Arado 234 loss?

[John Beaman]

Does anyone have a loss on 31-December? I have one from 7./KG 76 in the Grabow area on a transfer flight, but were there others?

TIA

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Hi John,
I checked and could only find the one you already have. I asume it is Ar 234 B-2 WNr.140352?

Regards,

Norbert

[John Beaman]

Yes, the same. Thanks Norbert.

[Horst Kube]

In a project, chronicle of the KG 76, written by Theodor Rehm are no hints for an Arado 234 loss on 31.12.44/01.01.45.

He describes the worldwide first night mission with 4 jet bombers Ar 234 on 31.12.44/01.01.45 as follows:

2 Ar 234 take off at 04.00, resp. 04.04 hrs,
landing at 05.04, resp. 05.06 hrs.

Another 2 Ar 234 take off at 05.10, resp. 05.20 hrs,
landing at 06.21, resp. 06.25 hrs.

Mission order from LW-Kdo. West: Reconnaisance flight to check the weather conditions in the areas of Southern Netherlands and Belgium-Middlerhine for the combat "Unternehmen Bodenplatte", which would take place at dawn, 1st of January 1945.

The routing led over Rotterdam-Antwerpen-Bruxelles-Lüttich-Cologne.

No remarks about loss/es.

01.01.1945

6 Ar 234 take off within 14 minutes at 09.13 hrs, landing again between 10.18 and 10,40 hrs.

Mission within the so called "Unternehmen Hermann". Attack against the airfield of Gilze Rijen near Tilburg from an altitude of 5000 mtrs down to 1200 mtrs.

No remarks about loss/es.

01./02.01.1945

4 Ar 234 take off in the night at 23.05 hrs and start within 17 minutes. Landings between 00.17 - 00.36 hrs.

Atacks against the illuminated harbour facillities of Antwerpen and the railway station of Bruxelles from northwest out of 6000 mtrs. to 1500 mtrs. between 23.40 and 23.55 hrs.

Remarks: Uffz. Winguth made a crah landing outside the airfield short after his take-off. He stayed unhurt.

Is that the incident you mean?

All the best,
Horst

[John Beaman]

Thanks, again, Horst. Good information. No, the one I refered to as lost on 31-Dec was 140352, as you listed, flown by Fw. Hilsmann.

The narrative you mention by Rehm: is this a published source? Is it in German or English?

Thanks!

[Horst Kube]

Hi John,

what I have is the full Ar 234 chapter with 52 pages of a planned book, which should once become the Geschwaderchronik of KG 76 by the late Theo Rehm.

It is written with a type writer in German language and I tried to find someone of Rehm's family, who could tell me more. Unfortunally all further sources seem to be gone - there is only a daughter still living, but she is sorry, that she does not know anything about the rest of the KG 76 chronicle.

At least we have a piece of the Ar 234/KG 76 history.

All the best,
Horst

[Karl]

Dear Horst,

sad to hear that Mr. Rehm has deceased. Does the Rehm chronicle also cover the Ar234 missions in April 45 with names of the pilots and exact take-off/ landing times?

Best wishes

[Spanferkel]

Horst,

Very interesting bit of information. In the text that you have from Mr. Rehm, is there any mention of Ar 234 flights flown by RKT Oberfeldwebel Georg Hanke??? I show Hanke serving with the Stabschwarm of II./ KG 76 from 22.10.44 - 05.05.45 and from what I can find they would have been flying Ar 234's at that time.

Many thanks for your assitance.

Regards

Jeremy

[Horst Kube]

Dear Karl,

yes, Rehm described all missions and losses in April 1945 day by day until the probably last Ar 234 attack on 03.05.1945 against trucks near Bremerförde, flown by Fw. Drews from III. Gruppe, 8. Staffel/KG 76.

The take off/landings times are in April not so exactly given as in the months before, he writes "... take off took part in the morning/ afternoon/ evening..."

All the best,
Horst

[Chrisyates]

Dear Horst, would it be possible to have the full transcript of the Rehm chronicle detailed here???Regards, Chris Yates.