Sonderfuhrer in luftwaffe service .

[schnellmeyer]

Were Sonderfuhrers also trained like regular flight crews when going on flight missions ? I know Sonderfuhrer had special functions on aircraft such as cameramen , reporters ..etc ....
But should their aircraft be attacked did they then man the MG's ?

[hanshauprich]

Remember an Sonderführer Z, served with KG 40, was qualified as Gunner (MG 15).

[schnellmeyer]

Thanks for your help hanshauprich , I have a good photo of a Sonderfuhrer and on his left breast pocket he is wearing the "Aircrew's " badge , so he must have some flight qualification to get this award .

[Ian Jewison]

I would imagine they received formal training for their role. I have a couple of Sonderführer Soldbuch's who are both Iron Cross 1st Class winners and both with Propaganda Companies attached to fighter and bomber units.

One also was an airgunner in a Stuka during the Crete campaign and an airgunner with KG 76 whilst in the Mediterranean qualifying for the Spange in Gold, which meant he had done at least 110 combat missions!

/Ian

[schnellmeyer]

Thanks for your imput Ian . The guy in my photo did over 70 missions and was a EK1 holder also . I just wanted to be sure that these guys did more than take photos and do propaganda .