Page 9 - Herbert Benson

Carlstrom Field military airfield, located 6.4 miles southwest of Arcadia, Florida U.S.A

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The 53 Flying Training Detachment exercised Air Corps oversight of the civilian
Flying Instructors, the Riddle Aeronautical Institute. A new facility was built adjacent
to the remains of World War 1 era facilities and Riddle was contracted to train Royal
Air Force pilots and graduated the first class in August 1941.

Carlstrom Field had a very unusual layout, with a compact group of buildings located
inside a circular road, with five hangars located around the southern periphery of the
road. No paved runway was ever built with the flying conducted from the 1-square-
mile grass field.

The aircraft type used for training was PT-17 Stearman biplane trainer.