They do useful things like confirming that the test aircraft's wheels
are down (or up, as the case may be).

When I read the subject heading of your post, I thought you were
talking about WWI French fighters, which went by the name of chase.
Similiarly, U.S. fighters in the inter-war period were called pursuit.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com