User talk:Sgaustin

I added information to the 411 Squadron page that I received via email from my father Richard Austin who was a member of the squadron from 1952 until 1962. I didn't know how to properly cite it. Here is the text of the email if anyone is interested:

Hi Simon, I was in the reserve R.C.A.F. from 1952 until 1962. I joined up after grade 10 for a summer job and became an aircraftsmen 2nd class. I stayed on and after a year became a L.A.C.(Leading aircraftsment). During grade 12 the C.O noticed me playing ping pong at break and never losing. He called me upstairs and asked me if I wanted to become a pilot. I nearly fell over and said I didn't know. During grade 13 I decided I wanted to go to university and that would be a good way for me to work for a year and get enough money to go. I began training in July, 1955 and graduated 15 months later in a slightly speeded up course. I started uni I month late in October,1956. 411 (fighter) squadron were then flying Harvards, T-33 and Sabre jets. In my training I flew the Chipmunk and Harvard piston engine trainers. The last four months I trained on T-33 jets. I desperately wanted to fly the Sabre jet since it was supersonic in a dive and a much more powerful than the T-33. However only the more experienced pilots were allowed to do that. The T-33 was a pleasure to fly and I remember going from Toronto to the U.W.O. campus in fifteen minutes and buzzing the playing field where some friends were practicing. In the fall of 1958 411 switched to being a light transport squadron and I flew the Expediter(C-45), a twin engine(piston) plane until 1962 when I moved to Barrie and quit the squadron. I was persuaded to rejoin in 1967 and flew the single engine Otter for one year but it was too hard for me to commute to Downsview airport and left after one year. The Otter was a short take off and landing aircraft and could be tricky to handle at times. Flying paid my way through university. I had no debt when I finished and I owned a new VW bug.

Love

Dad

Sgaustin (talk) 15:43, 22 March 2011 (UTC)