eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

At eBay here is a photo listed by the seller as a Ar 240 and Ju 88 B-0. The Ar 240 has belly landed. No further information is given. Since these are both rare birds I would speculate (F)/ObdL or an associated unit. Can anyone offer further details on these aircraft?


Cheers


Ian

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

The photo is also used in one of the books about KG 200 etc. and/or the one with "Zirkus Rosarius"! IanAllen or Classic? Sorry, I cannot remember the correct title!!!! (Grätz!!!)
h.

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

This is (or was) the Ar240A-04, T9+GL, serving with Versuchsverband der Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe. I did have the name of the unfortunate pilot but not to hand, I'm afraid.

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

Thanks Graham,

According to Gerhard Lang Arado Ar 240, Schiffer, 1996, p. 21 the Ar 240A-04 crashed after being transferred to 2.(F)/122. No date or crew is given.

Ian

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

I believe the aircraft in the photo still carries the T9+GL code, which may simply mean that it hadn't been repainted. However, the presence of the Ju88B is a stronger indication that it was still with the specialist unit. The date is mid-1944.

I haven't got easy access to my files, but was it with 2.(F)/122 that Ar240A-03 crashed in October 1943 in Italy?

This is one of a pair of photos of this accident which appeared in Griehl's Luftwaffe Bombers, but they have been used elsewhere since. They are very useful in showing differences between these late big-wing DB603-engined aircraft and the earlier examples. Assuming the two (A-03/04) really did look the same, of course....

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

Hi

I may have hopefully answered my own question...
Just found the same photo in Kranzhoff's Arado, photo p. 114, explanation p. 116. He states that T9+GL may have been either Ar 240A-04/U2 or Ar 240 V-12 and would become the Ar 240C. The photo dates from March 1944 and is with 3./Erp Gr. ObdL. The photo came from Horst Gotz (also of Ar234 fame), who I think also flew Ju 88 Bs. Given this clear ownership of the photo, this appears trustworthy. The photo was at Oranienburg, so the Ju 88B is probably from same unit.

Thanks
Ian

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

Dr. Krantzhoff's book replaced earlier work on the aircraft, but the most thorough source is Dr. Mankau's series of articles in Flugzeug magazine. Sadly, there appears to be no evidence that the V-12 ever flew (or indeed the V-11). There are some photos of a very interesting mockup, suggesting it would have looked rather different.

Close study of the photos of T9+GL, mainly at Orly when flown by Herr Goetz and published in the Flugzeug profile, show it to have features of being a hybrid of the A-series and C-series, hence the U2 suffix, presumably.

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

Thanks Graham for hopefully tidying this up
Cheers
Ian

Re: eBay photo of Ar 240 and Ju 88B?
 

Photos are in "On Sercet Missions" by Classic Books.