Crew Chiefs and Ground Crew

[Franek Grabowski]

I think you misunderstood the text, though I admit I need to read it carefully. There was the 1st line of maintenance attached to Staffeln per the article. Within Allied forces 2nd and 3rd lines of maintenance were separate. Alas, organisation varied, and in 2 TAF flying units consisted flying personnel only. Groundcrew were attached to Airfields.
Franek

[Broncazonk]

Originally Posted by Franek Grabowski

I think you misunderstood the text, though I admit I need to read it carefully. There was the 1st line of maintenance attached to Staffeln per the article.
Franek

Yep. For the key clarification: See the very bottom of Page 8 and the very top of Page 9.

So this makes me wonder, was a Crew Chief in a Luftwaffe Gruppen at the same level (technical and mechanical mastery) as an USAAF Crew Chief--I think not. They were never allowed to get that way. (The best men were sent up one or two levels.)

Also, the average life expectancy of a Me 109 or FW 190 from late 1943 onward was only three or four missions so a very small percentage of aircraft engines and airframes were ever overhauled. Rebuilt: Yes. Overhauled: Almost never.

READ the very bottom of Page 13 and the top of Page 14!!

So still unanswered: how many ground crew were assigned to each aircraft? Were they assigned to a specific aircraft so they got to know the plane and pilot?

Bronc