The Luftwaffe's desperate jet attack to destroy the bridges at Remagan - 14th March 1945

[@airwarchronicles]

Historical discrepancy: paintschemes for the Ar 234s are not accurate to the individual aircraft of each pilot but they are an accurate representation of KG 76.

[@shaynewheeler9249]

Titanic wooden pineapple titanic museum in Orlando Florida jen

[@artjs9]

I was visiting the Air and Space Museums Garber restoration facility in Md thirty plus years ago, when they brought out a newly restored Arado. It was smaller than I had thought but was very cool...

[@welcome3933]

Wow, besides Arado-234, Luftwaffe had also jet fighter Messerschmitt Me-262 and Me-163

[@williamzk9083]

@@welcome3933 plus the He 162

[@gordonaverageguy9556]

My friend Leutnant Hans Busch of III/KG 51 was in the attack, in his Me 262. He missed the bridge. A "Kette" is three aircraft, not two.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

If true, amazing! But how are we to believe that? Of course he missed the bridge. Everyone did. On the internet, words have no distinct meaning. It's an idiot's playground. So bardingle your birdfrack. Words that DO NOT MEAN what the internet "thinks": meme, karma, literal, hack, quantum, proof, christian, race, liberal, and the list goes on and on.....

[@huuzee4011]

😂 Hysterically false

[@fundamentos3439]

Super video. One has to doff hats to the Arado pilots , who knew they were fulfilling a near - suicide mission. Thank you for sharing.

[@scottrichardson8158]

By that time near suicide missions were accepted by the Germans. Adolf Gallant told (decades later) how it "nothing" to loose one's life in the war by that time.

[@danzervos7606]

I shared a cubicle with a man who made it across the Remagan bridge. His platoon was supporting a tank destroyer. I recall him saying the jets were trying to bomb the bridge but kept missing. However we couldn't hit the jets either.

[@tomwilker2861]

My father was there at the same time. He had never seen a jet before. This story was one of only two he would tell about the war. His platoon later came upon a camouflaged airfield in the woods that had ME-262s in hardened hangars. Each one had been destroyed by the retreating Germans. Satchel charges in the cockpits did the job. This is what pushed my Dad into postwar aeronautics and aerospace. He spent time with X planes at Edwards and managed Thor launches for 20 years. His ‘Starfish Prime’ launch and detonation during ‘Operation Fishbowl’ at Johnston Island put out the lights in Hawaii and, as he said, “made the Sun rise in the West”. As kids, we never knew what Dad was doing. It was 30 years later when he finally was able to talk about it once it was declassified.

[@dancarter482]

@@tomwilker2861 WOW!

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

@@tomwilker2861 that's a really great story,and what a great man your father is.

[@dannysdailys]

@@tomwilker2861 Yes, the 262's came far too late for the Germans. So did a lot of things.

[@pat36a]

If I remember correctly, the Main bridge was restricted to foot traffic and light vehicles. No Tanks. Becouse of all the attempts to distroy it had weakened it. That's what made the pontoon bridge so important to take out. The main bridge did fall weeks later almost on it's own , speculation is the Army Corp Engineers removed to much damaged structural support to clear it for use.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

I think quite a few American soldiers died when the bridge collapsed...

[@pat36a]

@@joeschlotthauer840 correct

[@DeaconBlu]

Well done mate. I’m really enjoying your vids and the channel as a whole. Please, by all means…keep it up! Thank You!

[@linuschan39]

Another great piece, notwithstanding the AR234 colours, your attention to details is outstanding.

[@falconeaterf15]

Unguided munitions almost always miss. That’s why bomber formations usually consisted of dozens, if not hundreds of aircraft. If only one in a hundred bombs hit the target, that’s fine if you send enough of them.

