Re: Some enlarged and "tweaked" known photos of Ar 234s

[egbert]

Thanx for the continuation of Arado 234 documentation

[Karoband]

Hi egbert,

Next week's pictures will be the last.



http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1667

181. In a daily report, dated 14.4.1945, it was noted that with the rapid loss of the "Mitteldeutschland", the production of the Ar 234 C at Dessau had ceased, RL 7-6/23 p. 0211. However, by the end of March 1945, the first production Ar 234 C-3 series aircraft were beginning to be delivered to the Luftwaffe. According to Smith & Creek, Ar 234 Blitz, (Classic, 2022), p. 312, on 27 March, Arado's Günther Eheim flight-tested both W.Nr. 250002 and W.Nr. 250004 at Alt Lonnewitz. Photographic evidence shows that at least five C-3s were turned over to the Luftwaffe.
The documents accompanying the posting of this photograph puts its location as Altenburg and the Soviet officers as "Art-Lieutenant Pusev S.P." and "Captain Andrey Road". Note the "003" on the forward landing gear brace, suggesting that this is W.Nr. 250003.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1668

182. David E. Brown, etal., Messerschmitt Me 262 Production and Arado Ar 234 Final Operations, (JaPo, 2012), p. 124, captions this photo as:
"Two Ar 234 C-3s abandonded at Prague-Ruzyne airfield in the summer of 1945, when their engines as well as other equipment had been removed. In the foreground W.Nr. 250001 i.e. the first craft manufactured ..., and on the right W.Nr. 250012 ... ." The sharp-eyed people at JaPo spotted the white putty on the upper canopy/fuselage transition of W.Nr. 250012, caused by the ripping off of adhesive tape in flight.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1669

183. Photographs of their tails leave no doubt as to their identities. Note that W.Nr. 250012 has a much smaller hakenkreuz.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1670

184. Brown, etal., p.125, identify this picture as:
" The front section of W.Nr. 250012 shortly after the war., still with its engines ... Note the white tape on the canopy/fuselage transition. The tape also helps to identify the aircraft on p. 124 ...". Also note the weathered "1" (or "M"?)by the man's head. The colour of the engine cowls seem to match that of the fuselage.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1671

185. This very poor photo of a C-series Arado was posted on www.modelforum.cz in March 1945. Note the larger hakenkreuz. It was reputedly found at Aukro, Czechoslovakia. The colour of the remaining engine cowl seems to match that of the fuselage.

[egbert]

That is a sad msg indeed. But for the time being I certainly appreciate all of your postings here

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1672

186. This photo, taken at München-Riem, shows Dornier Do 335 A-0 W.Nr. 240150 after trigger-happy GIs captured the airfield on 1 May 1945. In the background, Arado Ar 234 C-3 W.Nr. 250006 seems to be intact. Note the smaller hakenkreuz on the tail.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1673

187. In this picture, note the bullet holes behind the cockpit.
On 9 April 1945, Ltn. Hans Heid of 2./KG 51 flew W.Nr. 250006 from Burg to Müunchen-Oberweissenfeld, 18:55 to 20:05 hours according to Jan Horn, KG 76 ..., (2019), p. 294. From there it was transferred to Lechfeld.
forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=20943&page1
On 26 April, with American troops approaching, two Ar 234 C-3s took off from Lechfeld for München Riem. According to post #2, by Karl in TOCH thread 20943 "Re: Watson's Whizzers and Ar 234 C-3 W.Nr. 250006":
"W.Nr. 250006 was transferred from Lechfeld to Riem on 26th April '45 by Fliegerhauptingenieur Strobl. The same day, Oberleutnant Abels, pilot of the second four engined Ar 234 crashed to his death during take off at Lechfeld, probably due to engine failure. Source: Beavais Kossler Mayer & Regel: Flugerprobungsstellen bis 1945.
Curiously, deZeng & Stankey have this:
STROBEL, Walter ... 04.04.45 FL. Hpt. Ing., Erprobungsstelle Rechlin (1.(F)/100) unhurt? - Ar 234 C-4 shot down by P-47 vic Reinhartshausen. 15 km. SSW of Augsburg - bailed out." Pawlas pages 250 and 251 have Arado documents with a "Haupt. Ing. Strobel" flying Ar 234 V9 at Rechlin on 22 August 1944, 12:40-1321.
deZeng & Stankey also have:
STROBL, Walter. (DOB:01.06.14 in Schwauberg/Sturia). 1934 joined the SA. 01.05.38 Joined the NSDAP (No. 6328603). 1940 attended Techn. Hochschule Graz - in construction). 1941 assigned to Erprobungsstelle Rechlin. - test pilot for Go 242. 01.02.42 promo to Fl. Hpt. Ing.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1674

