German Arado 234B Jet Bomber

Having just finished reading the article entitled "Arado 234 Archetype of Jet-Powered Bombers" in the September 2008 newsstand copy of AVIATION HISTORY, I have a question for the AAF Vets of 1944-1945 who were in the ETO.  Does anyone have any recollection of having seen or heard about this basic jet propulsion bomber platform (or are there any notes, logs or memoirs from family/friends of Vets)?   For those of you who may not have access to AH, I've included an excerpt about a handful of actual missions, the first one having to do with a photo-recon mission and the second with an actual bombing run in support of a German ground offensive. 

"Several recon missions were completed from various bases throughout Germany and occupied territories. The Ar-234 was one of the few, if not the only, aircraft capable of supplying German commanders with photos of the Normandy beaches.  On August 2, 1944, an Ar234B-1 took off from Juvincourt near Reims, France to photograph the harbor being built by the Allies at Arromanches.  Flying above 32,000 feet at more than 460 mph, the Arado went undetected.  Within the next three weeks, two aircrafts flew 13 recon missions without Allied interference. (pp.54-55)  The bomber version also achieved modest results.  Ar234B-2 from Kampfgeschwader 76 took part in the Ardennes offensive delivering limited ordnance.  During WWII the Arado Alt Lonnewitz factory in Saxony built a total of 274 Ar-234's." (p. 55)

Hopefully with this bit of background, there might be some takers on the Site.  Could you imagine what this might have looked like to the Allies:  several Arados in formation being escorted by ME-262's?  Best Regards!  Steven


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Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Steven -
On 4/11/45 , 2 P-51 Pilots from the 52d FG
Shot Down an AR 234 Over Italy.
Mike

Hope this helps:

I have read quite a few accounts of Arados being caught slipping into and out of their aerodromes, being a favourite tactic against the 262 and 234's, so much so that the Luftwaffe set up special flight-path traps over woods packed with AA guns.
You should find a few accounts here, as the Tempest with its incredible speed and acceleration was often at the forefront of attacks on the German jets
http://www.hawkertempest.se/index.htm

the most effective role for the Aradao 234A and B was in the recon role which it was very successful in.  and because of that it was only first encountered in reports on 21 November of 44.  The bomber unit(s) with the Arado still had been building up in numbers even into December of 44 in KG 76.  Several missions flown in December with 8 Arados'  the first night bombing mission was with 4 Arado's on the first of January 45 and although designated as a bomber mission it was in fact to report on the weather for the expected Bodenplatte fiasco during the day by the LW's fighter gruppen.  to show just how limited the Arado 234 was used note the quartermaster generals lsiting for the 10th of January 45

9./KG 76 had 12 Arados
Kommando Sperling (Recon) had 4 Arados
Kommando Hecht (Recon) had 4 Arado's

one of the busiest activities was the recon/bombing of Remagen bridge by both Arado 234's and Me 262's in March of 45.  Don Bryan of the 352nd fg finally got his jet when he trailed an Arado on a bombing run, flew under the bridge and through countless turns caught the jet and shot it down.  Friend Robert Barnhart of the 356th fg also picked up a Arado 234 and shot it down on March 18, 1945.

E ~

Nur die jenigen, die man vergisst, sind wirklich tot

Erich und Harry,   Thanks for the posts!  What I've read since the other day seems to confirm that photo recon seemed to have been their strong  suit.  Also found this "blurb" for the attached artist print.  Best Regards!  Steven
 
Situation:   Captain Don Bryan of the 328th FS, 352nd FG rolls out behind an Arado 234B-2 "Blitz" bomber flown by Hauptman Hirshberger of 6 Kampfgeschwader 76. The action took place on the afternoon of March 14, 1945. While returning from escorting B-26 and A-26 medium bombers, Bryan spotted the AR-234 making a bombing run on the pontoon bridge at Remagen. To compensate for the jet’s superior speed, Capt. Bryan positioned his P-51 Mustang so that the German would have to fly toward him after his attack This Arado was Bryan’s 13th and final air-to-air victory of WWII.

 
 


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Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

I believe there is a photo in the biography of George Preddy taken from some of his gun camera footage taken during a straifing run on a German air field.  As I recall, the caption calls out he was missing the prize target at the airfield which was an AR 234 which is visible in the background of the photo parked inside a hanger.
 
Marty

Willowrun

I had the pleasure of interviewing Don Bryan at length about his Arado 234 eno****ers of which he had 4.

first one he could not remember the date officially but it was either in September or October of 44.  first thought it was an A-26, and as he put it, it was an A-26 with no props and flying like hell.

Second one as soon as he saw it, he swooped down but it kept flying onward as Don could not catch it.

third one, he saw dove down and behind fired at 800 yards and observed one strike, but not apparent on the gun film - date is December 31, 1944 he thought.

the Fourth one of course is covered in friend Troy Whites painting, Don was heading out west while the Arado crossed him going south.  Don turned for the chase, but the jet pilot banked right and then "walked away", then made another right turn move going north towards Remagen brdige, made a bombing pass, pulled up with Don hot on him, under about 1000 feet.  Don rolled on his back and did a 275 degree slide and swung up and watched the Arado as he closed the gap to 50-100 yards range.  Pulled in and behind and at 200 yards gave him a burst which knocked out both engines.  The LW a/c kept flying and Don pursued followed by the 352nd fg and another 9th AF P-47 fg.  "Well I wasn't going to let anyone bag this one, so I followed him until he finally all at once rolled over and in so doing his canopy popped off but the pilot didn't bail.  He went straight in.  I followed down to tree top level and pulled 8 g's over the trees ........ Laughing."

