Page 10 - Aerospace Valley Heritage - Aerotech News and Review, October 15, 2021

Hidden History
Lancaster’s War Eagle Field:

Home of Polaris Flight Academy and No. 2 B.F.T.S.

by Bob Alvis and traveled to the United States with about six issues from the early
special to Aerotech News to train under the innovative provi- years of Polaris. It came at a high cost
sions of the Lend-Lease Act. Many — and yes, it did come from a private
When we talk aviation history of those young men came to our collection in England — but it’s been
here in the Antelope Valley, the term town of Lancaster to do their best to invaluable in painting the picture of
“Aerospace Valley” evokes the spirit earn their pilot’s wings. They would British flight operations here in the
and character of many things that fly then make their way back to Eng- Antelope Valley.
in our skies on any given day. land to family and friends, joining in So the joy in having such a resource
Today when we hear a jet engine the fight to save their country from is that now I have the ability to let you
wind up and afterburners push air- becoming another victim of an Axis read the words of the Cadet Com-
frames into the blue, we just take it bent on world domination. mander on the occasion of their one
for granted and enjoy the momen- In 1941, the first class of British year anniversary at War Eagle Field,
tary distraction from our everyday Airmen made their way to the fresh- including his thoughts about the war,
chores as we go about our business. ly-built War Eagle Field, out on the England, and their new-found friends
But over the years, we have trav- west side at present day 60th Street in America, including the citizens of
eled light years from the early days West and Avenue I. The program the Antelope Valley.
of aviation and flight test in the High that came to be known as the Po- Here is an excerpt from the article
Desert. laris Flight Academy began as No. titled Anniversary:
For Antelope Valley residents of 2 B.F.T.S. (British Flying Training “A year ago, on a bright California
yesteryear, the sounds were a lot dif- School). morning, two men, Flight Instructor
ferent and the glances to the skies Over the years, as I’ve slowly “Bud” Ernst and L.A.C. Hubbard,
were sometimes motived by worry collected the necessary documents, Royal Air Force, climbed into the Courtesy photograph
as much as enjoyment. But at other books and interviews to produce a cockpit of a Stearman primary train- Oh, the stories and history that walked through that entry portal during World
War II, at Avenue I and 60th Street West....
times it would make one think of a book about our famous little field, ing plane and at 7:30 that June morn-
land far away and the families of I was made aware of a field publi- ing took off and No. 2 B.F.T.S. was in
those whose loved ones were making cation called Salute, produced by action. Seventeen days, or nine hours nessed the entry of the United States eventually reached the stormy seas of
all the racket. That was just a part of the cadet students-in-training. It was and forty-five minutes of dual instruc- into the war; a year that has been flying training in Lancaster and has
everyday life in the Antelope Valley printed up by the old newspaper stan- tion later, Polaris’ first British solo stu- disastrous in many respects for the spilled forth ready for the wilder wa-
during World War II. dard of the Antelope Valley, the Led- dent was airborne. United Nations and finally, a year that ters of combat.
Many of you already know of the ger Gazette. Over time my search for “Time has marched on and another has seen No. 2 B.F.T.S. emerge as a “The year as been more than a suc-
Royal Air Force Cadets who left this much desired publication was suc- June is here. A turbulent year has been well-coordinated, efficient training
their war-torn country of England cessful, in the form of a bound copy entered in the record: a year that wit- machine. A stream of U/T Pilots has See WAR EAGLE, Page 11

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