Could an automatic tension-wire device replace the third crew member in a British torpedo bomber?
Short answerNo; each crew member performed essential navigation, observation, communications, and defensive tasks that contemporary electronics could not automate.
NotesThe observer navigated and studied the enemy fleet while the telegraphist-air-gunner handled radio traffic and rear defense. The pilot already had to fly the aircraft and watch the forward sector. A large reconnaissance and strike aircraft lacked radar, automated navigation, and modern electronic warning systems, so human eyes supplied its awareness. Removing a crew member to save space would discard an essential function rather than eliminate redundant weight.