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AradoAr 234 (Blitz) Bomber / ReconnaissanceAircraft (1944)

he German Arado Ar 234 Blitz became the first purpose-built, jet-poweredomber anywhere in the world.

As the German Messerschmitt Me 262 "Schwalbe" ("Swallow") holds the distinction of becoming the world's first operationaljet-

powered fighter, the Arado Ar 234 "Blitz" ("Lightning") is recognized as the world's first operational jet-powered bomber. The

system arrived in 1944 and became activeinto 1945, servinguntil the end ofwar in 1945. it proved one ofthe more

echnologically advanced and prized weapons of the German Luftwaffe but was never available in the numbers required. Theaircraft proved so advanced, in fact, that it was able to evade all available Allied interceptors of the time, making it a very capable

econnaissance and high-speed bombing platform. Unfortunately for the Germans, related testing and manufacture facilities were

disrupted consistently, fuel supplies restricted and factories ultimately overrun by advancing Allied fronts limiting production to a

ew hundred examples by war's end. The West seemingly benefitted the most from the captured technology, the Americans in

particular designing, developing and producing several jet-powered bombers of the Cold War that superficially resembled the

wartime Ar 234 series to an extent (though frequently on a much larger scale). The Ar 234 became the German Luftwaffe's second

et-powered airc raft to enter service following the more recognizable Me 262.

The German Need

Origins of the Ar 234 can be traced back in an original late-1930s German Air Ministry (the RLM = Reichluftfahrtminiserium)

nitiative requiring a new, high-speed naval reconnaissance platform. To this point, the Germans relied upon a collection of

eaplanes and

ying boats for the role though performance garnered from these machines were less than stellar (apart from their inherently

excellent operational ranges). These aircraft were highly susceptible to enemy interception for they lacked the needed

performance and handling to evade incoming threats - particularly those embodied by nimble, maneuverable fighter types being

elded by theAllies.

TheAir Ministry Requirement

n the fall of 1940, the Air Ministry agreed to a new design that would fly higher than enemy defenses could reach and fly faster

han enemy aircraft could intercept. The optimal combat radius would be 1,240 miles with a maximum ferry range of at least,340 miles. This requirement specifically centered on a turbojet-powered design despite the technology being in its infancy at

he time. Officials understood the potential power behind turbojet technology and its revolutionary effect on the world of military

aviation - deciding this as the best avenue of approach. Work on such engines was already underway by brand names such as

unkers and BMW. At any rate, a turbojet-powered aircraft would allow the Air Ministry specifications to be fulfilled in whole

hough presenting substantial technological challenges to involved German engineers.

e E.370 Submission

e Arado concern was the only respondent for the fast reconnaissance bomber design. The firm held a proven pedigree with a stable

talented engineers to see the program through - led by Walter Blume who governed Arado through to its end in 1945. He, along withns Rebeski and Rudinger Kosin, were credited with the Ar 234's official concept. Arado completed and submitted their formal

oposal in 1941 with the developmental aircraft assigned the designation of "E.370". After formal acceptance by the GermanAir

nistry, the design came to be known under the "Arado Ar 234" name. The Air Ministry then commissioned for six prototype vehicles in

ril of 1942 to further prove the design viable. By the end of the year, the order had increased to 20 total airframes. From the end of

41 into 1942, two complete airframes were built, though The Junkers Jumo engines were not available until 1943 leading to a critical

ay in the program for serial production was slated to begin that same year. The Ar 234 was, therefore, not made ready until February

1943.

ado Ar 234 Walk-Around

e Arado Ar 234 utilized a very distinct planform, one of the most recognizable of all of the wartime jet designs. The fuselage was

ncil-like in its approach with a rounded nose cone and well-tapered rear. The entire nose was made up of the single-seat cockpit

ich provided excellent visibility of the oncoming action with only light framing being involved. Only views to the rear were blocked by

e integrated fuselage spine which ran the length to form the tail section. The rounded fuselage incorporated slab sides for a deep

proach required of the internal fuel stores, avionics and cockpit. Engines were held in streamlined nacelles, the base Ar 234 model

ng one engine to each wing. Wings themselves were straight appendages, high-mounted along the fuselage sides. The tail unit

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nsisted of a single curved vertical tail fin with a pair of horizontal planes mounted higher than the main wing elements. In the definitive

models, the undercarriage was wholly-retractable and arranged in a tricycle format with two main landing gear legs and a nose leg. All

ee positions held a large "donut-style" landing wheel of low pressure, intended to counter the rather narrow undercarriage track.

eArado Ar 234 is Born Without Legs

ginal Ar 234 prototypes lacked the complete tricycle undercarriage, hampered by the design's thin fuselage whose volume was

eady taken up by a mass of other important equipment, primarily the fuel stores required of long operational ranges. As such, the

hicle was launched from ajettisonable three-wheeled trolley mimicking what would become the finalized undercarriage (complete witheerable nose and wheel brakes). Landing would be accomplished by way of a skid attached to the belly of the aircraft and skids under

e engine nacelles. The first Ar 234 turbojet-powered prototype f inally achieved first flight on July 15th, 1943 from RheineAirfield and

e five other prototype aircraft soon followed the initial V1. Of the six initial vehicles completed, two were reserved as

atic test beds for a four-engined development still to come.

