Obverse
乙飛17 - 17th B-Class Flight
2604 - 1944
reserve
乙種第十七期 - B-Class [Flight Reserve Trainee] 17th class
飛行豫科練習生 - Flight Reserve Trainee Program (飛行予科練習生/Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) a.k.a. Yokaren (予科練)
卒業記念- Graduation Commemorative
In 1928, a new program was created to enable civilian population to enter the training directly, which was called Flight Reserve Trainee Program (飛行予科練習生 Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) program or Yokaren (予科練) for short. The first class began their training in June 1930. Yokaren program drew from male civilians aged from 15-17 and made the selection through a competitive written exam. Selected candidates then went through three-year training that involved basic education and learning of various naval skills. Due to the increased demand for pilots, the training duration was afterwards shortened to two and a half years during the Second Sino-Japanese war and to two years during the Pacific War. On the other hand, since Sōren program candidates were older and already received basic education in the navy through Kaiheidan (海兵団) units, the program progressed quickly to the actual flight training, thus lasting only about a year in total.
Major changes to the NCO and enlisted programs were made in May 1937. A new program aimed at civilians between age 16-19 was added and named A-Class Flight Reserve Trainee (甲飛行予科練習生 Kō Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) program. Due to the higher education level of candidates at the entry into the program, the training only lasted one year and a half in total (later shortened to one year). To follow suit, the original Yokaren program was renamed to B-Class Flight Reserve Trainee (乙飛行予科練習生 Otsu Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) program, where B-Class indicated the lower age of candidates at the entry compared to A-Class. In October 1940, Sōren was also renamed to C-Class Flight Reserve Trainee (丙飛行予科練習生 Hei Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) to fit into the same system.
Major changes to the NCO and enlisted programs were made in May 1937. A new program aimed at civilians between age 16-19 was added and named A-Class Flight Reserve Trainee (甲飛行予科練習生 Kō Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) program. Due to the higher education level of candidates at the entry into the program, the training only lasted one year and a half in total (later shortened to one year). To follow suit, the original Yokaren program was renamed to B-Class Flight Reserve Trainee (乙飛行予科練習生 Otsu Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) program, where B-Class indicated the lower age of candidates at the entry compared to A-Class. In October 1940, Sōren was also renamed to C-Class Flight Reserve Trainee (丙飛行予科練習生 Hei Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) to fit into the same system.