Major beim Stabe
 

Would the position of Major beim Stabe in a geschwader Stab be held by a pilot or by an officer of any suitable branch.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Re: Major beim Stabe
 

Andy,

these officers were mostly reactivated WW I flyers who had gained huge experience in the industry or in public service during the inter-war years. In fighting the paper war for their much younger Gruppenkommandeure oder Geschwaderkommodores, they were invaluable. More than once, they also acted as coaches for their younger superiors in many aspects of leadership.

Re: Major beim Stabe
 

Hi Kurt,

Many thanks for the reply. So from what you say would I be correct in assuming that individuals filling the position of Major beim Stabe would rarely if ever fly on ops and were basically confined to "flying" a desk.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Re: Major beim Stabe
 

Yep, that's correct, Andy. Most of them were well beyond their forties.

Re: Major beim Stabe
 

Many thanks Kurt.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Re: Major beim Stabe
 

OK Guys

But if it was such a rarity that the good old Major did fly, why did Luftwaffe evolve such a very peculiar marking for the post? Chevron with a double bar is a very distinct marking.

Was that supposed to be a warning not to mix it with a guy who had very little flight training of late?? :D

Cheers
Stig

Re: Major beim Stabe
 

Hi Stig,

That's a very good point.

The following link (Ruy's site) shows the markings Stig's talking about

http://www.xs4all.nl/~rhorta/jgmark.htm

Cheers

Andy Fletcher