[Stig Jarlevik]

Guys

Without making the water more muddy than necessary I believe we have to differentiate between
a) Verbands Stellvertreter
b) Verbands Führer

The way I have understood it

a) was the individual who took over the Staffel/Gruppe/Geschwader leaders role, when ,for some reason, nobody had officially been appointed to this position, while
b) was the individual appointed to lead the unit in the air

I also believe that b was very much up to the intelligence and integrity of a OR the true appointed Kapitän, Kommodore etc. Not really sure what the upper Luftwaffe echolons stated in the matter. Perhaps all this was more or less silent agreement?

Cheers
Stig