Ivan King trained on Course 19 at Falcon Field starting on 8 December 1943 and graduating on 17 June 1944.



Ivan left school at 14 and in 1941 applied to the RAF as he didn't fancy the army. Having passed the flying aptitude tests, he travelled to the USA on the Queen Mary on his way to 4BFTS in Arizona for pilot training. The change from wartime rations in Britain to the rich and unlimited food of Arizona caused him to suffer from acne.



Ivan went to Hollywood and stayed overnight in Bob Hope's house. Bob lent him his car (and his daughter) with instructions to bring both of them safely home.



They used to buy watermelons from the roadside and were supposed to disinfect them before taking them on to the base but as it made them taste horrible they used to smuggle them in on their laps - ice cold! They put their swimming trunks on to eat them as they were so juicy.



Ivan came home to fly Spitfires in defence of his country and also served as a glider pilot.



After the war ended he worked for Players in Nottingham. He was an amateur radio enthusiast and often spoke to people in the States.