[@williamzk9083]

-The Germans did have guided munitions: the Hs 293 and the Fritz-X. The latter was extremely accurate, with only a little training the operators were consistently getting hits within 5 meters on static targets. There were plans to use it on the Arado 234C version which had the second crew member to guide it. -I have to disagree with you about unguided weapons always missing somewhat. The Computing bomb sights such as the German Lotfe 7, US Norden and UK SABS-II could be extremely accurate. When bombing over Germany at 25,000ft or Japan at 30,000ft it was too much but the sights worked well at 15,000ft. In one case 3 Focke Wulf Fw 200 attacked "Convoy Faith" and hit 3 ships (two troops ships and one frieghter) in 5 attack runs. The two runs that were misses were against warships that used their maneuverability and speed to escape. So long as their was visibility and the crews were drilled and disciplined to use the sight properly it cloud work. The British attack on Tirpitz scored 2 hits and 1 near miss admitedly on a much larger and stationary target with 30 aircraft.

[@davidforbes7772]

@@williamzk9083 Norden huh?

[@LastRonin47]

Uh, hate to be that guy, but they never miss. They always hit the ground.

[@inyobill]

It's why the A-6 Intruders were built, and hence one of their nick0names: Dump-Trucks of Death.

[@tempestfury8324]

On that same day, two Arado 234's were shot down by P-47M Thunderbolts from the 62nd fighter squadron (part of Zemke's Wolfpack). Maximum speed of the M variant was 473 mph which was actually faster than the Ar-234, and arguably the fastest piston fighter for the Allies (in WWII). With War Emergency Power, some pilots claimed 500 mph in level flight. Also of note; the 56th Fighter Group was given the experimental T-48 incendiary .50 caliber rounds, which was specifically designed to ignite jet fuel.

[@williamzk9083]

The Arado 234A was the strategic reconnaissance version, It took of on a trolley and landed on a skid. The Ar234B was an adaption for the bomber role. In order to accommodate a retractable landing gear the fuselage was widened about 4cm to make up the fuel lost. This slowed the aircraft from about 484 to 466mph. The Ar 234B maximum speed was at 20,000ft while the P-47M achieved maximum speed at around 30,000ft. The lower the aircraft went the more advantage to the Ar 234. A property of jets so below 20,000ft the Ar 234 had increasing speed advantage. It was undersood that the Ar 234b speed was not stellar and improved versions were developed. The Luftwaffe had received 4 deliveries of the Ar 234C0 with 4 x BMW 003 engines replacing the 2 x Jumo 004. It was the fastest aircraft of the war at low altitude. Its maximum speed. Well over 526 mph. The Ar 234C5 version with improved BMW 003D engines was expected to be able to haul 3300lbs of bombs at 540mph.

[@ComfortsSpecter]

@@williamzk9083Incredible Vibery

[@benwilson6145]

I know of no historical sources that claim that Thunderbolts did 500mph in level flight. can you please state your sources!

[@kidsoxoxox]

Great video Mate, good to hear a young Aussie accent, you do us proud. Pity our WW2 ex Arado 234 Commander Sommer passed away a few years back. Also a shame we don't have a flying replica. There are very good Russian technical drawings contained in some booklets.

[@CollectorChronicles]

Fabulous work. The detail of the cockpit interior is impressive. I used to have a Luftwaffe clock and it looked exactly like the one on the steering yoke. I was really looking forward to this one since I love the Arado. Someday I want to see the one on display at the Smithsonian.

[@oceanhome2023]

I can’t wait to see an Arado on display !

[@airwarchronicles]

Thanks guys, if you weren't aware this is a flight simulator called IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Bodenplatte and the Arado is from the upcoming Normandy expansion

[@sodkijezu8748]

@@airwarchronicles Ar-234 is part of the upcoming Battle of Normandy though

[@airwarchronicles]

@@sodkijezu8748 Thanks I corrected my comment

[@robertwaters6208]

Thank you for not using the Normandy markings on the allied aircraft. Some people seem to think that every aircraft in WW2 had black and white stripes on the wings.

