Ar 234 B-2

This page is about the German jet bomber Ar 234 B-2. For the other version, see Ar 234 C-3.

Ar 234 B-2

He 177 A-5

Ar 234 C-3

Ar 234 B-2

He 177 A-5

Ar 234 C-3

Germany

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.3	6.3	6.7

Class:

Bomber

Jet bomber

Research:82 000

Purchase:240 000

Show in game

Description

The Ar 234 B-2 is a rank V German jet bomber with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB/RB) and 6.7 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first ever jet bomber and the second jet-powered aircraft to go into service with the Luftwaffe. The Arado showed great potential but was produced too late in the war and in too little number to have any major effect on the outcome of WWII. Despite its great speed and high-altitude performance, the Ar 234 was not invulnerable and some fell prey to the guns of slower Allied fighters. One major problem for the Ar 234 was its poor backwards visibility, as well as its lack of manoeuvrability at low speeds. The Ar 234 B-2 had a maximum bomb load of 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). Usually it carried it as three 500 kg (1,100 lb) SC500K bombs, one under the fuselage and each of the engine nacelles. Alternatively, it could also carry a single 1000 kg (2,205 lb) SC1000 or SD 1,000 'Hermann' in place of the smaller bombs. Inside the cockpit, the standard equipment included a Patin PDS autopilot and a complicated Lofte 7k tachymetric bombsight. Other modifications of this bombsight can also be found on the Junkers Ju 88 (Lofte 7, 7C, 7D and 7H), Heinkel He 111 H-5 (Lofte 7A) and He 177 (Lofte 7B and 7C), Focke-Wulf Fw 200 (Lofte 7D and 7H) and the Messerschmitt Me 262 A-2a/U2 (7H, 7K and 7K-2). Both pieces of equipment could be used simultaneously.

General info

Flight performance

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 6 000 m742 km/h

Turn time28 s

Max altitude11 000 m

Engine2 х Junkers Jumo 004B-1

TypeJet

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight9 t

The plane is extremely easy to fly, both in Realistic and Simulator battles. With payload attached, the speed must be monitored carefully, especially if you are taking off from a short runway. Dive bombing and low altitude bombing is not only possible, but also quite easy thanks to very good elevator control and rudder authority even at considerable speed. Landing is somewhat rather easy compared to other planes of same size and class thanks to very robust landing gear structure and good flaps characteristic.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	710	687	11000	29.4	30.0	24.6	23.7	700
Upgraded	777	742		28.0	28.5	32.9	28.5

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
✓	✓	✓	X	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1000	400	527	498	350	~8	~4

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 500	< 500	< 550	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Empty mass			Wing loading (full fuel)
Junkers Jumo 004B-1		2	3,735 kg			252 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)					Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		24m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	88m fuel
745 kg	Axial-flow turbojet		4,578 kg	4,783 kg	5,294 kg	5,805 kg	6,760 kg	9,350 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition	100%	WEP	24m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	88m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	910 kgf	N/A	0.40	0.38	0.34	0.31	0.27	0.19
Optimal	910 kgf (0 km/h)	N/A	0.40	0.38	0.34	0.31	0.27	0.19

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural1 000 km/h

Gear400 km/h

• 15 mm steel - pilot's headrest

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 811 → 4 740

RB10 424 → 12 967

SB19 521 → 24 284

Total cost of modifications71 100

116 200

Talisman cost1 900

Crew training68 000

Experts240 000

Aces1 400

Research Aces620 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

110 / 220 / 600 %

184 / 184 / 184 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 4 800 Cost: 7 800 155 Compressor Research: 4 800 Cost: 7 800 155 Airframe Research: 16 000 Cost: 26 000 520 Wings repair Research: 5 900 Cost: 9 600 190 Engine Research: 5 900 Cost: 9 600 190 Cover Research: 23 000 Cost: 38 000 750		SC 500 Research: 4 800 Cost: 7 800 155 SC 1000 Research: 5 900 Cost: 9 600 190

Armaments

Suspended armament

The Ar 234 B-2 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 3 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (750 kg total)
• 3 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,500 kg total)
• 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb (1,000 kg total)
• 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb + 2 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (1,500 kg total)

Usage in battles

Arcade:

Due to the limited payload of only 3 x 500 kg bombs, this plane is most effective as a fast tactical bomber. It is very effective against any ground unit in-game, reliably taking out heavy tanks, pillboxes and destroyers. This can be done with a fast in-and-out approach, diving to do high speed, low-alt run over the ground targets then running to safety and then climbing while bombs reload to be able to repeat. If an enemy fighter does manage to catch up to engage the Arado, then you must resort to using the 234's excellent manoeuvrability to evade enemy fire until you can reach safety or help arrives. For ground attack, the 3 x 500 kg payload is the best option, as each is capable of destroying any individual ground target.

