The fates of Arado Ar 234 V19 and Ar 234 V20

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1424

In Smith & Creek's Arado Ar 234 Blitz, (Classic, 2022), on p. 166, they write: "The Arado 234 V19, PI+WX, was the first successful Ar 234 C-Series prototype. It can be distinguished from the V20 and V21 in that the engines were unpainted." Probably due to this fallacy, on the same page they wrongly caption this photo as "The Ar 234 V20 was wrecked at Wesendorf airfield on 4 April 1945 as a consequence of a USAAF raid."


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1425

This photo shows the same aircraft at Wesendorf. A report by the G2 Field Section of the Technical Intelligence unit of the British 2ns T.A.F. clearly identifies this Ar 234 as "Number, 130029 in black on fin ... Markings PI + WX in large black letters." This report can be found on p. 186 of Creek & Forysth, Blitz Bombers, Kampfgeschwader 76 and the Arado Ar 234, (Chandos, 2020).


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1426

After clearing the hangar of debris, the Ar 234 V19 was moved outside where this photo was taken. As for the V20, Jan Horn in KG 76 Die Chronik ..., (2019), p. 300, identifies "Ar 234 V 20 (PI+WY, Werk-Nr. 130030)" as the aircaft flown by Ltn. Bruno Stellbrink that exploded on takeoff from Lärz on 28 April 1945. "(An der Absturzstelle in Lärz werden am 10. Mai 1995 zwei Bruchstücke ausgraben, auf dem folgende Angabe eingestempelt war: '234 V20' und 'R.TR. AUSSEN'.)" Also, Ofw. Ludwig Dambach was mistaken when he said that the V19 was the four-engined Ar 234 that he flew to Neubiberg in April 1945. (Smith & Creek, p. 175).

[AndyMa]

According to Page 176 of "Arado Flugzeugwerke Aircraft Development and History" (Volker Koos, 2021, Fonthill):
130030 PI+WY V20 EF 5.11.44, precursor C-2, + 8.11.44, rammed by Fw190 [+ for lost]
So a different date is suggested for its loss.

[Karoband]

Hi Andy,

You may be right. While Smith and Creek, p.306, say "slightly damaged three days later [after first flight] after being rammed by a taxying Fw 190, repaired to fly again", Arado's Gunther Eheim, chief test pilot for the "C" series, did not fly it from 5 November 1944 to 5 January 1945 according to his report in Karl R. Pawlas,Arado Ar 234 Der erste Strahlbomber, p. 411, nor between 25 February and 1 May 1945 according to his flugbuch.

Jim