Books on Ar 240/Ar 440/follow-on projects

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Jared Zichek
Arado Ar 240 Successor Studies
Wed Mar 20 19:12:16 2002
128.151.210.225

I recently received Aviatic Verlag's new book on the Me 110-210-410 and there is an interesting section on the Ar 240 with some plans (top view only, unfortunately) of post Ar 240 studies for twin engine Zerstoerers. I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't be more specific. Any idea if somewhere full 3-views exist for each of these studies exist? I believe some of these were illustrated in Motorbuch Verlag's recent book on German bomber projects, but without 3-views.

-Jared Zichek

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
Ar.440s?
Thu Mar 21 09:02:02 2002
195.50.81.249

I would have advised to to get hold of Heinz Mankau's series of articles on the Ar.240/440 in Flugzeug a few years ago, but now that Flugzeug has been taken over by Flugzeug Classics I don't know if they still have backnumbers. It's well worth a try.

You could also try the history of the Arado company published in both German and English, by Dr.Krantzhoff - drop me a line and I will pass you the information.

A 3-view of the Schnellbomber can be found in Griehl's Luftwaffe Bombers: basically all these Ar.440 projects are the same as the old drawings found in Green's Warplanes of the Third Reich - you can also find them in Kosin's German Fighters from Putnam (I don't know the original German title of this book).

If you mean something beyond the 440 I can't help you.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Les Whitehouse
Ar Projects
Thu Mar 21 14:36:44 2002
194.105.72.70

Sorry Graham, he really means the post 440 aircraft which moved into the swept back wing twin turboprop or jet era.

If there are none in the Motorbuch Verlag "Secret Project" series then there is little hope in the short term. When the English versions of the above came out they were very much cut down and many-many of the accurate original illustrations were abandoned to retain the more artistic but "fake" colour perspectives which the publisher probably felt were more interesting and dramatic - but of course totally useless.

On the Ar240/440 itself there were some specials done by Luftfahrt-Geschichte (Schmidt Publications, Stuttgart) these 6-7 page fold out leaflets included a three view of the 240/440 in one of them and I have that one somewhere in one of their bound series - which took about four of each and stapled them together in a booklet about the size of a magazine. The other 240/440 book you mention is still available in the UK at some shops. Neither covers the types he is refering to.

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Jouni Rönkkö
Ar 240 tested in Finland?
Tue Sep 3 09:28:51 2002
195.156.203.49

I'm looking any information for Ar240V-6(?) which was
used at Petsamo in summer of 1943.

Thanks for advance
Jouni

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
This is a myth
Tue Sep 3 11:14:16 2002
195.50.81.249

It stems from a misunderstanding of the badge on the aircraft, showing a partial sun with Odin's ravens. This was assumed to be the badge of JG 5, but is the similar badge of the Luftwaffe's High Command specialist recce unit (How can you tell I'm away from my books? 3(F)100 comes to mind...)

The aircraft concerned were Ar 240A-01 and A-02 (long thought to be V5 and V6, but that is a myth too!) and the photos were actually taken near Karkhov. The two aircraft can be distinguished by their codes and the size of the badges.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Michi
Arado Ar 240 & JG 5...(?)
Tue Sep 3 18:28:46 2002
193.171.41.238

My (very old) source says:

Despite the termination of the Ar 240 programme, the pre-production aircraft were promptly issued to service units.

The Ar 240A-01 and -02 were delivered to Jagdgeschwader 5, the Eismeergeschwader, which, dispersed around Petsamo in the North of Finland, used the Arados for recon-naissance of the Murmansk Railway.

During the summer of 1943, the Ar 240A-02 was transferred from JG 5 to 2.(F)/122 based at Frosinone, south-east of al
Rome. After a few test flights the aircraft performed its first operational reconnaissance mission but was completely written off on its return as the result of a bad landing.

Shortly afterwards, the unit took over from 1.(F)/123 at Perugia, North of Rome, the Ar 240A-04 (A-0/U2), but before any operational missions could be flown with this aircraft, serious troubles developed with its DB 603A engines and, after temporary repairs, it was flown back
to Germany.

