Where did the Arado 234s go?

[AFWhite]

Judging from the terrain of Patuxent and the photos, Id say the dumping ground was on the northern edge of the base, near Harper Creek. Am I close at all?

My initial thought is just off the approach end of Rnwy 14. There's a pretty good drop off to the water at that end and looking at the pictures, it appears they are sitting in the bay itself. The Harper's Creek area is pretty enclosed, you'd see land in the background.

They're currently clearing all the trees along the that end of Rnwy 14/32 so it is inaccessible at the moment...but that alone may unearth a few more pieces of what might remain, if that is the area they were originally dumped.

[traku1]

"The Aviation Historian" magazine, http://theaviationhistorian.com will be featuring an article about the Pax river Arado 234's in an upcoming issue. The images in the article are from my original negatives which I took in 1976 while looking at the Arados. The photos which I have on my Flickr web-site which everyone is always referring to. I was 18 yo at the time and wish I'd taken a lot more photos. At that time the Navy was actively trying to "dispose" of them. Because of there state of decay no one was interested at that time. In the late 90's I went by the area by boat and there was no sign of them. Recently I've looked at aerial survey photos from the late 70's, but it was unable to see if they where there. Google earth shows a pit where the used to be. I've never been able to find out anything as to there fate.

[AFWhite]

"The Aviation Historian" magazine, http://theaviationhistorian.com will be featuring an article about the Pax river Arado 234's in an upcoming issue. The images in the article are from my original negatives which I took in 1976 while looking at the Arados. The photos which I have on my Flickr web-site which everyone is always referring to. I was 18 yo at the time and wish I'd taken a lot more photos. At that time the Navy was actively trying to "dispose" of them. Because of there state of decay no one was interested at that time. In the late 90's I went by the area by boat and there was no sign of them. Recently I've looked at aerial survey photos from the late 70's, but it was unable to see if they where there. Google earth shows a pit where the used to be. I've never been able to find out anything as to there fate.

Would you be able to pin point the area on a overhead map and post it here? If so I'll go take a look around.

[TAdan]

Traku1, welcome to the board. I've looked at your pictures several times over the past few years just dumbfounded that such rare aircraft could be disposed of in such a callous way. Thanks for sharing them online.

AFWhite, I've often hoped that someone with access could simply go take a look just to check. Happy hunting.

[traku1]

I was never able to get any cooperation from anyone at PAX to escort me to the Arado burial site in recent years. It's so amazing how the USN simply forgot where they buried there stuff down there in the late 40's. While doing volunteer work at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in 1976 it was well known where everything had been buried. They'd looked at the Arados and the other planes at the end of the runway extension and deemed everything unsalvageable. Also seems the museum at PAX has no interest. As near as can figure, the Arados had been at Google Earth 38.30438,-76.416129 and are nowhere to be seen. Someone out there must have photos and and know whatever became of all the other aircraft around PAX.

[AFWhite]

I was never able to get any cooperation from anyone at PAX to escort me to the Arado burial site in recent years. It's so amazing how the USN simply forgot where they buried there stuff down there in the late 40's. While doing volunteer work at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in 1976 it was well known where everything had been buried. They'd looked at the Arados and the other planes at the end of the runway extension and deemed everything unsalvageable. Also seems the museum at PAX has no interest. As near as can figure, the Arados had been at Google Earth 38.30438,-76.416129 and are nowhere to be seen. Someone out there must have photos and and know whatever became of all the other aircraft around PAX.

OK, I know that area pretty good and it is accessible. There are picnics areas, a walking path and beach access back in there...which makes it all the more likely that any remains were scooped up and driven off to some scrap heap long ago. I'd guess anything remaining back there would be small unrecognizable pieces found only with a metal detector (which I don't have...).

As far as the Pax Museum goes, yeah, I'd agree that they wouldn't be much help or know anything. The focus there is the jet age and beyond. Good folks but they operate on a volunteer staff and little to no funding. They have been trying to build a new museum building going on 4 years now and it remains a fenced off area out front, a few mounds of dirt and a half poured foundation...seems the local yolkol county government gives and yanks funding back and forth so quick and frequently I'm surprised the stack of cash hasn't caught fire. I have a couple of models to build for a display in the new place that I keep putting off building in synch with the pace of the museum getting constructed.

Either way, I'll go take a hike back there and see what I come up with.

[traku1]

If you get to that location, and the locations topography matches the photos I have at Flickr, well, that would be phenomenal!!! There's been such intense interest as to whether or not the Arados are actually there. I seriously doubt it. Take pictures. If it looks like the right place is there any way you could take me there? I have other
vague leads that they had been retrieved years ago and are in storage. Waiting to hear more about that. So much more to the story at NASPAX.

[DaveM2]

Wasn't one of the engines recovered and restored for the base museum many years ago?

[gale_dono]

Played around with the location in Google Earth a bit:

[traku1]

Cheers to Google Earth. Been there, done that.

[AFWhite]

If you get to that location, and the locations topography matches the photos I have at Flickr, well, that would be phenomenal!!! There's been such intense interest as to whether or not the Arados are actually there. I seriously doubt it. Take pictures. If it looks like the right place is there any way you could take me there? I have other
vague leads that they had been retrieved years ago and are in storage. Waiting to hear more about that. So much more to the story at NASPAX.

Sure, if you're ever down this way give me a heads up prior to. Just shoot me a PM here.

[SaxMan]

That spot is not too far from the Officer's Club. I played a wedding there a few years back. I wish I had known about the site, I would have taken a "casual stroll" over there (lol). I kind of like how Cedar Point road crosses an active taxiway (We thought it was an actual active runway at the time).

The one thing I've learned dealing with older wreck sites is that they are never 100% cleaned up. I imagine dump sites would be relatively similar. You may not find an entire airframe at that location, but I'd bet there is still something under the soil. Maybe if you talk to the Pax River museum people, they may be able to pull the right strings to let you go find the spot do a little bit of digging.

[old iron]

traku1 wrote:

I have other vague leads that they had been retrieved years ago and are in storage.

I am sure we all would like to hear more about this, and would like to think this to be something more than wishful thinking. My guess is that the engines were removed prior to disposal and what remained would have even in 1976 been just bunches of metal. The actual Ar.234 was a surprisingly small aircraft and I would think that even if there was a recovery the pieces would have been in very sad shape. Maybe someone now might consider a data plate reproduction, but I cannot imagine someone then setting these remains aside for a such a purpose.

But then, if the Fighter Factory collection somehow came onto enough of a Me.238 to be counted as a restoarable airframe, then anything is possible.

[SaxMan]

The thought that these planes were saved is probably wishful thinking. After all, this is the same U.S. Navy that allowed the Enterprise (CV-6) to be scrapped, let alone some enemy hardware.

[traku1]

Here are some links to other web searches I had done on the NASPAX Arados over the years. It's especially interesting about the comment about someone cutting the nose section off one and the Arados and placing it in their bathroom.


http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... 4&start=15

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=16025

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthrea ... hlight=PAX