This is an example of the very rare 4-jet (BMW003) Arado Ar234C-3 W.Nr.250006:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rDk4gafy-Hg/Sz...r-234C-3_3.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rDk4gafy-Hg/Sz...r-234C-3_2.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rDk4gafy-Hg/Sz...r-234C-3_1.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rDk4gafy-Hg/Sz...r-234C-3_0.jpg
Originals can be found in Smith&Creek´s "Arado 234 Blitz Monarch-1" [Monogram 1992] volume.
Can somebody answer my questions as follows:
- Is this indeed München-Riem airfield? The characteristical destroyed airport buildings with the concrete taxi areas in fron of it are totally missing; instead of it a smooth hilly forested horizon with some buildings.
- Is it possible the US officer with cap and bright shirt is Colonel Harold E.Watson? Watson was in Riem picking up Me262A-1a "Yellow 5" from 3./KG(J)3 W.Nr.501232. He also examined Do335A-0 240105, confirmed by some photographs with an officer with cap and bright shirt standing on its wing with the same pose, surronded by obviously the same men as standing round 250006. 240105 is confirmed having been found at Riem airfield standing shrapnelled in an air shelter. On the pics of 501232 Watson is wearing the same uniform, but the photo is sharp enough to recognize him
- If yes, why wasn´t this unique 4-jet joining Watson´s "Whizzers"? Because of engine damage - watch the bullet holes on one pic?
- Are there any reports about 250006 in Watson´s shopping list and do we know how this jet managed to get to this airfield?
- Is it possible that 250006 came along 501232 from Prague-Ruzyne? The other possibility is it was flown by test pilot Dambach from Burg via Oberwiesenfeld, Lechfeld to the Neubiberg/Riem area. Dambach recalls it as being Ar234V19 which may be wrong...
- Anybody knows why the US left this 4-jet - the fastest Ar234 variant btw- on a scrap pile at Riem
http://cgi.ebay.de/Foto-Ar-234-B-Ar2...item439f04e5b1
whereas the Soviets shipped some forty semi-completed Ar234Cs from Alt-Lönnewitz to the USSR?
Many questions, no answers up to now. Maybe one of you has the decisive information - thanks in advance
Regards
Roland