What did the Arado Ar 234 do with its wheels on takeoff?

To reduce weight and maximize internal fuel capacity, Arado did not use retractable landing gear. Instead, the aircraft took off on a disposable trolley arranged as a tricycle landing gear and landed on three retractable skids, one under the center fuselage section and one under each engine nacelle. The version fitted with the trolley became known as the Ar 234A.

Initially, the takeoff technique involved dropping the trolley at about 60 m (195 ft) of altitude, with five parachutes returning it to the ground. The parachute system caused problems, and after the first two trolleys were destroyed, it was decided to release the trolley immediately on takeoff.

Landing the skid-equipped prototypes on a wet grass runway was extremely slippery due to the total absence of braking capability. This landing gear also meant the aircraft could not move under its own power after landing, which would have left the aircraft scattered across the airfield, unable to taxi off the runway. On 12 March 1944, the Ar 234 V9 made its first flight, the first to feature a fully retractable tricycle landing gear, with the main gear retracting forward into the mid-fuselage and the nose gear retracting backward.