[@Minong_Manitou_Mishepeshu]

Great work as usual! Love the subject matter of these vids. Extremely impressive for a one man show! 👍

[@selfdo]

Altoufh the AR 234 certainty put the "Schnell" in their long-desired "Schnellbomber" concept, the aircraft was deficient in range, payload, and defensive armament (NONE). It's speed was its best defense, as nothing the Allies had could catch it, but it was highly vulnerable on takeoff and landing.

[@wildcolonialman]

Remarkable history, of which I was ignorant till recently-this bomber construction and this mission. The ME 262 I was well aware of, but this bomber not. And they actually still had pilots left capable of testing, and then capable of flying, is also a surprise to me. Fabulous telling Soto. That War always produces new weapons, and the Reich was so far ahead it seems is weapon construction across the board-no wonder the Allies and Russians were so keen to get hold of all technicians of War production-the Russians completely stripping all factories and staffs wholesale back to the Soviet Union, the Allies doing well to hunt down the likes of Von Braun.

[@CollectorChronicles]

Two of the main test pilots were women, Hanna Reitsch and Melitta Von Stauffenberg

[@wildcolonialman]

@@CollectorChronicles Fabulous.

[@charleswesley9907]

A couple of more quiet years of preparation before war outbreak and German would be the One World Language.

[@wildcolonialman]

@@charleswesley9907 there is that Charles. But murdering bucket loads of innocent unarmed civilians, while on the rampage to conquer, even with Hitler's miracle weapons-in my opinion doomed the Reich immediately-by the close of 42. To much arrogance, too much hatred-fabulous war machine, but the USA was also only getting warmed up by Wars end.

[@charleswesley9907]

@@wildcolonialman I'm pretty sure thats what we are seeing now . The Forth Reich of the Global Zionist Jews in the quest for Global Rule wants a 95% population Reduction. The Georgia Guidestones was just one clue to that revelation. Speaking of Revelations of the Bible , the Globalist Jews will succeed to rule the world from Jerusalem via their king the AC . Being a chosen people has differing meanings . both Jesus and Judas were Jews . The Revelations 2 verse 9 Global Zionist Jews as depicted in Revelations 17 verse12 thru 16 tells us of bad things to come at their hands . The Rothschilds who financed Hitler commented that because of his haulocaust against the Jews , was a God send . Come to find out 6,000,000 Jews had to be offered as a burnt offering before Israel could return as a nation.

[@rawnukles]

On March 18th, 1945, 37 Me 262s of JG7 intercepted a force of 1,221 bombers and 632 escorting fighters. They managed to shoot down 12 bombers and one fighter for the loss of three Me -262s. That would be great mission for you but heavy bombers are not available.

[@macjim]

Truly excellent graphics! The aircraft look really realistic… the only caveat was the lack of the allied black and white stripes on the fighters.

[@IronHorse1854]

Paint schemes for invasion stripes do exist in game by default, some of them are modelled after planes flown by specific pilots though, and so include their personal customisations, perhaps why the maker of this video opted not to use them. With third party mods, you can get plain invasion stripes on all allied planes who wore them though. The creator of the video did have at least one mod installed though to restore the hakenkreuz on the tails of the German planes, in the default game these are modified so they aren't recognisable as hakenkreuz. Possibly for legal reasons as the development team is based in Russia (although other Russian games I've played have featured the symbol, so I don't know), more likely perhaps just to avoid controversy, with the understanding that players will be able to very easily add historically accurate markings themselves if they care to. The game is IL2 Sturmovik, specifically the latest installment in the franchise which has been running for over 2 decades now. I grew up playing these games. They're great flight simulators, no other WWII flight sim ever came close imo.

[@airwarchronicles]

Thanks! However by March 1945 D-Day stripes were not being applied to Allied aircraft. I sourced them or created them all with historical reference so they are all accurate.

