Re: [WW] Pilots/Navigate/Equipment

[A Voice From the Bewilderness <hercubadger@yahoo.com>]

> A pilot
> who can't find his
> target is rather useless as well.  

Really depends on the pilots role in the squadron.
Early BoB squadrons were making every mistake in the
book, such as flying close formations, so only the
squadron leader was navigating. Everyone else was more
concerned with holding formation, not where they were
going. From reading anedoctal (sp?) reports many
pilots were over their home territory and navigated by
sight. Landmarks were watched for and progress judged
by those. If you were flying escort for the big
multi-engined boys you could just play follow the
leader with them. As long as you didn't completely
lose sight of the big boys you didn't need to navigate
for yourself.  Even in todays air forces there is
still a tendency to FDR (Fly Down Roads) as much as
possible. 

Alternatively, bomber pilots didn't do any navigating
at all if they could help it, There was a designated
navigator role in each crate who did the job (or not
as the case was proven in many a bomber raid. For
example - Lady be Good). With large formations only
the designated squadron navigator and alternative were
forced to navigate for the entire wing. Everyone else
merely played follow the leader.

So not every pilot would have navigate as a skill. Up
to the player really as to how they view their
concept. House rules to cover the absence are
certainly a good idea.

Thanks for the heads up on NCOs flying. I was not
aware of that but it does make sense I suppose.

As an aside, here's a good page for rank comparisons.
http://www.helsinki.fi/~degroot/anglomil.html

Cheers.

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