General question re. Flugbuch

[ju55dk]

The usual style came in many minor versions. The were printed by different firms. The FB wich I have with Fluggast, simply states the names of the crew. It belonged to a pilot. As the war dragged on you can find pilot/crew who simply stopped writing in the FB. I do not know if the Fluggast version is only prewar issue.

The FB entries were made from the Startkladden, made by the unit or home base. Some did all the writing into the FB themselves, others partly, and some let the clerks do it all. Timespan from days up to many month. And sometimes these Startkladden were lost, so an entry were made saying so and so many flights not noted in the FB.

The FB was not as such an officiel document. And they were returned to his family, if he was killed, MIA or POW. You also have to be aware that some FB were Feinflugbuch, only containing operationel flights. Other used a "normal" FB in this way.

Junker

[Tim O.]

Hi All

This is very helpful information.

From my own collection I have examples of 1 book being used and in other cases 4 or 5 Flugbucher to the same person. It seems a matter of personal choice how they were completed. Some seem to include every flight sequentially until the book was completed and then to start a new book. One appears to have had three Flugbucher privately bound into one hard-backed book. Some seem to extract the Feindflug into a separate book. One man has all his training flights in one book and his unit flights in another. In two cases the contents of the soft-backed books are duplicated in hard-back copies.

I have only one book showing a column for Fluggast and in that case this is the only book I have for that man. He only records flights with his unit in this book. I unfortunately have no record of his training flights away from the unit. This particular man flew from September 1940 with 2./KGr126, then briefly with 2.KG 28, then with 2./KG 53, 11./KG 53, 5./KG53, back to 11./KG53 and from July 1943 to March 1945 with 5./Minensuchgruppe 1, moving to 1./Minensuchgruppe 1 until the end of the war. His Soldbuch shows he was at Fluzeugfuhrerschule Schonwald from Sep to Nov 1939 and Kampffliegerschule Fassberg in Feb 1940. From Feb to Sept 1940 he was with the Erganzungsstaffel of KG3 and Ausbildungsstaffel of KG 40.

The various soft-back Flugbucher I own have covers in blue, black, orange, brown, etc.; hard backs I have are only in black.

It is interesting to talk about a subject not normally discussed.

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Hi All,

The military version of the Flugbuch had the third column as Begleiter. The civilian version (DVL) had the third column as Fluggast.

It depended when and were the individual started their flying career (civilian before 1939 or military). Most of the time they completed the first Flugbuch before starting a new one. Even when switching from civilian life to military flying. It was always a matter of personal preference of the individual what Flugbuch to use. There was never a requirement by the military to maintain a Flugbuch. All the data was actually collected in the Bordtagebuch (Aircraft Log). Additionally a Lebenslaufakte (Permanent aircraft record) was maintained by the unit.

Additionally I think too much emphasis is placed here on the two words Fluggast vs. Begleiter. I would suggest to look at the bigger picture. If the person was indeed conducting military missions then the person listed in this column was considered the Begleiter (Beobachter, Bordfunker, Bordschütze, Bordwart e.t.c.) or other required crewmember vs. an optional person like a Fluggast.

Hopefully I did not further muddy the issue with my comment.

Regards,
Norbert

[bill norman]

Junker, Norbert,
Thank you for your informative replies. However, one issue still remains to be clarified. I am informed by the current owner of the FB that the wartime compiler of the FB seemingly had no flying badges. None of the photographs (taken during 1941-42, when he flying on war ops.)) of the wartime owner of the FB shows him wearing flying badges. This suggests that he either was non-qualified in any of the air trades (and yet he flew war flights on a regular basis) OR that he was qualified but he chose not to wear his badges. Personally, I find the latter improbable. Anybody have any views on this? Or perhaps an explanation?

Bill Norman

[Tim O.]

Originally Posted by Norbert Schuchbauer

Hi All,

The military version of the Flugbuch had the third column as Begleiter. The civilian version (DVL) had the third column as Fluggast.

It depended when and were the individual started their flying career (civilian before 1939 or military). Most of the time they completed the first Flugbuch before starting a new one. Even when switching from civilian life to military flying. It was always a matter of personal preference of the individual what Flugbuch to use. There was never a requirement by the military to maintain a Flugbuch. All the data was actually collected in the Bordtagebuch (Aircraft Log). Additionally a Lebenslaufakte (Permanent aircraft record) was maintained by the unit.

Additionally I think too much emphasis is placed here on the two words Fluggast vs. Begleiter. I would suggest to look at the bigger picture. If the person was indeed conducting military missions then the person listed in this column was considered the Begleiter (Beobachter, Bordfunker, Bordschütze, Bordwart e.t.c.) or other required crewmember vs. an optional person like a Fluggast.

Hopefully I did not further muddy the issue with my comment.

Regards,
Norbert

Hi Norbert

Would there be any relevance if a crew member held a reserve rank rather than being a professional soldier? I note the Flugbuch I have mentioning 'Fluggast' is to an Oberfeldwebel der Reserve.

Best wishes
Tim O.

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Hi Tim,
I do no think it makes a difference. Reserve or active duty, all good flying time to log.

Hi Bill,
Well this is interesting! Could he be a Kriegsberichterstatter? (War time correspondent)

Regards,
Norbert

[bill norman]

Norbert,
I was beginning to think along similar lines. Would a war correspondent have identifiying insignia relating to his occupation, I wonder?

Regards,
Bill N

[Tim O.]

Hi Bill

There was a Kriegsberichter cuff band but I am not sure when it was worn.

[bill norman]

Tim,
That is interesting!

Bill

[Paul Thompson]

Hello Bill,

I have sent you a PM.

Paul