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

[Karoband]

Thanks, Egbert. There's more to come.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1545

The Arado Ar 234 was designed at Theodore Rowehl's behest by an Arado team in 1941 to be a recce high-wing monoplane replacement for the Ju 86 R using two Daimler Benz ZTI 5000 or Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet engines. This photo shows Ar 234 V1 W.Nr. 130001 "TG+KB" with two Jumo 004 A-0 engines in July 1943. Note the radical concept for take-off and landing using a trolley and skid. The first flight took place on 30 July 1943 at Münster-Rhein, the pilot being Arado's flugkapitän Heinz Selle.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1546

69. Upon lift-off. from the level, concrete runway, the trolley was jettisoned from the undercarriage, deploying a drogue chute to bring it to a quick halt. However, the long take-off roll on the awkward trolley caused Arado to find a starthilfe (booster) to get its A-series "Antons" into the air more quickly.


forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1547

70. Upon landing, the skid was extended as were the outriders under the engine nacelles in order to land on the grass beside the concrete runway.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1548

71. This poor screenshot show how the V1 was lifted by three tubular jacks in order to place the trolley under the skid again.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1549

72. This photo shows a frontal view of V1 revealing the inadequacy of the bare-bones structure of the trolley's attachments with no stabilization under the outriders at all.
The Ar 234 V1 was seriously damaged on landing on 29 August 1943 and was then broken up for parts.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1550

73. This frontal view of Arado Ar 234 V4 W.Nr. 130004 "DP+AY" shows the solution for the problems that the Arado designers came up with. Under the wings, outside of the engine nacelles, are two kraft-ei (power-eggs) to assist with lift-off. As well, the new trolley is less flimsy with supports for the outriders.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1551

74. The starthilfe power-eggs were a pair of reuseable Walter 109-500 rocket boosters built by Heinkel using T-Stoff and Z-Stoff to create a sustained thrust of 500 kg. each for thirty seconds. Note the parachute pack attached to the front of the "egg". In documents these "eggs" are referred to as R-Geräte (Rauchgeräte).


forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1552

75. This poor screen shot perhaps shows best the effectiveness of these "power eggs" easily cutting the take off run to one-third and boosting the Arado to 150 metres.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1553

76. Here, the boosters are being jettisoned after burnout, with their parachutes deploying. It should be obvious that, due to this design, the Arado Ar 234 Antons would require a great deal of equipment and ground support if they were to be deployed operationally to a forward base.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1554

77. Another innovation of the Ar 234 A was the concept of a braking parachute in the rear fuselage to greatly reduce the landing roll especially in an emergency. Here, the Ar 234 V3 W.Nr. 130003 "DP+AX" deploys the open-lattice type chute. This feature became standard on all Ar 234 B aircraft.

[egbert]

Great posts, thanx

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1555

78. In this picture taken in early spring 1944, Arado's chief test pilot, Flugkapitän Walter Krüger, needed a step ladder to reach the cockpit of the Ar 234 V5 (W.Nr. 130005; "GK+IV). Note the "5" by his boot.
The 6 June 1944 D-Day invasion of Normandy triggered an emergency program to create an operational reconnaissance unit capable of covering the invasion beach head as well as the southern English ports without being intercepted. The Versuchsverband der OKL assigned Oblt. Horst Götz and Oblt. Erich Sommer to transfer Arados V5 and V7, modified to carry cameras, to Flugplatz Juvincourt in France. V5 was recoded "T9+LH" and V7 became "T9+MH" [white "9"; black "L" and "M"] of 1./Vers.Verb.d.OKL (changed from d.Ob.d.L in July 1944). Note how large the entry hatches are on the Antons and the nose skid under the cockpit.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1556

79. From 07:05 to 07:36 hrs. on 8 July 1944, Sommer transferred V7 from Alt Lonnewitz to Oranienburg to be fitted with cameras. Then on 17 July, he took off from Oranienburg at 15:10 hrs, and landed at Juvincourt at 16:41 hrs., (Jan Horn, Die Augen des OKW, Teil 1, (2021), p. 41). Here, a tubular jack raises the rear fuselage of Sommer's "T9+MH".

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1557

80. On page 76 of his Hitler's Spyplane over Normandy, (2013) Philippe Bauduin gives this caption:
"The Junkers Ju 352 A1 "T9+AB" of the Versuchsverband, just landed at Juvincourt. The ground staff unload the Arado 234's enormous cargo of spare part and various other equipment, using a special ramp, Trapoklappe. On the right of the photograph is Oberleutnant Erich Sommer, in his black leather jacket and filming apparatus, perhaps an 8 mm camera."


