1936 maritime reconnaissance floatplane family by Arado
Ar 196
Luftwaffe Arado Ar 196A-2 (OU+AR) taxiing
Role
Reconnaissance
Type of aircraft
Manufacturer
Arado
Designer
Walter Blume
First flight
May 1937
Introduction
November, 1938
Primary users
Kriegsmarine Bulgarian Air Force Finnish Air Force
Produced
1938–44
Number built
541
The Arado Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance low-wing monoplane aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado. It was the standard observation floatplane of the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) throughout the Second World War, and was the only German seaplane to serve throughout the conflict.[1]
The Ar 196 was designed in response to the Kriegsmarine's requirement to replace the Heinkel He 60 biplane after the intended successor, the He 114, had proved to be unsatisfactory. Arado submitted a monoplane design to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, RLM) while all competing bids were for biplanes; the RLM decided to order four prototypes of the Ar 196 in late 1936. Testing of these prototypes during late 1937 revealed their favourable performance characteristics, leading to production being authorised and formal service tests commencing in the opening weeks of 1939. Starting in November 1939, production switched to the heavier land-based Ar 196 A-2 model; it would be followed by several more models until production of the type was terminated during August 1944.
All capital ships of the Kriegsmarine were equipped with Ar 196s. The aircraft was commonly used by numerous coastal squadrons, and as such continued to perform reconnaissance missions and submarine hunts into late 1944 across the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas. Perhaps their most noteworthy engagement was the involvement of two Ar 196s in the detection and capture of HMS Seal.[2] In addition to Germany, the Ar 196 was exported to the Bulgarian Air Force. Numerous examples were captured by the Allies, some of which were operated as late as 1955. Several Ar 196s have survived through to the twenty-first century, preserved for static display; none are known to be in an airworthy condition.
^Cite error: The named reference Kranzhoff 84 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
The AradoAr196 was a shipboard reconnaissance low-wing monoplane aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado. It was the...
The AradoAr 234 Blitz (English: lightning) is a jet-powered bomber designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado. It was the world's...
The AradoAr 95 was a single-engine reconnaissance and patrol biplane designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado. During the mid...
The AradoAr 80 was a pre-World War II fighter aircraft, designed by Arado Flugzeugwerke to compete for the Luftwaffe's first major fighter contract. The...
The AradoAr 64 was a single-seat biplane fighter designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado. It was among the first fighters produced...
The AradoAr 240 was a German twin-engine, multi-role heavy fighter aircraft, developed for the Luftwaffe during World War II by Arado Flugzeugwerke. Its...
The AradoAr 96 is a single-engine, low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado Flugzeugwerke...
The AradoAr 232 Tausendfüßler (German: "Millipede"), sometimes also called Tatzelwurm, was a cargo aircraft that was designed and produced in small numbers...
externally to the protective shield of the guns. Bismarck also carried four AradoAr196 reconnaissance floatplanes in a double hangar amidships and two single...
The AradoAr 68 was a single-seat biplane fighter designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado Flugzeugwerke. It was among the first...
The AradoAr 195 was a single-engine prototype carrier-based torpedo bomber, built by the German firm Arado for service on the German aircraft carrier Graf...
The AradoAr 231 was a lightweight floatplane, developed during World War II in Nazi Germany as a scout plane for submarines by Arado. The need to be...
The AradoAr 66 was a single-engined twin-seat training biplane designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado. It was the last aircraft...
The AradoAr 81 was a German prototype dive bomber. Because the Reich Air Ministry decided to purchase the competing Junkers Ju 87, only three prototypes...
The AradoAr 198 was a prototype reconnaissance aircraft, developed by Arado Flugzeugwerke, with backing from the Luftwaffe, who initially preferred it...
The AradoAr 197 was a German World War II-era biplane, designed for naval operations for the never-completed German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. Only...
to lift the turret and place it back on its bearings. The ship's two AradoAr196 floatplanes were completely destroyed. Repairs were conducted by the...
but it did not remain in service long before being replaced by the AradoAr196, Germany's standard observation seaplane. While the fuselage and flotation...
three AradoAr196 seaplanes and one catapult. In 1941 the aircraft hangar was reduced with place for just one Arado and in total only two Arado floatplanes...
superstructure. For aerial reconnaissance, she was equipped with three AradoAr196 seaplanes and one catapult. Prinz Eugen's armored belt was 70 to 80 mm...
The AradoAr 199 was a floatplane aircraft, built by Arado Flugzeugwerke. It was a low-wing monoplane, designed in 1938 to be launched from a catapult...
German rearmament in the 1930s included Heinkel He 60, Heinkel He 114 and AradoAr196 float planes for launch from the catapults of the Kriegsmarine's capital...
spotter planes like AradoAr196 twin-float seaplanes were manned by the so-called Bordfliegergruppe 196 (shipboard flying group 196). Trägergeschwader...
The AradoAr 65 was the single-seat biplane fighter successor to the Ar 64. Both looked very similar. The only major difference was the use of a 12-cylinder...
Global Information