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Deciphered strength returns for the Ar 234 Aufklärer are numerous but hard to interpret, both for British analysts at the time and for the modern reader. What seems to have happened is that reports in a prescribed format were being submitted by Hecht, by Sperling , by the two newly established Staffeln and possibly also by Stab FAG 123 and/or base commanders. Since these messages are not signed, inferences have to be made from the figures and from the code letters of the aircraft where cited. Where the first part of the code is omitted (i.e. the unit identifier), deciding whether (say) “HH” should be paired with T9, 4U or T5 is far from simple. Furthermore, on 28 January 1945, Kdo. Hecht told Luftwaffenkommando West that hitherto it had not been asked for monthly maintenance reports but that these, along with strength returns, had been submitted by the “home unit”, Versuchsverband OKL.
I hope that below I have managed successfully to isolate the returns for 1.(F)/100:
|
Aircraft
|
Pilots
|
|
Jan. 45
|
Total
|
Serv.
|
Total
|
Ready
|
Remarks
|
|
13.01.45
|
2
|
|
|
|
both en route to Biblis
|
14.01.45
|
|
|
3
|
3
|
|
15.01.45
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
T5+HH, T9+EH (140344) serv.
T5+EH u/s
|
16.01.45
|
3
|
|
|
|
140310 (T5+EH), 140315 (T5+HH) to strength from other units
|
17.01.45
|
"Strength return unchanged."
|
21.01.45
|
3
|
2
|
|
|
T5+EH, HH serv.; T9+EH u/s.
(T5+EH to be re-painted as T5+BH)
|
22.01.45
|
|
|
|
|
HH, EH, BH
|
23.01.45
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
T5+CH, GH serv.; HH, AH u/s; K7+AL,T9+EH being checked
|
24.01.45
|
6
|
5
|
|
|
BH u/s
|
25.01.45
|
6
|
5
|
|
|
BH u/s
|
27.01.45
|
6
|
4
|
|
|
T9+EH, T5+BH u/s
|
28.01.45
|
6
|
4
|
|
|
Kdo. Hecht reported to have: 1 a/c of Vesuchsverband OKL and 5 a/c of 1.(F)/100
|
29.01.45
|
6
|
4
|
|
|
T5+HH 10% damaged by enemy action
|
31.01.45
|
5
|
3
|
|
|
|
Feb. 45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
04.02.45
|
6
|
3
|
|
|
all crews ready
|
07.02.45
|
5
|
2
|
|
|
all crews ready; W.Nr. 140344 (T9+EH) off strength
|
10.02.45
|
6
|
4
|
|
|
|
13.02.45
|
7
|
4
|
|
|
1 a/c to strength: W.Nr. 140464?
|
15.02.45
|
9
|
3
|
|
11
|
|
18.02.45
|
9
|
6
|
|
9
|
|
25.02.45
|
10
|
4
|
|
11
|
|
28.02.45
|
10
|
5
|
|
12
|
|
Mar. 45
|
|
|
|
|
|
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02.03.45
|
10
|
4
|
|
11
|
1 a/c off strength
|
03.03.45
|
8
|
4
|
|
10
|
|
11.03.45
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
14.03.45
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8
|
3
|
12
|
12
|
|
Apr. 45
|
|
|
|
|
|
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09.04.45
|
7
|
5
|
13
|
7
|
IH and _H u/s; 2 a/c destroyed at Riem
|
12.04.45
|
5
|
3
|
13
|
13
|
|
14.04.45
|
6
|
3
|
13
|
12
|
|
16.04.45
|
7
|
3
|
13
|
12
|
|
18.04.45
|
|
|
|
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2 a/c Ar 234 shot down: 1.(F)/100?
|
21.04.45
|
5
|
3
|
13
|
12
|
|
22.04.45
|
|
|
|
|
1 a/c crashed on take-off
|
23.04.45
|
6
|
2
|
13
|
13
|
|
24.04.45
|
6
|
2
|
13
|
13
|
|
25.04.45
|
6
|
2
|
13
|
10
|
1 a/c possibly shot down
|
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