No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School RAAF
No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilot training unit that operated during World War II. It was one of twelve elementary flying training schools employed by the RAAF to provide introductory flight instruction to new pilots as part of Australia's contribution to the Empire Air Training Scheme. No. 11 EFTS was established in June 1941 at Benalla, Victoria, and operated Tiger Moths and Wackett Trainers during the war. It ceased training in July 1945 after almost 3,000 students had passed through, and was re-formed as Care and Maintenance Unit (CMU) Benalla in February 1946. CMU Benalla was disbanded in October 1948.
Student pilot preparing to board a Wackett Trainer at No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School in Benalla, Victoria, c. 1942
Instructor and trainee of No. 11 EFTS, c. 1944
Instructors and students of No. 11 EFTS with their Tiger Moth training aircraft, c. 1944
The CAC Wackett Trainer was the first aircraft type designed in-house by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation of Australia. The name was derived from its designer Lawrence Wackett. "In acknowledgement of the CAC Manager's enormous contribution, the RAAF were to call the aircraft the Wackett Trainer"
CAC Wackett
VH-BEC on display at the Central Australian Aviation Museum, 2015