1 (F)/AG 123 and AR 234?

[Ian Jewison]

Gents,

A few questions if anyone can help regarding 1 Staffel, Fernaufklärungsgruppe 123 and Arado AR 234:

1) When was the Staffel equipped with AR 234s and when did they become operational?
2) What variant of AR 234 did the Staffel use?

Reason I ask is I have a group to a Beobachter who was transferred to 1 (F)/AG 123 on 31.12.1944. I have copies of his Flugbuch but the period covering 1945 is missing and bears the note that he flew (in?) AR 234.

I am trying to determine if they indeed had operational two seaters or he just training two seaters.

Thanks for any help on this
/Ian

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Ian, it's great to see that you are alive, kicking and still collecting! The following should help answer your questions:

Aufklärungsstaffel 1.(F)/123 (3d Formation)
(Unit Code 4U+)

Also as: 1.(F)/Aufklärungsgruppe 123
1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 123


Formation. (January 1945)
Ordered formed 1 January 1945, probably at Brieg/Silesia (ex-3.(F)/Nacht), with instructions to equip with the Arado Ar 234 twin-engine jet.

North Germany. (January 1945 - May 1945)
15 January 1945: ordered to transfer to Rheine airfield in north-west Germany this date or over the next few days.
23 January 1945: began Ar 234 conversion training at Rheine under the instruction of pilots from Sonderkommando Sperling, who had been flying the jet for some months.
10 February 1945: Ar 234 B-l (4U+DH) shot down by a RAF Tempest over Rheine while returning from a photo recce mission to Hull/north-east England, 100%, Staka Hptm. Felde KIA. This was the first Ar 234 jet shot down by Allied fighters.
February 1945: the Staffel's mission was to fly photo recce over eastern England between Hull and Dover covering harbors and post-launch damage assessment of V-l and V-2 attacks on England.
5 March 1945: ordered relieved by 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 33 this date.
13 March 1945: Sonderkommando Sperling incorporated into 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 123 on or about this date but it retained its separate identify.
23 March 1945: transferred to Reinsehlen as Rheine became increasingly untenable due to constant Allied air attacks on the airfield.
6 April 1945: ordered by 14. Fliegerdivision to transfer from Reinsehlen to Lübeck-Blankensee.
9 April 1945: Staffel reported 8(4) Ar 234s on strength.
24 April 1945: Lübeck-Blankensee under 14. Fliegerdivision in a strength of 178 officers and men.
2 May 1945: transferred from Lübeck-Blankensee to Hohn near Rendsburg/Schleswig-Holstein, losing Ar 234 (4U+EH) to a Spitfire en-route.
3 May 1945: moved to Schleswig-Land and may have flown the last long-range reconnaissance mission of the war for the Luftwaffe. Two Ar 234s were sent up in the early evening, one to determine the location of British armored spearheads north of Hamburg and the other to check enemy progress in the Lübeck area. Both aircraft returned safely and the next day, 4 May, the Staffel transferred to Grove/Denrnark where it surrendered on 8 May.


FpN: (L 31545)


Staffelkapitän:
Hptm. Hans Felde (January 1945 - 2 or 10 February 1945) KIA
Hptm. Horst Götz (c.11 February 1945 - 8 May 1945)





© H.L. deZeng IV, 2003

[Ian Jewison]

Thanks very much Larry!!!!

Yes, still alive, kicking and collecting, however too busy at work for much research these days.

Interesting the Soldbuch mentions on page 4 that he was transferred on 31.12.1944 to 3 Nachtaufklärungsstaffel and then it is crossed out. On page 17 the same date he was transferred to 1 (F) Aufklärungsgruppe 123.....so your reply explains that!

Also he has written in biro that he was discharged 3.5.1945 at Hohn-Rendsburg.....one further entry confirms he is unfit for active duty as of 26.6.1945 in Rendsburg.

From what I gather then the AR 234 B-1 was a recce aircraft and a single seater, however the B-2 was a night version with a radar operator cramped in the fuselage......if they had B-1s then my guy never flew!! There is no mention of him becoming a pilot.

All the best!
Ian

[Nick Beale]

You might find this helpful as well. The appendices include very detailed breakdowns of the individual aircraft on strength from the unit's origins through to April 1945.

http://www.ghostbombers.com/recon/234/Goetz/goetz1.html

There was no trainer variant in the Ar 234 B-series (or none that got built and entered service). The night-fighter (sometimes called the B-2/N) had a normal single-seater cockpit with an improvised radar operator's position in the rear fuselage. The four-engined C-series, of which perhaps one or two actually reached a unit, was going to include two-seater cockpits however.

[RT]

1.F123 hv some B-2, 140454+140488+140590+140141+140581.., but I doubt they were 2-seats planes, your Beobachter hv probably found some non-flying job with that unit, at least quieter than in the Fallschirmjäger

Rémi

[ju55dk]

1(F)/123 did not surrender at Grove. It was 1(F)/33 that was present at Grove may 1945.

Junker

[Ian Jewison]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

You might find this helpful as well. The appendices include very detailed breakdowns of the individual aircraft on strength from the unit's origins through to April 1945.

http://www.ghostbombers.com/recon/234/Goetz/goetz1.html

There was no trainer variant in the Ar 234 B-series (or none that got built and entered service). The night-fighter (sometimes called the B-2/N) had a normal single-seater cockpit with an improvised radar operator's position in the rear fuselage. The four-engined C-series, of which perhaps one or two actually reached a unit, was going to include two-seater cockpits however.

Thanks very much Nick,

I was going to check your website last night but went to bed before I did......I found some info re: a member of 1(F)/100 last time I was researching an AR 234 on your site!

I will read it at lunch when I get a break.

Regards,
Ian

[Ian Jewison]

Originally Posted by RT

1.F123 hv some B-2, 140454+140488+140590+140141+140581.., but I doubt they were 2-seats planes, your Beobachter hv probably found some non-flying job with that unit, at least quieter than in the Fallschirmjäger

Rémi

Exactly Rémi,

That is what I am trying to ascertain. He had 179 Feinflüge by the end of 1943 and transferred from 2/KG 100 to 2/KG 4 when the Gruppe was renamed, however not sure if he ever flew again.
February 1944 he was posted to a Flieger Regiment and remained with ground units until 31.12.1944. Being wounded during combat in France....
Come the end of the war he was medically unfit so chances are he didn't fly again.....however nice that he was with an AR 234 unit non the less!

/Ian

[Ian Jewison]

His units according to copies of his Flugbuch.

/Ian

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by ju55dk

1(F)/123 did not surrender at Grove. It was 1(F)/33 that was present at Grove may 1945.

Junker

Hi Junker,

I am sure you are right because you always are. Nevertheless, I thought I would give you the source for the alleged surrender of 1.(F)/123 at Grove:

3 May 1945: moved to Schleswig-Land and may have flown the last long-range reconnaissance mission of the war for the Luftwaffe. Two Ar 234s were sent up in the early evening, one to determine the location of British armored spearheads north of Hamburg and the other to check enemy progress in the Lübeck area. Both aircraft returned safely and the next day, 4 May, the Staffel transferred to Grove/Denmark where it surrendered on 8 May.

Source:
Letter from Staffel veteran Oblt. U.Planck in Lw.Revue (magazine) Heft 1/94:s.17.

Do you think Oblt. Planck was mistaken or perhaps not telling the truth?

L.