The Arado Ar 234 Blitz (Lightning) was the world's first operational jet powered bomber. However, it was used almost entirely in the reconnaissance role. At first the Ar 234A series was designed without landing gear, it took-off my means of a large trolley which it would jettison, then on landing, skids would extend beneath the fuselage and under each engine.
The Ar 234A made its first flight in June 1943 and had an estimated maximum speed of 485 mph at 19,700 ft, an operating altitude of 6,100 ft and a range of 1,240 miles. The main A-series production was cancelled, even after the production had been stopped, seven prototypes flow, with V7 becoming the first jet aircraft to fly a reconnaissance mission.
Work started on the Ar 234B series and the first prototype was flown in March 1944, the first production version, the Ar 234B-0 followed in June of that year. Twenty B-0s were produced, next the B-1 was a limited production run of a reconnaissance only version. The B-2 quickly followed, this could be configured to fly either reconnaissance and bombing missions. The recce version could be equipped with two Rb 50/30 or Rb 75/30 cameras (mounted in the rear fuselage, with the aircraft configured to carry two extra fuels tanks under each engine if required. It was reported that the Ar 234B were flying reconnaissance missions over England and Europe in late 1944.
The prototype C-series flow in late 1944, with the Ar 234C-1 being the reconnaissance version. However, the main production plant was destroyed in 1945 before being captured by the advancing Russian forces. The total number of reconnaissance versions delivered to the Luftwaffe was 210 Ar 234Bs and 14 Ar 234Cs.
In April 1945 the Luftwaffe list only 24 reconnaissance versions left in service.
Source - Airrecce (pages not yet posted)
