks, a canteen with recreation rooms, a mess hall, a LINK trainer building that housed the simulators, and a hospital.
Photo: Friedrich Seiltgen
Cadets from the 63rd Flying Training Detachment flew in every theater of war, and some made the ultimate sacrifice, such as Major Charles Loring, who was awarded the Medal of Honor.
The museum exhibits include a collection of warbird memorabilia, war period artifacts, and presentations.
During WWII, three hangars were used for aircraft maintenance, with many mechanics being women. One of the hangars was later destroyed by fire in the 1990s. Currently, these hangars are used for storage and restoration of vintage aircraft.
In December 1944, the airbase was returned to Douglas as a civilian airport. The buildings later housed a major league spring training camp, South Georgia College instructor housing, and government offices.
Today, the museum tells the story of the men who volunteered to fly into battle during World War II.
To learn more, visit www.wwii flighttraining.org
Georgia WWII Heritage Trail
The WWII flight training museum is one of 10 sites featured on the Georgia WWII Heritage Trail. The trail documents how Georgians rose to the challenge and did their part to defend freedom and democracy.
To learn more, visit www.georgiawwiitrail.org.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism Counter Strategies, Firearms, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, Floridajolt.com, Off Grid Soldier of Fortune, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.
Contact him at [email protected]