[@Dorpmuller]

Absolutely excellent! Well done and beautiful CGI

[@thej3389]

The footage was taken from a game look in the description

[@schabanow]

The exhaust fume of busters was much darker and much more intence than depicted in your video. +1, Many thanks!

[@tauront]

Great video! Amazing work. :)

[@RedBravo65]

Beautifully done video. Bravo sir.

[@marcrabbit1853]

incroyable! bravo à l"équipe de My Patreon. Tous mes encouragements à vous. unbelievable! kudos to the My Patreon team. All the best to you. Marc

[@LeopardIL2]

Outstanding. You´re not making History...you´re telling it. Congrats-

[@davidprosser7278]

A very interesting series of videos. Thanks for making them.

[@ComfortsSpecter]

Incredible History Amazing examples Wonderful work Adorable animation

[@chrisfs150]

Would an effective hit on the pontoons really have achieved much more that a half day delay on crossing times? Surely the allies would have had 4/5 spare pontoons and equipment to hand for precisely such a hit?

[@alecfoster5542]

Yep. Hence the word "desperate" in the title.

[@yungcaco1443]

Great video thanks 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@CT9905.]

Excellent documentary video, please make More!!!!

[@geordie1032]

Excellent video, thank you

[@allgood6760]

Far out!.. thanks from NZ 👍🇳🇿✈️

[@keithreid7608]

I absolutely love these videos!

[@geniol28186]

Great work! Thanks!

[@americanpatriot2422]

Outstanding video and presentation.

[@michaelarchangel1163]

Hell of a name with one of those German pilots - Werner Croissant. A handy guy to go for a coffee with and maybe be given a free snack !

[@andrewruddy962]

Wow, thank you for making this alive.

[@lanfrancoadreani9212]

If you will ever bother to do a video about an Italian pilot(I know we don't have super aces) I suggest the story of Giuseppe Cenni (Valzer!) or the Life on Ennio "Banana" Tarantola. They both had interesting lives.

[@stewartdalton3298]

Every story gives us better insight into the whole story. For without all the pieces of a jigsaw then you never enjoy the complete picture. Greetings from Australia 👍🏻🇦🇺

[@simonvirus6417]

@@stewartdalton3298 true mate, are u related to Helen Dalton the pollie in NSW .?

[@paulmanson253]

I dunno if this would represent well in a presentation like this,but Hurricane pilots facing Italian pilots during the battles around Malta had immense respect for the Italian fighter pilots. They stated on several occasions that it was a bad idea to fight them on the horizontal. Especially the sergeant pilots were incredibly experienced,and would frequently make monkeys of the English pilots.

[@giantskunk]

The raid on Bahrain and Dhahran in 1940 is an interesting story and a remarkable bit of flying over 3 continents.

[@kaushikganguli1091]

The Macchi 202 Folgore was in fact one of the best fighter aircraft of the war and with right engine and fuel tanks would have done well

[@ac43942]

The AR 234's were an awesome display of german engineering , way ahead of the allies

[@joefish6091]

Engines yes, aircraft design no. the Arado is old fashioned just jet engines bolted onto a conventional airframe. no different from the B25 Wellington or Beaufort.

[@brendanmassett5836]

Outstanding work!

[@carrickrichards2457]

Radar control of a slaved AA battery and proximity fused shells made significant AA improvements from late 1943. I am unsure when those techs were put in place to protect the Rhine crossings as there was fear it might be captured. The british 3.7" AA used both of these innovations.

[@jasonmorahan7450]

I do enjoy these recreations. You know the problem with those first gen jet engines wasn't so much the low thrust but they took a long while to spool up, so the effective bite of high powered propeller driven aircraft gave much better acceleration at lower airspeeds, but once they get going the jets outclass them so long as they keep their speed up. Germany had additional issues with strategic materials and industry, when the Soviets started reverse engineering the BMW and Jumo jets for their own fighter ideas, of course they were built using much better materials and had none of the reliability issues they were infamous for under German manufacture. Mainly, engine failure was as simple as moving the throttle too quickly; they were built under severe constraint by that stage of the war.

