JUGS VS. JETS
26 FlightJournal.com
The Arado (Ar 234) became the fi rst jet-powered bomber in the world to be operational in a
war. It was designed and built by the Arado company in Germany, and its brief testing regimen
indicated that production should begin immediately. Its fi rst fl ight was in mid-June 1943, a year
before the Allies landed at Normandy. It did not become operational with the Luftwaffe, however,
until sometime in September 1944, a time when the Americans and RAF had a huge advantage in
airpower. Only 210 of these bombers were built because production started so late, and the Allied
bombing efforts were affecting all German manufacturing.
The Ar 234 carried only one crewman (the pilot), and since most of its internal space was
jammed with fuel tanks, it was forced to carry its bomb loads externally. The Blitz could carry
approximately 1,000 pounds of bombs, and its only defensive armament was two rear-mounted
20mm cannon. Its quick acceleration/climbing ability was its main defense. Even with this drag,
it still had a respectable speed of better than 400mph. If it had been available in large numbers
when the Normandy Invasion took place, it could have been very effective, even though it would
have taken heavy losses due to the overpowering numbers of Allied aircraft. The fact that it would
have had to operate from airfi elds in the far eastern areas of France and western Germany would
have limited its abilities. Its combat radius was listed as approximately 675 miles.THE ULTIMATE KILL
P-47 vs. Ar 234This restored Ar 234 is on
display at the National Air
& Space Museum and it is
the same one that Lt. Fox
shot down in World War II.
It could easily accelerate
away from just about any
pursuing fi ghter and all of
its bomb load was carried
externally because of its
internal fuel tanks taking
up so much space. (Photo
courtesy of the National Air
& Space Museum via War-
ren Thompson).
Arado Ar 234 B-2s of 8./KG 76 are shown lined up
at Burg near Magdeburg during December 1944.
The aircraft are being serviced by ground crew for
a forthcoming mission, with the nearest machine
having its front fuel tank, situated just behind
the cockpit, being refi lled. (Photo courtesy of EN
Archive collection)