Comments by Larry Milberry
Waffenschule 10
To train all future fighter pilots, the Luftwaffe established Waffenschule der Kyftwaffe 10, a unit similar to the RCAF's No. 1 (F) OTU at Chatham. The order to establish WS 10 came on March 21, 1957, from Der Bundesminister der Verteidigung-Abteilubg VI (Luftwaffe). It called for the formation of 1. Staffel Waffenschule 10 at Norvenich. In early April, 45 men were posted to Fassberg to begin setting up the WS 10 maintenance organization. By August, personnel had moved to Oldenburg. Hand-over of the first Sabre 5s to WS 10 took place at "Oldy" on September 9, 1957, with start-up of training set for October 1. In fact, it was November 29 when OTL Wehnelt, the CO, made the unit's inaugural flight. Hereafter activity with the three Staffeln of WS 10 increased. From 15 Sabre 5s in later September 1957, WS 10 grew to 67 Sabres 5s and 25 Sabre 6s by November 22, 1958, the largest of all Luftwaffe Sabre units.
The first WS 10 instructors were 16 pilots from the RCAF under S/L "Duke" Warren. Warren's title was "Chef Kanadisches Beraterteam Waffenschule 10 Fliegerhorst."
His unit was known as the "Canadian Advisory Group". Training priority was given to wartime pilots who, while recruiting for new pilots was going full tilt, were doing refresher training in the US, Canada, and Germany. Many of these "retreads" themselves became instructors as soon as they had completed their refresher courses. The first course of post-war student pilots had begun at Landsberg in March 1957, with the young Luftwaffe trainees flying Piper L-18s and Harvard 4s. They received their wings in May 1958, with nine of them being sent to Oldenburg for Sabre training.
Regular Sabre courses finally began in early 1958 as WS 10, with one new group of students arriving each month. From them would come not only pilots for JG 71, 72, and 73 (all formed at Oldy in 1959-1960), but also the instructor pilots needed by WS 10.
Updated: February 23, 2005