Ar 234 B-2

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Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the German jet bomber Ar 234 B-2. For the other version, see Ar 234 C-3.
arado-234.png
GarageImage Ar 234 B-2.jpg
Ar 234 B-2
AB RB SB
6.3 6.3 6.7
Research:82 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:240 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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
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 Basic mass Wing loading (full fuel)
Junkers Jumo 004B-1 2 3,850 kg 256 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 24m fuel 30m fuel 45m fuel 60m fuel 82m fuel
745 kg Axial-flow turbojet 4,750 kg 4,944 kg 5,490 kg 6,037 kg 6,850 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 82m fuel MTOW
Stationary 910 kgf N/A 0.38 0.37 0.33 0.30 0.27 0.19
Optimal 910 kgf
(0 km/h)
N/A 0.38 0.37 0.33 0.30 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 Sl icon.png
RB10 424 → 12 967 Sl icon.png
SB19 521 → 24 284 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications71 100 Rp icon.png
116 200 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training68 000 Sl icon.png
Experts240 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 400 Ge icon.png
Research Aces620 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
110 / 220 / 600 % Sl icon.png
184 / 184 / 184 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
4 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 800 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
4 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 800 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
16 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
520 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
190 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
190 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
23 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
38 000 Sl icon.png
750 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
SC 500
Research:
4 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 800 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
SC 1000
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
190 Ge icon.png

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
  • With energy can pull off snappy evasive manoeuvres to throw off enemies
  • 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
  • Difficult 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.[1]


Archive of the 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

Skins
Images
Videos

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

References

  1. Connor, R and Moore, C., In the cockpit II, New York : HarperCollins Publishers, 2010


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

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