eArado Ar 234Aand V-Prototypes

e Ar 234 series was forged through a bevy of ever-evolving prototypes beginning with V1. Prototypes V1 through V5 utilized the

lley system for take-off and the landing skid for recoveries. All were powered by the Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet. V1 recorded its

st f light on June 15th, 1943. V3 was given an ejector seat and pressurized cockpit while being outfitted with rockets for assisted

ke-off. Prototypes V6 and V8 were four-engined developments that begat the Ar 234C model detailed below. The V6 prototype

anaged its 4 x BMW 003 engine installations across four individual nacelles whereas the V8 relied upon paired nacelles in two pods,

e pod to a wing. The V7 was the primary developmental form for the Ar 234B production line though it retained the trolley take-off and

ding skid arrangement. Prototypes V9 through V11 instituted a conventional powered tricycle undercarriage through a deeper

selage design. These led to the Ar 234B as well. V13 and V20 were four-engined developments influencing the Ar 234C line and fitted

h 4 x BMW 193-003 engines in paired nacelles. V20 was lost during an April 4th, 1944 Allied bombing raid over Wesendorf. V15

s a single engine testbed for 2 x BMW 003 turbojet installations. V16 was developed around a crescent-shaped wing though her

sting facility was overrun by British land forces before the aircraft could be finalized, the project being destroyed in the subsequent

ttle. V19 undertook its first flight on September 30th, 1944. V21 through V30 prototypes developed the C-model line further. V26 and

0 in particular were noted for their use of a laminar flow wing assembly.

e first early, near-production forms became the Ar 234A which were essentially prototypes V1 through V8 with their trolley/skid

dercarriages.

eArado Ar 234B

With the undercarr iage issue resolved beginning with V9, the Ar 234B-0 represented 20 pre-production units with the final example

completed in June of 1944. The initial Ar 234B-0 mark went airborne for the first time on June 8th, 1944 though without the planned

cockpit pressurization and ejection seat feature. The Ar 234B-1 were unarmed reconnaissance versions fi tted with cameras. TheAr

234B-1 managed to be completed with the promised autopilot function and operated with auxiliary fuel tanks for increased range. The

Ar 234B-2 were bomber versions capable of 3,300lbs of stores and made operation in late 1944, remaining active into 1945.

Rauchgerate Rocket-Assisted Take-Off (RATO) could be utilized to project faster take-off times and shorter runway distances as wellas a spectacular initial rate-of-climb - very useful in interception. Long landing runs could then be offset by way of brake parachutes.

Some Ar 234B-2 models were outfitted with radar facilities and a ventral gunpack with a second cockpit aft for utilization in the night

fighter role. The design proved aerodynamically efficient and relatively stable with little in the way of engineering corrections required.

Thusly sound, the B-model was the standardized form of the Ar 234 for the near future. These versions instituted an ejection seat,

Patin PDS autopilot system and, due to the thirsty nature of early turbojet engines, given optional external auxiliary fuel tanks for

improved range. The cockpit was fully pressurized to coincide with the high altitudes the Ar 234 would have to operate in requiring an

onboard oxygen supply and feed. Power of these models would be served through 2 x Junkers Jumo 004B series turbojet engines.

The Ar 234B series models would become the definitive operational-level production-quality mounts of the entire "Blitz" line, seeing

combat service into 1945.

Only there two B-model forms were used in an operational manner - the Ar 234B-1 unarmed reconnaissance platform and theAr

234B-2 dedicated bomber. The B-2 was further broken down in subvariants as in the Ar 234B-2/1 target-marking platform

("pathfinder"), the Ar 234B-2/b dedicated reconnaissance and the Ar 234B-2/r outfitted with auxiliary fuel tanks. Ar 234B production

totaled 210 units. The Ar 234B-3 was intended as a dedicated bombing platform but given up for good with the emergence of theAr

234C detailed below.

Specifications for the

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AradoAr 234 (Blitz)Bomber / Reconnaissance Aircraft

ocus Model:Arado Ar 234B-2 (Blitz)

ountry of Origin: Nazi Germany

anufacturer: Arado Flugzeugwerke - Germany

itial Year of Service: 1944

oduction: 232

rew: 1

ength: 41.47ft (12.64m)

idth:47.38ft (14.44m)

eight: 14.01ft (4.27m)

eight (Empty): 11,464lbs (5,200kg)

eight (MTOW): 21,605lbs (9,800kg)

owerplant: 2 x Junkers 004B turbojet engines generating 1,980lbs of standard thrust each.

aximum Speed: 461mph (742kmh; 401kts)

aximum Range: 967miles (1,556km)

ervice Ceiling: 32,808ft (10,000m; 6.2miles)ate-of-Climb: 0 feet per minute (0m/min)

ardpoints: 3

mament Suite:

PTIONAL (Model Dependent):

x 20mm MG 151 fixed, forward-firing cannons

x 20mm MG 151 fixed, rear-firing cannons (periscope aimed).

p to 3.300lbs of external ordnance.

mm MK 108 cannons also considered as were guided missiles.

erators:

ance ( two captured specimens); Nazi Germany