In May, also, the Armament School opened at Hamilton, and relieved the School of Aerial Gunnery of giving elementary instruction after pupils had already learned to fly.
During June a fourth squadron was added to train observers exclusively, enabling the School to adopt the ideal principle of giving all pilot cadets synchronized gear and camera gun training, and all observer cadets instruction in Lewis and turret camera guns, the sequence being as follows:—
1. 1 hour dual camera gun—12 pictures of silhouette taken by diving on it from behind.
2. 1 hour dual, with pictures of a target machine in the air, allowing for speed of 100 m.p.h. and necessary deflection.
3. Dual, on C.C. gear (instructor in back seat) diving at angle of 60° to 45° at silhouettes in Lake Ontario, 200 rounds or one hour.
4. Dual, 1 hour or at least 60 rounds with gun stoppages. This determines the pupil’s proficiency in clearing jambs.
5. Dual, enfiling with C.C. gear, 200 rounds diving from 1,000 to 100 feet at dummy trench in Lake Ontario.
During all firing over the water, observations are taken from a watch tower, and a complete report of all results is compiled.
There follows then another 4 hours’ dual, after which the pupil goes solo and repeats all he has previously done under the watchful eye of his instructor.
Arriving at the final instructional squadron, there ensues an ultimate 4 hours’ dual work before the nearly graduated pilot is asked to do one spiral, two vertical banks, three loops, four Immelmann turns, five half-rolls and six complete rolls. During all this time he is equipped with a camera gun, and expected to manoeuvre into a position favorable for attacking another machine, simultaneously avoiding being photographed himself by an opponent.