[@airmanfpv964]

the Soviets refined the Germans design

[@jasonmorahan7450]

@@airmanfpv964 not initially, according to one text. They had a limited supply of German manufactured engines which they used to produce initial designs like the Yak-15 and so had to produce engines locally, the only initial change being produced using their own, much higher grade steel than was available to Germany in the late war. By the time they were producing the Yak-17 and MiG-9 they had refined, thus slightly altered the original Jumo and BMW engines but that initial batch in their very first jet fighters used up first, their supply of captured engines and then locally produced, but otherwise identical engines, which were then superseded by their own modified derivatives, which from memory started appearing in things like the Yak-17 during series production but not in the Yak-15. It was noted by Soviet sources the captured engines were fragile whilst locally made versions, otherwise identical were remarkably reliable, with service lives extending well beyond expectation. The theme of the piece I was reading was specifically that infamous unreliability of the German jets was not due to any design elements but entirely due to compromised materials and they were otherwise excellent and reliable engines, citing the above with references.

[@williamzk9083]

The handling issues came from primitive engine controls that relied on a centrifugal governor to dose fuel to achieve a certain engine RPM. What is needed is a way to measure air mass flow and trim the fuel flow to avoid over and underdosing fuel. Over dosing can lead to a burn out from over heating or a flame out from the fuel. Under dosing can also lead to a flameout. The "beschleungguns ventil" or "accelerator control valve "that used a barometric capsule to measure air pressure and thereby air flow across the compressor was scheduled to enter service in April 1945. It would have lead to a big improvement in reliability and throttle response. The final piece of the puzzle would have been using the engine thermocouples to not only indicate temperature but regulate it using some electronics. There were sensors in the engine but no electronics yet. The reason electronics is needed is to not only measure the temperature but its rate of rise to dampen any over shoots.

[@powerjets3512]

@@williamzk9083 Holly shit. The first comment from someone concerning these engines that knows the real issues. Metals are just constraints. The challenge is to not exceed them and the engine controls were indeed the issues. No computer engine controls back then. Combustion still very problematic. With axial designs the challenge is just so much bigger due to the more complex flow and pressure profile. You probably also laughed at the slow spooling comments too.

[@jasonmorahan7450]

@@williamzk9083 brilliant post mate. Inspires one to look up more detail about these engines 👍

[@allsearpw3829]

Thanks for an amazing made video, a first jet bomber .

[@aprylrittenhouse4562]

Yes fabulous work. I had no idea they used jets on remagen. Also why didn't they attack it straight like parallel with the bridge? You'd think they'd have a better chance at hitting it

[@PORRRIDGE_GUN]

Because of flak concentrations, probably

[@androidemulator6952]

Thank you - a most interesting video- better than most Hollywood dross. Always had a soft spot for the Arados ! :)

[@dannysdailys]

I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing jet aircraft attacked by propeller planes.

[@samanli-tw3id]

Allied prop aircraft did attack Me 262s.

[@joefish6091]

UK vs Indonesia, EE Lightnings vs Mustangs/Spitfires.

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video and so I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@Fabian-Wenzel]

Germany was a leader in technology and science in the 1930s and 1940s.

[@flashgordon3715]

The complete detail with personal names of both combatants.

[@cannonfodder4376]

Rather interesting so many Arados were caught by ostensibly slower fighters. Another fantastic cinematic.

[@TheHarvHR]

Whilst the Arado was fast, it wasn't that much faster than allied fighters at low altitude, and none of that mattered when aircraft already in the sky could dive down and gain the necessary speed to catch them

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Both sides probably didn’t grasp the performance characteristics of jet engines. Jet thrust increases with higher speed and piston engines and propellers lose power/thrust with higher speed so a jet can climb at a much greater airspeed than can a piston fighter. Staying high on the return and climbing if intercepted would have given the jets a major advantage, the piston engine fighters could only catch them from a dive. Nazi Germany’s fuel shortage in 1945 might have been a big factor in planning the raid.

