https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_196
The Arado Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance low-wing monoplane aircraft
built by the German firm of Arado starting in 1936. The next year it was
selected as the winner of a design contest and became the standard aircraft of
the Kriegsmarine (German navy) throughout World War II.
In October 1936, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, RLM) asked
for a He 114 replacement. The only stipulations were that it would use the BMW
132, and they wanted prototypes in both twin-float and single-float
configurations. Designs were received from Dornier, Gotha, Arado and Focke-Wulf.
Heinkel declined to tender, contending that the He 114 could still be made to
work.
With the exception of the Arado low-wing monoplane design, all were conventional
biplanes. This gave the Arado better performance than any of the others, and the
RLM ordered four prototypes. The RLM was conservative by nature, so they also
ordered two of the Focke-Wulf Fw 62 designs as a backup. It quickly became clear
that the Arado would work effectively, and only four prototypes of the Fw 62
were built.
The Ar 196 prototypes were all delivered in summer 1937, V1 (which flew in May)
and V2 with twin floats as A models, and V3 and V4 on a single float as B
models. Both versions demonstrated excellent water handling and there seemed to
be little to decide, one over the other. Since there was a possibility of the
smaller outrigger floats on the B models "digging in", the twin-float A model
was ordered into production. A single additional prototype, V5, was produced in
November 1938 to test final changes.
Ten A-0s were delivered in November and December 1938, with a single 7.92 mm
(.312 in) MG 15 machine gun at the rear seat for defense. Five similarly
equipped B-0s were also delivered to land-based squadrons. This was followed by
20 A-1 production models starting in June 1939, enough to equip the surface
fleet.
Role
Reconnaissance
Manufacturer
Arado
Designer
Walter Blume
First flight
May 1937
Introduction
November, 1938
Primary users
Kriegsmarine
Bulgarian Air Force
Finnish Air Force
Romanian Air Force
Produced
Number built
541
The plane was loved by its pilots, who found that it handled well both in the
air and on the water. With the loss of the German surface fleet, the A-1s were
added to coastal squadrons and continued to fly reconnaissance missions and
submarine hunts into late 1944. Two notable operations were the capture of HMS
Seal, and the repeated interception of RAF Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley bombers.
Although it was no match for a fighter, it was considerably better than its
Allied counterparts, and generally considered the best of its class. Owing to
its good handling on water, the Finnish Air Force utilized Ar 196s just for
transporting and supplying special forces patrols behind enemy lines, landing on
small lakes in remote areas. Several fully equipped soldiers were carried in the
fuselage.
Specifications (Ar 196 A-2)
General characteristics
Crew: two (pilot and observer)
Length: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 12.4 m (40 ft 8 in)
Height: 4.45 m (14 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 28.4 m2 (306 sq ft)
Empty weight: 2,990 kg (6,592 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 3,720 kg (8,201 lb)
hp)
Performance
Maximum speed: 311 km/h (193 mph; 168 kn)
Range: 1,080 km (671 mi; 583 nmi)
Service ceiling: 7,010 m (23,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 5 m/s (980 ft/min)
Wing loading: 98.2 kg/m2 (20.1 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.167 kW/kg ( 0.101 hp/lb)
Armament
Guns:
Bombs: 2x 50 kg (110.231 lb) bombs
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