Friday 8 March 2013

Lastensegler - a rare Arado 232 B Transportflugzeug - Ebay Luftwaffe photo find



A rare four-engine Arado 232 B version Transportflugzeug in Lemberg 1944. Note the emblem of 7./Erg TG on the fuselage side just behind the cockpit. Only around ten examples of the B model were ever constructed, powered by four Bramo 323 R engines; this may be B-09 or B-010. B-07 WNr. 0110029 was assigned to 1./KG 200 and coded A3+RB and was captured by the British and flown to the UK to be exhibited at Farnborough in October 1945. B-010 (WNr. 0110032) was lost at Rechlin on 14 June 1944 with six crew on board. The previous day, 13 June, pilot Paul Bader (sic!) had demonstrated the aircraft to Milch and other high ranking Luftwaffe personalities, landing the aircraft on a 'test track' comprising ditches at least 1.5 metres in width and 'embankments' of sand and rubble at least 80 cms high. The B-09 coded GD+XP appears in the log-book of Hptm Walter Behrendt who succeeded Hptm Joseph Belz as CO of 7./Erg. TG and commanded the Ar 232 Kommando assigned to KG 200.