The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-10-12

SELFRIDGE FIELD. Mich,
Oct IL - An Airacobra col
lege' now is in operation at Sell
fridge Field, as the Army Air
Forces capitalizes on teaching
facilities of the Bell Aircraft
Corporation.
Nearly a score of Airacobra
specialists have arrived from the
Bell plant in Niagara Falls N.
Y, 10 give a thorough schooling
in P39 Airacobras to pilots and
ground crews of the 332nd.
Fighter Group. This is the all
Negro Fighter Group. already
oriented TO P-40s and PAS. Its
personnel now become the first
members of their race to handle
the Armys pursuit ship.
Twelve civilian instructors,
the director of Bells field train
ing section. and two Of Bells
service representatives arrived
last week to assist Army teach
ers in the program arranged by
Col. Robert r. Selway, Jr., i'm
cooperation with Arthur Fornoff
and Kenneth Frey of the Bell
Service Department. Also con
curing in the arrangements was
Col A. r DeBolt of the FIRST
Fighter Command, Mitchell
Field. n. Y.
ROUND THE CLOCK
The around -the-clock program
for mechanics and flyers is di-
rected by Colonel Selway, new
~ designated as officer in
charge of training for all First
Fighter Command units station
ed here and at the Oscoda
Mich Army Air Field, a sub
base of Selfridge Field Colonel
Selway commanded the 332nd
from May II, l943, TO Oct 3.
1913, at which time he assumed
his new job.
Selfridge Fields "Airacobra
college most elaborate ever ar
ranged by the Bell Corporation
for the AAF, was set up and OPP
Grating when Colonel Selway
was succeeded as group COM
mander by 1t Col Benjamin O.
Davis Jr. son Of the Brigadier
General.
Colonel Davis. the first Negro
to command the 332nd, last
month returned from overseas
where he led the All-Negro goth
Fighter Squadron in combat
over Tunisia and Sicily His as
Signment TO these new duties is
anothere step in giving the
332nd experienced tutors. In
addition 10 Colonies SelWav and
Davis. both West Point gradu-
ates. and the Bell Corporation
specialists. personnel of the
332nd also are instructed by
members of the 403rd Fighter
Squadron, provisional unit
which includes combat-teSted of
ficers from the Southwest Paci-
fic theater OF war. from the
Aleutians. and from the Medit-
terranean area They are help
ing, too. in the intensive train
ing of the Tooth, 30lSt and 302nd
Fighter Squadrons which form
the 332nd Fighter Group.
NEW PHASE
Very latest in the develop
ments, however, is the start of
the Bell Corporation : phase of
this concentrated training pro-
gram. of which time is the es-
sence. These specialists, also
with combat zone experience.
brought along all sorts of mater
isl TO expedite the program
including training films that
teach ground crews how 10 dis
mantle various parts of the plane
and put them back together
again.
Included in the equipment are
mock up or actual working units
of such structures as the landing
gear. the machine guns. the in
struments and other electrical
units. Built on wheels. the
mock ups are rolled out in front
of class and put into operation
Students then see just what hap
pens when a switch is turned in
the cockpit. Classrooms have
sprung up in nearly every avail
able place. A combination
hangar gymnasium, lined with
bleacher seats, was made into
several classrooms. Each Bell
Corporation instructor stands
on the basketball court with his
Nil HAA /Ho