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

[Nick Beale]

The Romagna Air Finders included the Ar 234 in a book 'Aerei Perduti Romagna 1942–1945' by E. Lanconelli, A. Raccagni and F. Raccagni (Società Editrice «Il Ponte Vecchio», 2008). This says they visited the crash site on 5 March 2005 and gives the co-ordinates as 44º 35.30' N, 11º 56.67' E.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1578

99. The second recce Ar 234 Berta to become operational was W.Nr. 140153 "T9+HH" of Kommando Sperling that Ltn. Wolfgang Ziese used on 13 October 1944 13:23-15:26 hrs. to cover Antwerp and Ostend, (Horn, Die Augen des OKW, Teil 1, p. 62). The rear camera hatch did not close properly and the "3" stencil was inverted.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1579

100. These are stills from a film showing "T9+HH" being taken out of a hangar to be fitted with Walter R-Geräte. Like Gotz, Ziese was transferred to 1.(F)/123 in February 1945 taking "T9+HH" with him.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1580

101. To my suspicious eye, this seems to be a staged photo op, with crewmen pushing the Arado out of the hangar.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1581

102. Even pilots seem to be helping lift the RATO booster into place.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1582

103. The werknummer can be seen in this picture.


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104. And finally it gets pushed back inside. The rear camera hatch still seems to be loose.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1584

105. Wolfgang Ziese climbs up the side of his Berta.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1585

106. "Lt. Wolfgang Ziese beim Einstieg in Seine Ar 234 B-2b. Auf den Rumpfrüchen lingt Ogfr. Willi Mensching, sein I Wart. Hier in Rheine, noch beim Kdo. Sperling," (Jan Horn, Die Augen des OKW, Teil 2, (2023) p. 36.
On 14 April 1945, Hptm. Horst Gotz, staffelkapitän of 1.(F)/123, flew his last feindflug in "T9+HH", 08:35 - 10:15 hrs., from Lübeck-Blankensee, (Horn, Teil 2, p. 69. Although "T9+HH" was present at Leck on 5 May 1945, Ziese flew "4U+FH" to Stavanger. At 08:00 hrs., "T9+HH+ was blown up by German troops at Leck, p. 82.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1586

107. The third recce Ar 234 B-2b (W.Nr. 140151; "T9+KH") first appears on the strength reports of Kommando Sperling on 24 October 1944, (Horn, Die Augen des OKW, Teil 1, (2021), p.67). Its first operation was flown on 1 November 1944 by Oblt. Werner Muffey, 14:32 to 15:25 hrs., when he aborted a sortie to SE England due to bad weather. This photo can be found on p. 200 of Smith & Creek, Ar 234 Blitz, (Classic, 2022) and is captioned:
"Werner Muffey's T9+KH being towed in the approved manner by a Kettenkrad tracked motorcycle. His aircraft is carrying two drop tanks, one under each engine nacelle."
This picture may have been taken after an op was aborted due to rain.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1587

108. This view of "T9+KH", W.Nr. 140151, shows the wappen of Kommando Sperling [Sparrow], a white silouette of a stylized sparrow carrying a camera being propelled by a jet. As far as I know, this was the only Arado to carry this wappen.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1588

109. "Not a KG 76 aircraft, but very represntative of a typical pre-take-off scene foe all the Ar 234 units. Here the B-2 of Oblt. Werner Muffey, W.Nr. 140151, T9+KH of Kommando Sperling, is readied for flight at Rheine in the autumn of 1944. This reconnaissance aircraft has Walter RATO units fitted and a generator provides auxiliary power for preflight checks," (Creek & Forsyth, Blitz Bombers, (Chandos, 2020), p. 64).


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1589

110. From another angle, the wappen can be seen, as well as the technician in white pants.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1590

111. At some point in December or January, W.Nr. 140151 was relaced by a new "T9+KH", W.Nr. 140349. In this photo, taken shortly after sunrise, Muffey's "T9+KH" is being towed to the startbahn. At this hour it was too early for Allied day fighters to get to Rheine to begin their cover, hoping to shoot down jets taking off or landing, which they called "rat catching".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1591

112. This is another view of the above scene and Muffey's Arado is being towed by a fuel bowser. As the earliest time that Muffey took off on an op while using "T9+KH" was at 08:48 hrs. on 25 December 1944, these pictures may show preparations that day.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1592

113. On 22 January 1945, despite constant Allied day fighter cover over Rheine that day, Muffey attempted to take off in W.Nr 140349 at 12:40 hours. He was quickly attacked by Allied fighters and hit in the fuselage and engines, making a quick landing at Rheine and leaving the badly damaged Arado on the field, (Horn, Teil 1, p. 97 and p. 332). Curiously, even Jan Horn cannot find an Allied claim for this incident. Note the brightness of the white of the hakenkreuz and the "T9" while the balkenkreuz and "KH" are almost invisible.


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114. The next day, 23 January, W.Nr. 140349 was strafed by Flt. Lt. Dick Audet of 411 RCAF Squadron in Spitfire LF Mk. IXE (RR201), hitting the forward fuel tank and burning out the front of the Arado. The Rheine ground crew then removed the engines and set the wreak up as a decoy. In these pictures, it is seen after Rheine was captured on 8 April 1945.
Muffey was also transferred to 1.(F)/123 in February 1945 becoming its Technical Officer. Curiously a "T9+KH" was listed on strength but only on 5 February, (Horn, Teil 2, p.10). However the British ULTRA report BT 8070 has Muffey using "AN AIRCRAFT WITH ONE FOX ONE TWO THREE MARKINGS" on 22 March 1945 when he covered ports along the South-east coast of England.