AR 234 – First Jet Bomber

The AR 232 has shallow diving attacks a periscope sight that was fitted above the pilot's seat. A primitive but effective ejection seat was fitted in the cockpit. And the Blitz carries an SC1000 'Hermann' 907-kg (2,000-lb.) bomb under the fuselage.

Although the prototype first flew with BMW engines, these proved less reliable than the Junkers Jumos fitted to production aircraft. These early turbojets had a lie of just 25 hours. A lack of fuel hampered operations In the closing stages of the war.

The AR 234 model aircraft was reportedly pleasant to fly, though its directional stability was poor. Fully laden 3rd without RATO gear, it required up to 380 m (1.250 ft) to become airborne.

Prototype AR 234s used a trolley undercarriage because of a lack of room in the fuselage - fuel tanks were more important. Later variants were redesigned to include landing gear.

Two fixed aft-firing Mauser MG151/20 20-mm (0.79.in) cannon were fitted to some aircraft. These were aimed with the dive-bombing periscope which could be turned aft.