Arado Ar 196

Ar 196A-3 Drawing
Ar 196A-3

Technical data

Type: Two-seat Shipboard Reconnaissance andCoastal Patrol Float Seaplane.

Power Plant: One BMW 132K nine-cylinder radialair-cooled engine, rated at 960hp at take-off and 820hp at 3280 ft.

Armament: Two 20-mm. MG FF cannon with60 r.p.g. and one 7.9-mm. MG 17 machine gun fixed to fire forward, andone 7.9-mm. MG 15 on flexible mounting with 525 rounds, plus two 110-lb.SC 50 bombs on ETC 50/VIII wing racks.

Performance:

  • maximum speed: 194 m.p.h. at 3280 ft
  • cruising speed: 166 m.p.h.
  • initial climb rate: 1358 ft./min
  • service ceiling: 22965 ft
  • range: 497 miles

Weights:

  • empty: 5148 lb.
  • empty equipped: 5670 lb.
  • loaded: 7282 lb.

Dimensions:

  • span: 40 ft. 9.75 in.
  • length: 35 ft. 11.5 in.
  • height: 14 ft. 7 in.
  • wing area: 304.618 sq. ft.

Versions

Prototypes:

  • V1 – A series, flew summer 1937
  • V2 – A series, flew summer 1937
  • V3 – B series, single float
  • V4 – B series, single float
  • V5 – B series, single float, flew autumn 1938

Models:

  • Ar 196A-0 – 10 delivered 11.38 – 12.38
  • Ar 196A-1 – 20 delivered from 6.39
  • Ar 196A-2 – delivered from 11.39, first production model with thefixed forward firing armament of 2 20-mm and 1 7.9-mm
  • Ar 196A-4 – delivered from 12.40, strengthened structure, additionalradio (FuG 16Z), air-screw spinner
  • Ar 196A-3 – delivered from 3.41, strengthened structure
  • Ar 196A-5 – delivered from 3.43, improved radio equipment (FuG 16Zand FuG 25a, later supplanted by FuG 141), the flexibly-mounted MG 15 inthe rear cockpit giving place to an MG 81Z (twin 7.9-mm MG 81s) with 2000rounds.
  • Ar 196B-0 – 10 delivered 1940-41, single floats
  • Ar 196C – project

Production:

  • 1938: Arado (Warnemünde), 10
  • 1939: Arado (Warnemünde), 40
  • 1940: Arado (Warnemünde), 98
  • 1941: Arado (Warnemünde), 97
  • 1942: Arado (Warnemünde), 94; S.N.C.A. (St. Nazaire), 13
  • 1943: Arado (Warnemünde), 83; S.N.C.A. (St. Nazaire), 10; Fokker(Amsterdam), 11
  • 1944: Arado (Warnemünde), 22; Fokker (Amsterdam), 58

Units:

  • Bordfliegergruppe 196
  • Küstenfliegergruppe 706
  • Seeaufklärungsgruppe 125
  • Seeaufklärungsgruppe 126
  • Seeaufklärungsgruppe 130
  • Seeaufklärungsgruppe 131
  • III./KG100
  • 1. and 3./KG200

Exports:

  • Bulgaria: few Ar 196A-3 delivered autumn 1942, used by 161st CoastalSqn.
  • Rumania: few Ar 196A-3 delivered 1943, used by 101st and 102nd CoastalReconnaissance Squadrons

Preserved aircraft:

At least 3 Ar 196A are known to have survived: one in the MaritimeMuseum at Varna (Bulgaria), one in the Smithsonian Institution (Washington,D.C.), and one at Willow Grove Naval Station (Pennsylvania).