This aircraft, together with the Ar 240A-05 (A-0/U2), the BMW 80lTJ-powered Ar 240A-03, and the Ar 240 V7 and V8, later served on the Southem Russian Front with Aufklärungs-gruppe 10 and on the Eastem Russian Front with 1. Staffel/AGr Ob.d.L.

AFAIK, I can remember reading of pilots of JG 5 (Z-Staffel) testing the Ar 240.


MfG Michi

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
A very old source indeed!
Wed Sep 4 09:40:13 2002
20.138.254.2

The Ar 240A-01 and A-02 were used as in my previous letter.
A-01 was written off in Southern Russia early 1943.

The two aircraft in Italy were the two "Ar 440" prototypes with DB603 engines, the first being Ar 240A-03 (aka A-0/U1) and the second being Ar 240A-04 (aka A0/U2). A04 later carried out reconnaissance flights over Corsica and England in early 1944, before being transferred to Poland and written off in a landing, in the hands of a pilot unused to the aircraft's peculiarities.

1/AGr Ob.d.L was also known as the Research Unit for High Altitude Flight, and the Rosarius Circus. in January 1943 it became 3(F)100, under which name it operated the Ar 240s.

No Ar 240 had BMW engines. V7 and V8 did indeed serve on the Russian front. One of these is claimed to have been in the hands of the French in 1945, and flown by "Winkle" Brown as part of his time testing all available German types.

I cannot say absolutely that no Ar 240 ever went to Finland, but no evidence to this effect has ever turned up. The confusion over the badges seems adequate explanation for the myth.

There are a lot more myths in the older published histories of this aircraft......I recommend Dr Kranzhoff's book on Arado aircraft, and especially the series of articles by Dr Mankau in Flugzeug magazine in 1998/99.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Nick Beale
Ar 240 in Italy
Wed Sep 4 20:36:17 2002
212.159.21.235

An Ar 240 was delivered to 1.(F)/123 on 5 July 1943. (Source: PRO AIR51/296). I've also read the account of it being written off i na wartime Allied report that I can't find right now.

The remains of the centre section of the Ar 240A-03 (Werk Nummer 0013) were found by an Allied Field Intelligence unit at Frosinone in June 1944.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Jim P.
As to what Graham stated:
Thu Sep 5 01:20:32 2002
209.237.193.89


Ar240 0011 Felleckner, Ofw. Heinz (Bf) 3.(F) 100 16-Feb-43 Injured in crash due to technical fault. Ru§land Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #8)-Vol.14 Poltawa-Seschtschinskaja 100% H

Ar240 0010 1.(F) 100 03-Aug-43 Notlandung due to technical failure. Ru§land Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #11)-Vol.20 Fl.Pl. Orscha-Süd 15% F

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
Thanks - but which is aircraft 0010?
Thu Sep 5 09:21:16 2002
20.138.254.2

0011 is the A-01, the first of several (four or six?) pre-production airframes. 0013 is known to be A-03.

0010 cannot be the V-10 as it never left trial status, and it has been identified as 0018. Explaining the apparent (non-)existence of aircraft 0007 to 0010 is a major gap in current research.

My postulate is that V7 and V8 were 0015 and 0016, otherwise A-05 and A-06. This makes a number of pieces of evidence "fall into line", but requires any reference to a/c 0007 to 0010 to be an recording error. There are other suggestions for solving this problem, but tend to leave different questions open and require multiplying the number of aircraft beyond the evidence.

More research needed - or perhaps just more evidence needed!

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Tom Fischer
Ar 240
Thu Sep 5 13:49:34 2002
217.162.133.9

- Ar 240 V1 W.Nr. 0001 DD+QL, DB 601 A; first flight June 5, 1940, flight trials, written-off April 18, 1941.

- Ar 240 V2 W.Nr. 0002 ??+??, DB 601 A; first flight September 15, 1940, flight trials, engine and weapons trials, retired after December 1942.

