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

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1609

128. On page 99 of Creek & Forsyth, Blitz Bombers, (Chandos, 2020), they caption this photo as:
"The Ar 234 B-2, F1+BT, of Hptm. Diether Lukesch is made ready for another mission. The mobile generator cart is plugged in to provide auxiliary power and the aircraft has been fitted with Walter RATO units. Bombs have not yet been attached. Note the yellow-coloured rings around the turbojets denoting an aircraft of 9. Staffel."
On 24 December 1944 at 10:14 hours, Lukesch, the staffelkapitän of the Einsatzstaffel, 9./KG 76, took off from their forward, operational base at Münster-Handorf, leading the first bombing mission in Ar 234 B-2 W.Nr. 140143 "F1+BT". Because it was carrying a single SC-500 blast bomb (with 1100 lbs. of trialen), R-geräte were fitted and used by Lukesch and eight others to boost their Arados off the runway.
On page 108 of Jan Horn's KG 76, (2019), he writes:
"Auf Befehl von Hptm. Lukesch werden ab 16. September 1944 in der Werft Burg in die F1+BT (Werk-Nr. 140 143) zwei Machinengewehre des Typs Rheinmetall MG 131 auf der Rumpf oberseite nach vorn schiessend eingebaut. Dieser Waffeneinbau zient sich bis zum 07.10.1944 hin ..."


forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1610

129. This photo is found on page 180 of Smith & Creeks' 1992 Monogram edition of Arado 234 Blitz. It is captioned:
"A Kettenkraftrad tracked motorcycle tows Diether Lukesch's Ar 234 B2, F1+BT, along the runway at Münster-Handorf in December 1944. Lukesch, who led the Einsatzstaffel of KG 76 between December 17, 1944 and January 26, 1945, can be seen standing in the cockpit."
Note that the person directly behind Lukesch seems to be sitting on a dark object attached to the top of the fuselage.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1611

130. "An Ar 234 B-2 of III./KG 76 makes its landing approach at Münster-Handorf," Creek & Forsyth, p.91. However, on p. 121 of Horn's KG 76, this photo is inversed and captioned:
"Mit ausgefahrenen Landeklappe nähert sich die Ar 234 dem Platz Burg."


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1612

131. "Armourers hitch a ride on a trailer laden with an SC 500 bomb. Behind can be seen an Ar 234 that already appears to be bombed up and ready for its next sortie. The cockpit entrance hatch is open and a packed parachute lies just behind it," Forsyth & Beale, Arado Ar 234 Bomber and Reconnaissance Units, (Osprey, 2020). p. 86. Note the winter camouflage and what appears to be a yellow cowl ring. For the most part, the SC 500 was mainly used by the Einsatzstaffel in its first month of operations. A pair of Walter R-Geräte were needed to lift it off the runway as can be seen here. The picture actually show it cradled on a jack as part of the trailer which will lift it into place in the belly of the fuselage.