Military. A person responsible for observation; spec. (a) a person carried in an aeroplane, or (formerly) in a balloon, to observe enemy positions…

Usually with capital initial. In the First World War (1914–18): a German, esp. a German soldier.

A gunner in a military aircraft.

(a) a person who aims bombs launched or dropped from an aircraft; (b) = bomber, n. 2.

A member of an aircraft crew who operates a gun. Cf. aerial, adj., air gunner, n.

a member of the crew of a military aircraft who operates a gun from a compartment or turret at the rear of the aircraft.

spec. A bomb-aimer in an aircraft. U.S.

= rear gunner n. at rear, adj.2 n.2compounds 2 (and adj.1) 9.

a tail-gunner; the last aircraft in a flying formation (Services' colloquial); also transferred and figurative, one who comes last or behind, a…

a tail-gunner; the last aircraft in a flying formation; = tail-end Charlie n. at tail-end, n. compounds.