Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

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David Lehmann
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Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#1

Post by David Lehmann » 24 Aug 2003, 22:16

http://aerostories.free.fr/events/juvin/page2.html
It is a French website but there is an English version :)

Erich Sommer, the pilot of this Arado lives nowadays in Australia. He was based in Juvincourt and took 380 photos of the landing areas and allied forces at 11000-12000m high.

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Arromanches Harbor

Best regards,

David

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David E M
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#2

Post by David E M » 25 Aug 2003, 09:48

Excellent info David!


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Cantankerous
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#3

Post by Cantankerous » 22 May 2020, 02:21

There's an additional link about the Arado Ar 234 over Normandy:

https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles ... n-normandy

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Natter
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#4

Post by Natter » 15 Jun 2020, 11:06

Hitler's Spyplane over Normandy 1944- The World’s First Jet (Philippe Baudin, 2014. ISBN 978 1 47382 339 6 )
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Br. James
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#5

Post by Br. James » 20 Jun 2020, 21:03

The design of the Ar-234 was very forward-thinking; today, over 75 years later, it is still an exciting aircraft to see.

Br. James

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Sheldrake
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#6

Post by Sheldrake » 20 Jun 2020, 22:15

Hitler may have been thinking of the AR 234 when his aircraft industry built the Me262.
He had a point. Germany needed an unstoppable bomber more than a fighter to defeat the cross channel invasion. A force of a hundred AR 234 bombers might have been a damned nuisance.

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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#7

Post by Cantankerous » 06 Sep 2020, 01:52

If anyone isn't aware, the Ar 234 that overflew Allied troop movements in Normandy was the seventh Ar 234 prototype. An illustration of this plane is available at this link:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/416794140500480502/

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Thumpalumpacus
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#8

Post by Thumpalumpacus » 02 Oct 2020, 03:19

Sheldrake wrote:
20 Jun 2020, 22:15
Hitler may have been thinking of the AR 234 when his aircraft industry built the Me262.
He had a point. Germany needed an unstoppable bomber more than a fighter to defeat the cross channel invasion. A force of a hundred AR 234 bombers might have been a damned nuisance.
I think they needed a smidgen more that that, for that purpose.

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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#9

Post by Pips » 03 Oct 2020, 03:15

Did any Ar 234's ever get intercepted?

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Sheldrake
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#10

Post by Sheldrake » 03 Oct 2020, 09:43

Pips wrote:
03 Oct 2020, 03:15
Did any Ar 234's ever get intercepted?
Not over Normandy. Not reported on the AA summary for August. Probably not even noticed even as a UFO

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Ironmachine
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#11

Post by Ironmachine » 03 Oct 2020, 16:21

Pips wrote:Did any Ar 234's ever get intercepted?
Yes, several Ar 234s were shot down by Allied fighters during WWII.

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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#12

Post by Pips » 06 Oct 2020, 08:28

Ironmachine wrote:
03 Oct 2020, 16:21
Pips wrote:Did any Ar 234's ever get intercepted?
Yes, several Ar 234s were shot down by Allied fighters during WWII.
That's interesting to know Iron, thanks.
Do you know if they were successfully intercepted at altitude? Or at take-off/landing?

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Ironmachine
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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#13

Post by Ironmachine » 07 Oct 2020, 13:30

Well, altitude is relative, but definitively several Ar 234 were shot down while they were in full flight -i.e., not taking off or landing.

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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#14

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 07 Oct 2020, 15:19

Sheldrake wrote:
20 Jun 2020, 22:15
Hitler may have been thinking of the AR 234 when his aircraft industry built the Me262.
He had a point. Germany needed an unstoppable bomber more than a fighter to defeat the cross channel invasion. A force of a hundred AR 234 bombers might have been a damned nuisance.
Night bombing is a lot less accurate, but during July the Germans peaked with a 1300 plane raid. It was a nuisance, but inferior navigation and heavy AAA plus night fighters caused large dispersal of the bombs. Untrained pilots meant noncombat losses attritted the sorties heavily, operating losses exceeding 40% of losses some nights. During Op MARKET-GARDEN Nijmegen was hit by a substantial night attack. Witnesses described multiple parachute flares over the town during the raid.

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Re: Arado 234 over Normandy in summer 1944

#15

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 07 Oct 2020, 15:28

Ironmachine wrote:
03 Oct 2020, 16:21
Pips wrote:Did any Ar 234's ever get intercepted?
Yes, several Ar 234s were shot down by Allied fighters during WWII.
When I was a teen ager I met a bank manager in New Jersey who as a kid had outmaneuvered and shot down a Me262 in high altitude encounter. So yes the jet aircraft could be defeated other than strafing them on the runways.

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