[John Manrho]

Well my two cents....and I will concentrate on the Staffelführer vs Staffelkapitän.

In my opinion you could be become Staffelkapitän if you had done a "Kapitänslehrgang". It did not matter if you were a (Tr.O) or a (Kr.O), at least I don't think so.

For instance, Hptm. Ewald Trost (POW 1.1.45) was St.Kap. of 2./JG 6. Hptm. Norbert Katz (KIA 1.1.45) was St.Fhr. of 5./JG 6, in spite of being a Truppenoffizier. Both pilots led their Staffeln in the air.

Towards the end of the war you see more and more Staffelführer i.s.o. Staffelkapitäne and they were more often even Lt. i.s.o. Oblt. or Hptm. There was simply a shortage of CO's. I have never seen a Leutnant being Staffelkapitän....

In some cases the Staffelführer did not lead the Staffel in the air....a senior Feldwebel or Oberfeldwebel might lead the Staffel in the air. I have seen examples even of an experienced Oberfeldwebel leading the Gruppe..... Furthermore there were Staffelführer i.V. (in Vertretung) and sometimes even a "stellvertretende" Staffelführer who was not a pilot...!!!. There was simply no officer pilot in the Staffel left! Unit was led in the air by a Oberfeldwebel (he wasn't called a Staffelführer!!!).

regards,

John.