German groundcrew during the Berlin Airlift

Aircraft maintenance was essential during the Berlin Airlift. British and US transport aircraft were flying long hours under difficult conditions, carrying heavy loads to a tight schedule. To keep the aircraft flying, the US Air Force turned to an untapped resource: the many highly-skilled ex-Luftwaffe ground crew then available in Germany. A Luftwaffe officer, Hans Detlev von Rohden, played an important part in recruiting suitable mechanics and in arranging for English-language manuals to be translated into German. Once this was done, and as the Germans became increasingly familiar with the aircraft, they made an important contribution to the Airlift.