re:  Air Flow Meter ... basically tells your fuel injection computer
how much air is coming into the engine so it can give you a proper
mixture of fuel and air in the cylinders for an efficent burn

This is correct.  The one in my aircooled model performs its
measurement via deflection of a plate.  This method is almost totally
replaced now by measurement via hot wire although I believe hot wire
systems never made it to Vanagons.  A really good book on how Bosch
Fuel Injection works can be found at
http://www.rb.com/bosch/gfib/gfib.htm  Easy to understand and
recommended. Vanagons have pulsed injection as opposed to continuous
injection.