[@jwg72]

Indeed. To bomb accurately the Arados dropped in altitude, and when laden with bombs they weren't that fast anyway... a diving fighter could catch them.

[@tedmoss]

@@TheHarvHR Tactics.

[@daliborkudrna437]

Yea its pretty mysterious how they catch them, but its really maybe because in low level these fighter jets are in reality slower than piston aircrafts.

[@jamistyk2538]

O Yes!!! ❤ Awesome work

[@vladimirzimonja8103]

Is this video made using an existing simulation(which one?)or a custom CG? Graphics,realism,and resolution are awesome.

[@airwarchronicles]

Check description

[@MachDoch74]

Witch game is used for presentation? DCS? This is stunning graphics!

[@airwarchronicles]

IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles

[@MachDoch74]

@@airwarchronicles Danke! Seems like i have to buy it.. And, good work!

[@ukasz-zm9qc]

Hi. In your film there is a scene with Lieutenant Barhart's Mustang and his report that he only flew up to Arado without opening fire and the pilot jumped out of the plane, but I found a guncamera video of this episode and it clearly shows that Barnhard opened fire and hit German plane multiple times . Enter "1945, captured german jet" in the YT search engine, where it is visible in the first seconds of the video.

[@airwarchronicles]

Wow I had no idea this footage existed thankyou

[@rogerlavender01]

Nicely done!

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

one of the most beautiful aircrafts.

[@jugandoconenfoque]

En los ataques al puente Ludendorff con Arado 234, nunca fueron escoltados o acopañados por Me 262?

[@edwardvillate2112]

👏 CONGRATULATIONS ... EXELENT VIDEO !!!

[@enscroggs]

The Ar-234 was much more successful as a high-altitude reconnaissance ship than as a bomber. Steep-angle dive bombing tactics like those used by dedicated attack aircraft like the Ju-87 Douglas SBD involved far too much strain than the Arado's airframe could tolerate, and shallow-angle tactics like those used in this raid on the Ludendorff bridge required the Blitz to approach at no more than medium speed for accuracy and the ability to safely pull out. However, because of the sluggish throttle of the JUMO 004B-1 it took a long time for the Blitz to regain its top speed, leaving it vulnerable to interception by Allied fighters.

[@williamzk9083]

The Arado 234A was the strategic reconnaissance version, It took of on a trolley and landed on a skid. The Ar234B was an adaption for the bomber role. In order to accommodate a retractable landing gear the fuselage was widened about 4cm to make up the fuel lost. This slowed the aircraft from about 484 to 466mph. The Bridge at Remagen was eventually destroyed but it took a while. The Ar 234B had a number of ways to aim bombs. The first was with the BZA (Bomb Ziel Automat) or "Bomb Aiming Computer". This is normally associated with the StuVi 5B used on the Ju 88. It was very advanced. The pilot entered a shallow dive (about 22 degrees on a Ju 88) and the BZA computed a continuous impact point and move the reflector recticle on the SuVi 5B, the pilot then adjusted the aircraft till he had the cross hairs on target and released. In the Ju 88 there was also a computing level bombing sight called the Lotfe 7 operated by the bomb aimer. Experienced crews would use the Lotfe to measure head and cross winds and set up the shallow dive. A good crew could inititate dive at say 8000ft pull up by 5000ft at 400mph , dive angle 22 degrees and get the bombs to within 5m. On the Arado 234B the Lofte 7 had also been tested linked to the Patin Autopilot. I'm not sure of if the crews attacking Remagen had this. Either way without the second crew member bombing was difficult due to pilot workload and it would have been hard using both. Hence the Ar 234C was to incorporate a two seat cabin. Some of the attacks against the Remagen Bridge were carried out at night using the Zyclops blind bombing system. It was a beam riding system with the pilot given the bomb release command by a ground opperator who knew the down range distance from the IFF system. It needed automation. There was also EGON blind bombing and the new German IFF system Neuling had blind bombing built in. The Jumo 004B was to receive the "Beschleuniguns vietiel" or accelerator control valve in April 1945. This was the estimated service date. The Jumo 004 fuel flow was controlled by a centrifugal governor and tended to over or underdose but the accelerator control valve worked by measuring air flows and this would have spared the engine the over heating and flame-outs.