188. USAAF personnel inspect W.Nr. 250006 at Riem. Note that this C-3 had no rear-firing MG 131s.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1675

189. A pair of USAAF personnel pose with W.Nr. 250006. Note the nose cannon and the mismatched engine cowls on the port side. Also, the putty-covering tape has come off.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1676

190. A conspicuously armed and forlorn USAAF officer, with his pant legs tucked into his stockings, realizes there are no intact jets at Riem and that he cannot add and Arado Ar 234 C-3 to his collection. In this picture the colours of the starboard engine cowls seem to match the splinter camouflage of the fuselage.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1677

191. To his joy, in the afternoon of the same day, 8 May 1945, two intact Me 262s landed there at Riem and Lt. Col. Harold E. Watson with his holster visible and pant legs tucked into his stockings, was photographed with German pilot, newly promoted Oberleutenant Heinrich Haffner of 2./KG 51.


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192. In this photo of Wn. Nr 250006, taken after Watson left, the BMW 003 A-1 turbojets of the port side are missing.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1679

193. As Karl mentioned, a second C-3 took off from Lechfeld on 26 April 1945. Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Abels, also from E-Stelle Rechlin, was killed in the take-off crash. This photo shows it had the smaller hakenkreuz on its tail.

[Chrisyates]

Re post #33. Hi Jim, assuming that the werk.nr is clearly visible as 140454 on 4u+EH in the photo, it has been suggested that this photo, and another relate to Worschech's crash landing on 30/3/45 near Bispingen rather than the shoot down on 2/5/25.
Horn reports a Feindflug by Worschech on this day, and upon his failure to return to base at Reinsehlen, Gotz and Merk set off in a Fi 156 "Storch" to find him. Eventually after a call from Worschech himself, the two pilots landed next to the crashed machine. They reported that she was lying on her belly on the Heath, Worschech has brought her down well, a maximum of 20% damage. In the fire that breaks out afterwards, 90% of the machine is damaged.
On 4/4/45 a replacement 4U+EH is received by 1.(F)/123. Nick Beale at Ghostbombers suggests this is likely to be 140492. This possibility is reinforced by the strength report of 5/4/45 reporting both 4U+EH as non operational and 140492 added 4/4/45.
Nick Beale also summises that the engines and cameras had been removed and the other photograph certainly suggests that is the case. However the final daily report from 1.(F)/123 to LwKd West of 31/3/45 reports the fire and 90% loss. If the items had been recovered they must have moved fast.
Hope this is of interest, regards, Chris

[Karoband]

Hi Chris,

Indeed, I was remiss in post #33 in identifying 140454 as the aircraft Worschech was shot down in on 2 May. I had read Nick Beale's opus "Kommandos Gotz, Sperling, Hecht and 1.(F)/123" in what is now the "Luftwaffe reconnaissance and electronic warfare" section on his Ghostbombers site. I can only plead incipient Alzheimers.
Thank you so much for the reminder and excellent elaboration of the evidence that 140454 was the "4U+EH" of the previous crash . It is certainly logical.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1684

This poor enlargement of the tail section of the photo shows the "454" on the fin and the black "EH" on the fuselage.

best regards,

Jim