Frank Oakley trained at Falcon Field starting on Course 14 on 17 January 1943 and graduating with Course 15 on 1 October 1943.



A humble and unassuming lad from Northumberland, Frank never expected to become a pilot, far less fly the legendary Spitfire. When he was aged 8, his father died from the after-effects of World War 1 gas, leaving his mother to bring up six children during the Depression of the 1930s. Frank had to give up his place at Grammar School because his mother could not afford the necessary uniform and books. Nevertheless, the RAF considered him fit to train as a pilot and in December 1942, he crossed the Atlantic for the adventure of his life in Arizona at Falcon Field.



Beginning with Course 14, he unfortunately caught a respiratory infection, “Valley Fever”, and eventually gained his wings with Course 15, graduating with US, Chinese and British cadets at Williams Field.



Like many servicemen, besides studying hard, Frank made the best of his time in the USA, visiting Hollywood, where he met and obtained the autograph of movie, theatre, and radio stars, including Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, Eve Arden, Basil Rathbone, and many others. A signed photo exists of him and his friends at Florentine’s nightclub. He also visited the Grand Canyon and San Francisco.



By the end of the war, he was flying Spitfires, dive bombing rocket launch sites in the Netherlands. The Falcon Field Association brought him much delight later in his life, as he was able to re-unite many times with former colleagues, and even his instructor, at reunions in the UK and Arizona. He was accompanied to these by his wife, Anne, the sweetheart to whom he wrote many letters from Falcon Field. These are now a treasured family possession, along with the many photographs and mementoes from his time in America.

Flying Record:

4BFTS, (PT17 Stearmans, AT6 Harvards) 1943

124 ‘Baroda’ Squadron RAF (Mk IX Spitfires) 1944-5