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1558

81. This view of "T9+AB" at Juvincourt sows two spare trolleys and two tubular jacks to the left. Sommer is at the right filming the work.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1559

82. This is a good view of the collapsed tubular jacks and spare tires for the trolleys. Sommer is again seen in the picture.
As well, in UK National Archives, DEFE3, CX/MSS/T260/116, XL4028, we learn that fuel bowsers with "TARE STOFF" and ZEBRA STOFF" were to be sent "BY THIRTY FIRST JULY AT LATEST TO CHATEAUDUN [sic]."

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1560

83. ACCORDING (STRONG INDICATIONS EXPERIMENTAL UNIT OBDL £ OBDL) ON SECOND SUCCESSFUL RECCE)) OF THE BEACHHEAD CARRIED OUT ONE THREE THREE TWO TO ONE FIVE ONE FIVE HOURS SECOND. NO £ NO OPS £ OPS ON FIRST OWING BAD WEATHER. ON SAME DAY THIS UNIT REPORTED ONLY TWO ASSISTED TAKE-OFF DEVICES USABLE ..., cf. UK's National Archives, DEFE 3, Ref. CX/MSS/T276/73 (R274/11/22), XL6272.
On 2 August 1944, Oblt. Erich Sommer probably used R-Geräte, like those in this screenshot, to lift enough fuel in Ar 234 V7 (W.Nr. 130007; "T9+MH") from Juvincourt to cover not only the beachhead, but to make wide loops to cover areas further inland from 15:32 to 17:15 hours local time.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1561

84. This aerial photograph, one of 380 taken, was developed and analyzed by the facilities under 1.(F)/121. In this photo we can see that their analysts documented and annotated their photographs. From this picture we learn that the "Beob." (Beobachter = observer) was "Oblt. Sommer", date "2.8.44", time "16.32", altitude "11000m" and place "Asnelles-sur-Mer". Note the clock as part of the photo in the right bottom corner.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1562

85. On his return to Juvincourt on 2 August, Somer used his personal camera to film Oblt. Horst Götz sitting on the top of his Ar 234 V5 (W.Nr. 130005; "T9+LH") as it was being towed off the field after its flight from Oranienburg.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1563

86. By 28 August 1944, the Allies had not only broken out of the beachhead and captured Paris, but had crossed the Seine, causing a bug-out of German aircraft from Juvincourt. Götz and Sommer were ordered to fly to Chievres, Belgium, but on approach the V5 was fired upon by German flak. Damaged, Götz decided to fly the V5 to Oranienburg where it could be more quickly repaired. On landing, Götz was injured when two stones flew into the cockpit when he was hit from behind by Fw. Ernst Brandt of Fl.Ü.G. 1 (Mitte) in a taxiing Fw 190 F8, killing Brandt. This photo shows the severed rear of the V5, a total write-off.
In all Sommer and Götz had flown ten sorties over France while at Juvincourt, giving the German High Command a good view of unfolding events. Götz's report on the operation can be found on pages 287-289 of Karl Pawlas, Arado Ar 234 der erst Strahlbomber der Welt, Band 1, (Luftfahrt, 1956) which includes a compendium of Arado company documents on the Ar 234.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1564

87. This is a still from one of Sommer's films with his V7 behind the trolley. Sommer continued to fly recce missions from Rheine in V7 until 2 October 1944, including cover of the English ports and London. On 1 November, Fj Fw. Walter Wendt attempted an einsatz in V7 from Rheine:
"Beim Start zum Einsatz an 1.11.44 ist das Fleugzeug vom linken Auslager gefallen, wo bei die Rumpfunter seite und Seiten ruder beschädigt wurden, Personensch den ist nicht eingetreten," Pawlas p. 382. Although repaired, it was retired from service on 18 November 1944, Smith & Creek, (Classic, 2022) p. 305.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Karoband

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1560

83. ACCORDING (STRONG INDICATIONS EXPERIMENTAL UNIT OBDL £ OBDL) ON SECOND SUCCESSFUL RECCE)) OF THE BEACHHEAD CARRIED OUT ONE THREE THREE TWO TO ONE FIVE ONE FIVE HOURS SECOND. NO £ NO OPS £ OPS ON FIRST OWING BAD WEATHER. ON SAME DAY THIS UNIT REPORTED ONLY TWO ASSISTED TAKE-OFF DEVICES USABLE ..., cf. UK's National Archives, DEFE 3, Ref. CX/MSS/T276/73 (R274/11/22), XL6272.
On 2 August 1944, Oblt. Erich Sommer probably used R-Geräte, like those in this screenshot, to lift enough fuel in Ar 234 V7 (W.Nr. 130007; "T9+MH") from Juvincourt to cover not only the beachhead, but to make wide loops to cover areas further inland from 15:32 to 17:15 hours local time.

Just a small correction about National Archives file references:

CX/MSS/T276/73 isn't on the DEFE 3 series, it's in file HW 5/561
XL 6272 is on file DEFE 3/165
CX/MSS/R274A,22 is on HW 5/559