http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1571
94. Because the
General der Aufklärungflieger required a variant of the
Berta that did not need all the ground equipment of the
Anton, the Arado designers made simple modifications to the B-2 eliminating the recess in the fuselage for the bomb and installing two slightly oblique cameras in the rear fuselage. As long-range missions would require extra fuel in auxiliary tanks, fairings and racks were installed under the engine nacelles. This recce variant, according to Jan Horn, was designated Ar 234 B-2b.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1572
95. This picture and the one above are captioned on p. 117 of Smith & Creek,
Ar 234 Blitz, (Classic, 2022) as:
"Above and below: After being completed as a bomber, it was proposed that the Ar 234 S12, GM+BL, would be transferred to Sagos Gm.b.H. (at Sagan-Küpper) on 21st August 1944 for conversion to a reconnaissance variant. After this was completed, the aircraft was handed over to Horst Gotz of
Kommando Sperling on 22 September 1944 and this became the first B-series aircraft to be flown operationally. It was then remarked T9+GH."
Oblt. Horst Gotz was
staffelkapitän of
1./Versuchsverband der OKL and the aircraft code "T9+GH" (white "9", black "G") was of that unit which was based at Oranienburg. On 27 September, 15:08 - 16:10 hrs., Gotz flew "T9+GH" to
Kommando Sperling's operational base at Rheine, making the first op in a
Berta the next day covering Paris-Riems-St. Quentin-Albert Canal, (Horn,
Des Augen des OKW, Teil 1, (2020), p. 58-59. On 1 October 1944, Gotz was promoted to
Hauptmann.
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96. From 2 to 7 October, Gotz personally flew four more ops in "T9+GH". From the leaves still visible on the deciduous trees, it is likely this photograph was taken in late September or early October 1944. The black "G" can be seen behind the
balkenkreuz. Technicians are removing a film cassette from the aft camera compartment access hatch on top of the rear fuselage.