- Ar 240 V3 W.Nr. 0003 KK+CD, DB 601 E; first flight May 9, 1941, flight trials, Rechlin trials, pressured cabin trials, trial aircraft fro Ar 234 pressured cabin in 1944.

- Ar 240 V4 W.Nr. 0004 ??+??, DB 601 E; first flight June 19, 1941, flight trials, crash August 7, 1941.

- Ar 240 V5 W.Nr. 0005 T5+MH, DB 601 E; first flight September 11, 1941, performance flights by BAL, back to Arado, accepted by Versuchsstelle für Höhenflüge Oranienburg on October 20, 1942, combat operations ("Truppeneinsatz").

- Ar 240 V6 W.Nr. 0006 T5+KH, DB 601 E; first flight January 18, 1942, accepted by Luftwaffe on March 4, 1942, accepted by Versuchsstelle für Höhenflüge Oranienburg on March 6, 1942, operational trials ("Truppenberprobung").

- Ar 240 V7 W.Nr. 0007 ??+??, DB 605 A; February 1, 1942: proposed for engine trials in July 1942, Werknummer and schedules subsequently changed.

- Ar 240 V8 W.Nr. 0008 ??+??, DB 605 A; February 1, 1942: proposed for general testing in August 1942, Werknummer and schedules subsequently changed.

- Ar 240 V7 W.Nr. 0009 DH+ZU, DB 605 A; completed October 1942, engine trials November 1942 to January 1943, accepted by Luftwaffe in 1943.

- Ar 240 V8 W.Nr. 0010 ??+??, DB 605 A; completed December 1942, general testing January/February 1943, accepted by Luftwaffe in 1943.

- Ar 240 A-01 W.Nr. 0011 GL+QA, DB 601 E; hand-over to VfH on September 25, 1942, combat operations ("Truppeneinsatz") from October 20, 1942.

- Ar 240 A-02 W.Nr. 0012 GL+QB, DB 601 E; hand-over to VfH on October 1, 1942.

- Ar 240 A-03/U1 W.Nr. 0013 DI+CY, DB 603 A; general testing at Arado and in Rechlin in late 1942, addition of GM-1 in spring 1943, altitude trials in Rechlin May/June 1943, hand-over to Luftwaffe in July 1943, crash in Italy with 2.(F)/122.

- Ar 240 A-04/U2 W.Nr. 0014 DI+CZ/T9+GL, DB 603 A; completed September 1942, rebuilt with C-model outer wing and tail in October 1942, testing at Rechlin December 1942 to January 1943, back to Arado, hand-over to Luftwaffe in October 1943, altitude trials at VfH Oranienburg March to June 1944, crash in Poland in summer 1944.

- Ar 240 V9 W.Nr. 0017 ??+??, DB 603 A; weighed at Arado on February 28, 1943, destroyed during take-off in 1943.


- Ar 240 V10 W.Nr. 0018 BO+RC, DB 603 A; weighed at Arado on September 9, 1943, general flight trials, engine trials in April 1944, written-off in summer 1944.

- Ar 240 V11 W.Nr. 0019 ??+??, DB 603 A; November 1942: completion projected for April 1943, to be followed by general testing, subsequently not completed.

- Ar 240 V12 W.Nr. 0020 ??+??, DB 603 A; November 1942: completion projected for May 1943, to be followed by general testing, subsequently not completed.

Source and many more details: Mankau/Petrick (2001)

Tom

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
A list with as many problems as mine...
Thu Sep 5 14:10:07 2002
20.138.254.2

I've seen that list, and discussed it with Herr Dr Mankau. Here are some of the problems with it.

It leaves unstated which a/c were 0015 and 0016.
Have you ever heard of Werkenummers being re-allocated? Can you suggest any convincing reason for it?
Why are there so many references (in original documents) to the non-existent A-05? (and even one to A-06?)

