Crew Chiefs and Ground Crew

[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