[@lfchaves8819]

Good Job! Cachoeirinha-RS/Brasil.

[@Planefan1000]

The lean of the Arado in the back at 0:29 is making me physically uncomfortable, did they not have outrigger wheels?

[@curtisr8179]

Nice work!

[@shaggygabe728]

Epic video!

[@androidemulator6952]

There was also a 4-engined version of the Arado 234 also ??

[@jugandoconenfoque]

si , 234 C pero no paso de prototipo

[@folgore1]

Neat vid! I'm surprised the Arados didn't have some kind of fighter escort.

[@lilibethdoherty295]

Das ist sehr interessant.

[@NuclearN00bGaming]

Consider doing the P40 truk raid? The Flying tigers launched an offensive raid on Truk Island and just happened to show up in the middle of a Japanese demonstration of their air power. The p40s dove in and chopped up an A5M in front of the Japanese high brass in bleachers then mauled the airfield. It would be wonderful to see this recreated

[@Planefan1000]

Are you talking about Operation Hailstone?

[@NuclearN00bGaming]

I'd have to find the official name of the raid, it was just mentioned in one of my AVG memior books

[@zillsburyy1]

they also tried, V2 rockets and frogmen

[@watsondove849]

The CGI comes from the warthunder game, really well done guys and great for anyone who wants to make similar videos

[@PORRRIDGE_GUN]

No it doesn't It comes from IL2 Great Battles with Normandy upgrade, although Remagen is on the Rheinland map. War Thunder is an arcade-ey game for kids. Flight model is unrealistic. IL2 is a combat flight sim, like DCS.

[@jaydeister9305]

"if there was ever wartime drama, this is it!"

[@williamzk9083]

I think only 76 in service. Most were never delivered.

[@jaydeister9305]

@@williamzk9083 76, hey that's nothing in ww2 combat!

[@josemoreno3334]

Well made video.👍

[@CollectorChronicles]

I wonder if in this case the bombers were too fast. That seems like quite a difficult task. Ya, you’re hard to hit for the AA gunners but try dropping a bomb with that short of time to line it up. You would think they would at least fly in at a different angle instead of perpendicular.

[@coppulor6500]

Cuz there's no significant AA coming from the river. just from an angle and I suppose that would provide substantially less stress for the pilot? just guessing and trying to imagine it and I think most pilots would prefer that strategy. At that point in the war, it wouldn't shock me if most of those pilots were like "okay, bombs dropped, duty done, did my best now let's get the ficken out of here!".

[@CollectorChronicles]

@@coppulor6500 good point! It may have had a psychological effect on the enemy to show off those bombers up close.

[@coppulor6500]

@@CollectorChronicles I would imagine it's more that none straight ahead of you is shooting at your face (directly at you)

[@turkey0165]

Nice video!

[@mabbrey]

this channel should take off this year

[@inyobill]

04:44: That half-track could have been my father (I know, I know, this is a simulation. Still, ...). My wife and I often have ice cream and coffee at Remagen (Reh'-mah-gun, accent on the first syllable, a mistake I made for many years.) a distinctly more civilized activity.

[@Pito0733]

So beautiful planes..

[@jbhix2691]

That was awesome. Great job.

[@alexius23]

Even if the Ardis had hit the pontoon bridge it would have been quickly replaced

[@adolfofloresdeleon4763]

Era muy tarde para planear cualquier cosa para la defensa...

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

Did the attack at a 90-degree angle to the bridges. It would seem an end on attack would score more hits...