Some would advocate side-climbing and then high-alt base bombing. This may help ensure survivability, but in Arcade mode, the total bombload is too small to be very effective. While destroying the mini-bases may be useful, attacks on the airfield would be insignificant. In base-bombing roles, you may find that the upgraded bombload is worthwhile, as it has slightly less drag and slightly higher total TNT content within its bombs.

Realistic:

Fast tactical bomber. Go in, destroy the target, either two tanks/pillboxes, or one strategic bomb-zone target. At this point the pilot has several options:

1. Run back to base to rearm. Inform your allies about any foes you might have seen. On the second run, the Arado can either continue hitting ground targets/bases or loiter near the enemy airfield to bomb landed planes...though with many pilots being able to rearm in 15 seconds (even in RB) this can be difficult to achieve. Be sure not to be spotted!
2. Mimic history and be a reconnaissance (and bait) plane. The Arado's top speed in combination with its manoeuvrability allows for great dodging ability. Used against the enemy team, they might chase the Arado and lose precious energy, making them easy targets for your allies. In addition, their location is revealed and shown to the team, too.
3. Be "honourable" and utilize the only offensive weapon the Arado has: Itself. While ramming is a viable form of fighting for Arado pilots, other players ("targets") may be rather annoyed by it (the community term "Ruse Cruise Missile" originates from this).

Regular medium bomber tactics apply. Stay stealthy, stay fast and watch out during the landing approach.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Fast and very manoeuvrable
• Good energy retention + good dive speed = easy escape after the bombing
• Overheating is not an issue at all, even when stock
• Even the stock payload is enough to be effective
• Gets air spawned in realistic battles
• Can outrun most propeller aircraft after the payload has been dropped
• Small target
• Very efficient in taking out individual targets in ground strike maps (AB), with maxed reload time can drop a salvo roughly every 40 seconds
• Durable flaps, combat flaps get warning at 530 km/h and landing flaps are still usable slightly before combat flaps' limits, which makes fast landing easier

Cons:

• No offensive or defensive armament
• Some piston engine planes can catch the Arado during a dive
• Tail is easily damaged
• Impossible to recover from dives at speeds higher than 780 km/h
• Poor high-altitude acceleration
• Can only carry three bombs and release them in two separate loads
• No armour
• The pilot is easily knocked out due to the absence of armour on the front of the plane
• Can be difficult to take-off with heavier payloads

History

In late 1940, an order for a turbojet-powered reconnaissance aircraft was issued by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (the German Air Ministry). The winning design was the Arado Ar 234, a high-wing, incredibly fast jet bomber/reconnaissance aircraft with twin Jumo 004 engines. Since Germany's resources were running low the prototype was only able to fly in 1943 and was only able to fly combat missions after D-Day. Even after these setbacks, it was still the world's first operational jet bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.

The prototype used a wooden tricycle trolley for take-offs and a singular skid for landing. Also, since the plane was so fast the only times it would be vulnerable was during takeoff and landing. The design soon moved to conventional landing gear after to trolleys were quite risky and during landings when the plane would tilt over at low speed. Also to accommodate the tricycle landing gear the fuselage was made wider. Plus, an autopilot system was installed so that as the pilot was on his bombing run he could concentrate on his bombing targets. One of the other problems that were worked around was adding Walther 109-500 RATO motors (Rocket-Assisted Take Off) were used to shorten the aircraft's lengthy take-off run.

The pilot controlled the plane from the forward nose compartment which had an incredible amount of visibility, though the position made the 6 o'clock position behind the pilot extremely vulnerable. So a periscope was installed to counter this disability. The periscope would have doubled up as a sight for the guns on the tail that were meant to be installed but never were. Also, it could serve as a dive-bombing sight. The control yoke was moved aside inside the cockpit so that it could be moved out of the way when on the bombing run. When this was moved out of the way the pilot looked into a bombsight located in between his knees. Like many German aircraft, the main controls and gauges were colour-coded for easy recognition by the ground crews.

The main unit to use this aircraft in combat was KG76 who were based in Norway, though other units also used this aircraft. This aircraft had limited usefulness as fuel and engine production was what would send it out of combat at the end of the war.

In-game description

The Arado Ar 234 Blitz (Lightning) was the world's first operational jet bomber, built by Arado in Germany during WWII. It was used by the Luftwaffe for reconnaissance from November 1944 and as a fast bomber against Allied targets from December of that year. Despite the fact that late in the war the plane was used only sporadically due to a fuel shortage, it remained a very difficult target to intercept because of its high speed.

As a bomber, the Ar-234B-2 could carry a payload of up to 2,000 kg and could also be used for reconnaissance.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

References

Arado Aircraft Corporation (Arado Flugzeugwerke)
Bombers	Ar 196 A-3
Jet Bombers	Ar 234 B-2 · Ar 234 C-3
Export	▄Ar 196 A-5