Watson´s Whizzers and Ar234C-3 W.Nr.250006

[RolandF]

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

[Karl]

Hello Roland,

WNr 250 006 was transfered from Lechfeld to Riem on 26th of April ´45 by Fliegerhauptingenieur Strobl. The same day,Oberleutnant Abels, pilot of the second four engined Ar234 crashed to his death during taking off at Lechfeld, probably due to engine failure.
Source: Beauvais Kössler Mayer & Regel: Flugerprobungsstellen bis 1945.

Karl

[EduardosNormalos]

Hello,


Some comments...

- 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.

Yes it definitively is, please see:
http://www.footnote.com/image/#37220069

One of the famous photos of Do335 240105 at München-Riem. The Ar234 in the background is 250006 - look at the periscope fairing on top of the cockpit, it is without a question C-3 -style. Also the grassy terrain underneath the AC is equal to the earlier photos.

As a sidenote, the 240105 is again here:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Foto-Do335-Dornie...item439f0468d1

I remember reading somewhere, that this specific Ar234 was allocated to Kommando Sommer. I'll check my library, and confirm later.


On the subject of Ar234C-3's in general, can anyone clarify the locations of the various known photos of captured aircraft?

1) Wrecks of 250001, 250012 and 2500(15?) - all stripped of engines.

Smith&Creek´s "Arado 234 Blitz Monarch-1" [Monogram 1992] volume says these were found from Prague-Ruzine. While Manfred Griehls Ar234 book "Strahlflugzeug Arado Ar234 Blitz" [Motorbuch Verlag 2003] claims these were actually found in Alt-Loennewits?

2) Wreck of unknown Ar234C-3 (but with engines) shown in "Luftwaffe over Czech Territory 1945" [JaPo Publishing 2001], claiming it also being in Prague-Ruzine?

The strange thing here is - the C-3's headed to Czech were 3 AC allocated to III./EKG 1, and landed to Pilsen after escaping the Red Army on 19/20th of April 1945. One of these AC crashed on landing to Pilsen, while the two others were claimed to be blown up at Pilsen when the unit evacuated back to Pocking am Inn - thus leaving 3 wrecks at Pilsen???

3) Wreck of unknown Ar234C-3 (with engines) also in "Strahlflugzeug Arado Ar234 Blitz" [Motorbuch Verlag 2003] spotted at Lechfeld. Is this the one crashed by Abels?

4) The intact Ar234C-3 captured by the russians is shown in "Early Soviet Jet Bombers" [Midland Publishing 200?]. Can anyone identify the airfield? Or the W.Nr.?

5) What about the two AC transferred to Lubeck-Blankensee by Ofw. Johne and Lt. zzz (cannot remember the name) - anyway, Johne got through the other AC exploded midair, killing the pilot. Some sources claim Johne's AC being W.Nr. 250008. Is this true? What about the other AC? Were these later found at Lubeck? If I remember correctly they took off from Rechlin.

Then there are still the 7 prototype/null-series AC: V19 to V25 (W.Nr. 130061 to 130065)...

All contributions are welcome!


Best Regards,
Juha