Don was flying P-51K -5NT  coded PE*J.  His usual craft, "Little One", PE*B was destroyed at Asch on 1-1-45 by JG 11 fighters.

E ~

Nur die jenigen, die man vergisst, sind wirklich tot

Erich,   Fascinating details from your conversation with Don Bryant!  Those are the encounters, though few and far between, which add so much to what we read and see, as, in this instance, fleshing out the "blurb" on Troy White's painting.  Again, many thanks for sharing this with the Site Members!  Best Regards!  Steven

Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Marty, Where would this photo be found and are the details such that the Ar-234 is viewable?  Curious about it!  Best Regards!  Steven

Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Steven Preddy's may have been in the fall of 44 like Don's first/second encounter as it is noted in my data that the 352nd fg went down to investigate a LW A/F and found Ar's parked.

the CO of the 352nd fg, Meyer was the first to score agasint the Ar 234, the other kill was Don B's.

the 8th AF in my totalshad claims for 12 Are 234's.  For the 9th Af - ?  and combined RAF/RCAF - ?, as this is where Harry's mentioned web-site would come in handy by the Ar units did report both Tempests and Spitfires giving them a headache

E ~

Nur die jenigen, die man vergisst, sind wirklich tot

Steven     the photo Marty refers to is on p. 126 of Joe and Sam's "George Preddy top Mustang ace" ; there are actually 2 Arados in the hangar with Me.110s and Ju.88s outside ( a still from Preddy's gun camera ).
They may have been 2 assigned to the reconnaissance Kommandos ( Sperling and Hecht) later.   Nick

Nick,   Thanks for the assist!  Will look it up!  I had also seen a photo, can't remember where, of a cave in Juvincourt which is still open to the public today which had housed Ar-234's.  I had seen the photo, among many, while doing a google search.  Best Regards!  Steven

Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Found this pic on line with a one line blurb and no link to further information.  Since I've become interested in the Arado 234, I've done a lot of searching around, but had not seen this pic.  Anyone out there know anything about it?  Best Regards!  Steven

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Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Steven         I think this COULD well be Denmark (maybe Schleswig-Holstein) ;the notice says "No smoking" in German and I'm pretty sure the same underneath in Danish (but possibly mis-spelt slightly by the Germans).
The troops are British, if that's a "42" on the back of the trailer it's the Arm-of-Service number of a Royal Artillery Regt. and the chap at rear has a paratrooper's helmet. They would be from 21st Army Group which drove north-east towards Bremen, Hamburg, Kiel and Denmark (my father-in-law was with them in 43 Div. ). They may be waiting for transport home(note others lounging at rear of hangar).

There was a Luftwaffe recon. unit in Denmark ( AufKlaGr.33 ) in April-May 1945 with a few 234s and Ju.188s; they were subordinate to Luftwaffe General Denmark. For the record their unit code was "H8".          Just a thought................Nick

Nick,  Good evening from across "the Pond!" Thanks for the info.  I don't know really what my "current fascination" is with the Arado, but I've found my reading and research interesting, to say the least.  All is well at GM (FO) WR.  Best Regards!  Steven

Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Steven here is the same photo.  I lighten it up a little for a better view hopefully for you.


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Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

I can confirm that the text is - misspelled - but Danish. Correct spelling would have been "rygning forbudt" ("rökning" is Swedish). There were a small number of Arado 234's on Fliegerhorst Grove in Denmark on 5 May 1945.

Mikkel

Mikkel Plannthin


There were a small number of Arado 234's on Fliegerhorst Grove in Denmark on 5 May 1945.

Mikkel

Mikkel,  Out of curiosity, were there any "parts of" or remnants left of any of these??  They were definitely ahead of their time for aerial combat in the latter part of WW II.  Best Regards!  Steven

Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Steve,
I have to admit, that I do not know. They were transported to England and (I think) USA for testing.

Regards
Mikkel

I believe there are still parts of one or more AR 234's in a river at one of the eastern US Naval bases where they were dumped after being tested by the US military. 
Marty

To my knowlege, only two captured Arado AR-234 B-2's were brought back by boat to the USA from Melun, France for testing at Freeman Field as part of Operation Lusty.  One of these was given US registration FE 1010 during its first test flights at Melun, but it was given new registration T2-1010 when it had arrived in the USA.  Only one of these AR-234's survives today and is currently on display in the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum in Washington.  The second Arado 234 was on display as a gate guard at a naval air station up until the early 1950's when a new base commander had it removed and bulldozed into the ground.  Not sure which naval station this was or who the base commander was that ordered its destruction. 

Best regards,

Jim

We had a speaker at our World War II Roundtable who saw a ME 262 fly over them in combat.

He said the troops were speechless, they had never seen anything like it before and it took their breath away for a couple of minutes.

He only lives a few miles from our home, he is the only individual I know who saw one in combat. As I said he said the Americans were speechless on the ground. 

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Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

Gregg,   Great pics especially the first one!  Although this thread is about the Arado 234B, it ties in well to the "birth, as it were, of the era of jet propulsion."  If you go to the "search forum" and plug in "ME 262." it will bring up several threads on this Site with interesting info.  In fact, I believe you have a post there on one of them.  You might want to "cut-n-paste" this one there too for continuity (my favorite trick to save time).  Like the gentleman about whom you spoke, I probably would have also been in awe both by the sound and an "A/C without a prop!!!"  Best Regards!  Steven   

Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

The Museum that has this beautiful ME 262 had a German Doctor stop one night to see their ME 262.

He was a former pilot of a ME 262. They got him to come down to the museum and they made a DVD of their interview with him. 

I purchased a copy of his DVD interview and it was something to hear him tell his stories and explain the handling of the jets compared to the Props he flew.

He started flying as a Guilder pilot and when  on to fly their ME 262. 

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942