AEW Arado 234

[Sauron]

I have read in some places, that it was planned to build a Arado 234 as a AEW aircraft (like modern AWACS). In some places it is said that it was planned to build an Arado 234B-1 with a Fug 244 radar, and in other places it is sais that it was an Arado 234C5 the planned AEW aircraft. Is this true, it was planned to build such aircraft, or it is a myth?

[MAX_theHitMan]

well...this is a new one for me.

Never seen that on a Arado Ar234 Blitz. Perhaps it was a late-war idea, but I very much doubt it was ever made.

I have no recollection (or papers/info) concerning this idea.
Will check out my "secret aircraft" papers again, and I will get back to you soon.

[MAX_theHitMan]

Alright , I am back.
According to some files I have, there were plans for placing an advanced system of the FuG 240 Berlin radar system but on another proposed version of the Arado Ar.234, which would have the codename P.5 (or version P-5).

The nose of the aircraft would have been changed dramaticly has would some other parts of the fuselage.

So indeed there was a planed version for an "AWAC" sort of aircraft,
but unfortunately it was never completed nor was it ever begun work on.

Hope this might help.

[Denniss]

There was no AEW planned - just a new Night fighter.

[Kurt_Steiner]

Reading in

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tozu/l46/L46-gz46.htm

i found a version of the Ar234 (the Arado Ar-234T-1) equiped like an AEW plane, but, as far as I know, it is just alternative speculation. I never heard of such a plane. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

[Denniss]

How should a powerful and long-ranged air search radar of this time be fitted into such a small radome ?
They were just too big to be fitted into this small radome or this small aircraft.

[Kurt_Steiner]

That's what I thought too. Technology wasn't so advance to make microradars, i would say. Just remember the A-3 AWACS and its big radome. Imagine one like those in a Ar234....

[MAX_theHitMan]

This might be of interest to you.
Also read my above posted comment on this aircraft.

[Kurt_Steiner]

Amazing.. Thanks a lot, Max!!!!

[jopaerya]

Hello Max

The Nagdjagdgerat FuG 244 (Bremen) and the
FuG 240 (Berlin) were also used in the Ju 88
according to F. Trenkle . The FuG 244 moving in the nose
in a dome and the FuG 240 underneed the fusilage.
The plan with radar on top of a airplane was called
FuG 240/4 Berlin N4 (Rudolstadt H) as on your drawing of
the Arado Ar 234 .

Jos

[Lkefct]

AWACS AEW aircraft are essential now, so that you can see low flying aircraft. Germany's air defense problem was large, 4 engined heavy bombers, and their fighter escort. Detecting the aircraft attacking Germany is not the problem. Also, a lot of the airborne early warning stuff doesn't become really sophisticated until the digital signal processing evolves in the post-vietnam era.

[Oberst_Emann]

At what time was the FuG 240 system introduced?

[Erich]

there were no Bremen 244 sets produced for any German night fighter. the FuG 240/1 Berlin N-1a was produced to be used in the Ju 88G-6 in the forward nose-radom in conjunction with the wing mounted FuG 217 Neptun rear warning aerials-radar.

In early 1945 up to 30 sets were built and around 10-15 delivered to NJG units 1, 4 and 5. Plans were being made in the spring of 1945 to ionstall and replace the FuG 218 in the Me 262's of 10./NJG 11 but was held off as the war was winding down and th thoughts of replacing the jets with the advnaced Me 262B-2a two seater with the latest radar.

Erich ~

[MAX_theHitMan]

Many thanks for that information Erich 8) *two thumbs up*

[Cantankerous]

Reading in

http://www.xs4all.nl/~tozu/l46/L46-gz46.htm

i found a version of the Ar234 (the Arado Ar-234T-1) equiped like an AEW plane, but, as far as I know, it is just alternative speculation. I never heard of such a plane. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

Hi,

Although this thread is 17 years old, I should emphasize that there was an option to fit the Ar 234P-5 with the FuG 240/4 Berlin N4 early warning radar, but that there was no Ar 234 variant called "Ar 234T-1". I also found these drawings of the proposed installation of the Berlin N radar to the Arado Ar 234 from Arado company documents at the Secret Projects forum:

Ar 234 with Berlin N early warning radar

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