To make formation bombing work, the wings needed well-coordinated teams of pilot, navigator, and bombardier, and these had to be developed. To that end, VIII Bomber Command directed the establishment of special “lead crews” in each squadron at each station. Squadrons had to identify their best bombardiers and they joined with a specially selected navigator. These lead crews alone would be responsible for identifying the target, leading the unit on the bomb run, locating the release point, and giving the order to release; and the lead crew pilot was chosen for his ability to fly smoothly and make changes gradually to keep formation together. Only three other planes in each group — one wingman of the lead plane and the leaders of the high and low squadrons — carried bombsights, in case the leader was shot down. The mission of the other crews was to stay in tight defensive formations and release when the leader released.
