The Mistel composite design was piloted from a regular Luftwaffe single-seat fighter used as the "upper component" forming the guidance system, mounted as an integral parasite aircraft, as the only manned part, mounted atop the unmanned, shaped charge-nosed "expendable lower component" of the Mistel aircraft system, as in its target dive, the single-seat pilot released the lower, unmanned flying bomb component aircraft towards its target, while the upper component, manned fighter "guidance component" returned to base.
The Mistel composite design was initially flown from a standard Luftwaffe single-seat fighter used as the "upper component" forming the guidance system, mounted as an integral parasite aircraft, with the only manned part being the pilot in the upper component, which released the unmanned lower component towards its target while returning to base.