Analysing survival rates among Luftwaffe air crew in 'Steinbock' and other operations

[Simon Trew]

And re the Exbury Junkers (18 April), John Stanley, who seems to have investigated the matter closely, concludes (p.86 of his book on the incident) that the reason was "a compass malfunction, which had caused it to stray wildly off course." He notes that the evidence suggests that the plane flew off course from the moment it took off from Avord (p.83). He discounts 'meaconing'.

If he's right, the implication would be that the crew flew in ignorance of the problem, but in good faith. I don't know the degree to which crew experience or inexperience would matter in such a case?

Simon