Aircraft Commander

[Jim Oxley]

Reading a really good book titled "Target England" by Edmund Blanford. Deals with the Luftwaffe's raids over England throughout the war. Contains many first hand accounts - all from the German side - often following pilots, gunners, bombardiers etc from recruitment through to loss/capture and or survival at war's end. Mostly told from the crews of bombers angle although there are several fighters (no great aces - refreshing) accounts included as well. Excellent read.

A very peculiar thing I have come across though is the aircraft captain. In British, American and Soviet bombers the pilot is the aircraft commander, regardless of rank. However in the Luftwaffe the 'observer/bombardier' is the aircraft commander, the pilot merely the chauffeur.

I wasn't aware of that.

Am wondering if it's a carry over of the role of pilot and observer in the Luftstreitkräfte in the Great War. Then too the observer was the aircraft commander.