[@paulstreet9162]

The RAF belatedly attack the Meuse bridges in 1940 and many Battles are shot down by well prepared AA. The Germans attack a bridge at Remagen a week after the crossing and the American AA get none.

[@OldMusicFan83]

I’ve seen one of these Arados at the Smithsonian in DC

[@littlebritain64]

I am wondering why they did not use their radio guided bombs. In late 1943 they managed to sink the most important italian ship, the Roma, with a single hit.

[@noteimportax6477]

So arados coudnt outrun p51?

[@charleswesley9907]

If they had made bomb runs along the length of the bridge they probably could have taken both out .

[@tempestfury8324]

Maybe but always easier said than done. That flight path would have undoubtedly brought them into line with even more AA and ground fire.

[@charleswesley9907]

@@tempestfury8324 I have to believe that the flack guns could reach no matter how they flew .

[@tempestfury8324]

@@charleswesley9907 : It has nothing to do with "reach" of flak guns. These planes were on low level bombing approaches. So it became a matter of line of fire and concentration (as well as typical ground fire). By following the river, they severely reduced their chances of being hit.

[@charleswesley9907]

@@tempestfury8324 I suppose thats the idea. A 600 ft wide river wouldnt afford them to much difference of fire power .. I suppose they could have been at 5000 ft and actually gain an advantage . Windage wouldnt have hurt them either .I have seen where dive bombers tried to hit a ship at a right angle attack and fall short or too long . But when bombing ships along its length they hit it .

[@hertzair1186]

That’s what I was thinking….

[@windborne8795]

I thought the Arado 234 pilot's position was laid out in a prone?

[@derekpierkowski7641]

WellDone!👍👍👍

[@briansteffmagnussen9078]

It is a wonder if none of the pilots bailed directly into their own jet intakes.

[@hunormagyar1843]

I think the _top_ of the canopy could be jettisoned upwards or something on the Arado... Not sure though.

[@zumb42]

Excelent animation.

[@tomstarcevich1147]

Awesome 👍

[@armoredinf]

Did Robert Barnhart get an official kill?

[@airwarchronicles]

Yes

[@SandyofCthulhu]

Ironically, if the Germans had used obsolete Stuka dive bombers, they would have destroyed the bridge. Assuming that the Stukas survived the AA fire.

[@jamesthomas4841]

They did use Stukas against the Remagen bridge.

[@bubiruski8067]

Sadly some fine airplanes were lost.

[@alking4153]

The army filmed the attack I've seen the film the bomb did hit the river but not close to the bridge.

[@mattharcla]

You guys do a great job...now how about Clive Caldwell, Bluey, and some others? Miller?

[@pcka12]

The film I have seen of the genuine aircraft shows them using trolleys rather than fitted undercarriages!

[@organickevinlondon]

You Tube "wings of the Luftwaffe: Arado 234" and "suddenly, LIKE MAGIC" you become "some sort of an expert" on the Arado 234, (and ALL of the other WW2 Luftwaffe aircraft featured in this series like the BF 109, BF 110, FW 190, JU52, JU87, JU88, HE111 and ME 262, plus others), the one thing that amazes me about, German technology, is, their first jet fighter, first took to the air, BEFORE WW2 started, (it was the Heinkel HE 178) mind you, the Horten HO 229, was also "way ahead of its time too".

[@pcka12]

@@organickevinlondon not sure how your comment fits in with the published film & data which shows a trolley launch system & skid landing?

[@Despiser25]

Seeing the Arado it makes Hitlers incessant butting into the ME262 program to make it a bomber seems even more insane.

[@davidmicheletti6292]

My father was with the anti aircraft unit defending the bridge.

[@thethirdman225]

I've always thought the Ar-234 was true successor of the Mosquito but it came too late and production quality control was poor.

[@royalmason1539]

Wouldn't you attack a bridge down the length of the bridge rather than from the side, which presents the smallest and least likely target?