It was been said that the prototype order was for 10 airframes: this has been alternatively stated (corrected?) as six. Six were built and there are four missing numbers.

V7 and V8 were completed after a/c 0014, despite being a much easier modification of the basic design. This suggests a later Werkenummer. There were to be six A-0 airframes, where are the other two if not V7 and V8?

My logic did not convince Mankau: I don't suppose it will convince you. But I hope I have shown that alternative listings have problems too.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Tom Fischer
That may well be...
Thu Sep 5 14:29:19 2002
217.162.133.9

...and yet there are plenty of examples of apparently "non-logical" assignments of Werknummern/Kennzeichen/designations, of "drop-outs" and non-sequential assignments in the Luftwaffe. I personally do not feel that this is anything so utterly out of the ordinary. And I don't think speculation is any more convincing either.

Based on past work, I am with Mankau, at least for now. Had the RLM actually ordered the Ar 240/440, we'd probably all be wiser now.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
Illogicality, or just missing data?
Thu Sep 5 14:57:14 2002
20.138.254.2

I think that logic is much more important than is sometimes credited: the problem we face is not being aware of all the factors governing apparently "non-logical" decisions, which made sense at the time.

Any solution that contains unexplained gaps and curiosities is open to query: else we'd still be believing in four Ar 440A-0 protoypes in late 1942 followed by the V9 to V12 prototypes of the 240C in 1943. It was the entirely logical conclusion that this made absolutely no engineering sense that lead to reassessment of the published information.

However, the historical evidence for the Werkenummer sequence of the 240 contains contradictions: it is not possible to reach any sequence without some speculation, and some rejections. Feel free to believe what you wish, but I still think that there is more to be known.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Tom fischer
That's only too true
Thu Sep 5 15:17:20 2002
217.162.133.9

Graham

Read my post again. I do not believe we know everything there is to know about the Ar 240. That there's more about the Ar 240, particularly that specific type, is hardly a revelation. That is why I wrote "for now". What we today feel is "illogical" is of course often due to lost or unknown information. Old news, that.

You are very right about there being more to be known - as a matter of fact, there is hardly any Luftwaffe topic about which we all can honestly say everything is known or properly understood.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Franek Grabowski
I don't see any for static trials?! (n/t)
Thu Sep 5 14:39:32 2002
213.25.54.73

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Graham Boak
An interesting point
Thu Sep 5 14:46:58 2002
20.138.254.2

I don't think that there were any. This is probably because the aircraft grew out of being considered only as an experimental testbed, and was developed because of the continuing failure of the Me 210, more because of wishful thinking by the Arado company than any great demand by the RLM.

It could perhaps be that some of the earlier aircraft - V2? - ended their lives this way? Or perhaps such examples didn't exist at this time. Can you suggest other aircraft of the period that did dedicate entire airframes in this manner? Or simply that such examples did not get Werkenummern?

It is noticeable that this aircraft seems to have been built in pairs, as if the Arado experimental department only had room for that many at any one time. Speculation again, I'm afraid, if based on an observable characteristic.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Franek Grabowski
An interesting point
Thu Sep 5 15:10:29 2002
213.25.54.73

Well, if they did so many a/c, I find it logical if not neccessary to undertake static trials. I can't say anything about the rules of naming/registrating the static trial a/c in Germany but of the two a/c tested in Poland I've seen personally, early Wilga had the registration painted on and M-2 hadn't. Never bothered to research them, so I don't know what the paperwork looked like.
Franek

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Jouni Rönkkö
Ar 240
Wed Sep 4 10:23:20 2002
195.156.203.49

Thanks Graham,
just what I suspected.

I haven't seen any hard facts about Ar240 visited in Finland from any reliable source.
Only one finnish book, where is b&w profile and caption says at it was tested in Petsamo 1943, but that must be wrong.
When searching info from the net I found this polish (?) site: http://www.luftwaffe.piasta.pl/samoloty_arado240.htm
Couldn't understand a thing, but word Petsamo was mentioned in couple of places.

Thanks again!
Jouni