MAQUETTE À MONTER - Arado Ar234B-2 `Blitz Bomber´ [Luftwaffe Bomber] Hasegawa | No. 09083 | 1:48 **LIKE NEW INSIDE UNOPENED**

Characteristics

Description

Arado Flugzeugwerke began development of jet propulsion systems in the autumn of 1940. Work was soon commenced on a twin-engined reconnaissance aircraft with the company code name E370/IV. Basic airframe arrangement consisted of four straight-tapered wings with an engine under each wing set high on a long, cigar-shaped fuselage, with a high-mounted cockpit in the nose offering excellent visibility for a single pilot. Four fuel economy of the plane's turbo jet engines meant that an adequate amount of fuselage interior space was taken up by fuel tanks, negating the fuselage as a possible location for landing gear storage. The wings, in addition, were too thin and delicate to accept landing gear.

To get around this design dilemma, Arado came up with an innovative solution employing a jettisonable wheeled dolly for take-off and skid runners for landing. Original design called for the two BMW003 jet engines, but these were changed to the Junker Jumo 004 while the plane was still under development. Despite the switch to the more satisfactory Junkers Jumo powerplant, the airframe still suffered from a lack of overall thrust during take-off. To rectify this problem, underwing pylons for accepting Walter R1-202 RATO (Rocket Assisted Take-off) bottles were installed instead of the jettisonable wheeled dolly. Skid runners were employed with jacks so they could be dropped and recovered after take-off for later reuse. A formal government contract for three prototypes was received in April 1942, and the E370/IV was given the official Luftwaffe designation Ar234. The first prototype, Ar234V1 (fuselage code letters TG+KB), was completed on July 18th, 1943 and immediately sent up for a successful 14-minute maiden flight.

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