Arado Ar 232 Tausendfüßler: Difference between revisions

Ar 232
	Arado Ar 232B-0
Role	Transport
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Arado Flugzeugwerke
First flight	June 1941
Introduction	1943
Retired	1945
Primary user	Luftwaffe
Number built	~20

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The Arado Ar 232 Tausendfüßler (German: "Millipede"), sometimes also called Tatzelwurm, was a cargo aircraft that was designed and produced in small numbers by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado Flugzeugwerke. It was designed during the first half of the Second World War in response to a request by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, RLM) for a successor or supplemental transport aircraft to the Luftwaffe's obsolescent Junkers Ju 52/3m. The Ar 232 introduced, or brought together, almost all of the features now considered to be standard in modern cargo transport aircraft designs, including a box-like fuselage slung beneath a high wing; a rear loading ramp (that had first appeared on the December 1939-flown Junkers Ju 90 V5 fifth prototype four-engined transport via its Trapoklappe), a high-mounted twin tail for easy access to the hold and features for operating from rough fields. It was initially requested to be powered by a pair of BMW 801A/B radial engines, however, an alternative arrangement of four BMW Bramo 323 engines was adopted instead due to a lack of capacity.

The first twin-engine prototype performing its maiden flight in June 1941, while the first four-engine prototype followed roughly one year later. The type demonstrated clear performance advantages over the Ju 52/3m and limited pre-production orders were placed, leading to roughly 20 aircraft being constructed. The envisioned mass production of the Ar 232 was never attained, primarily due to Germany having an abundance of transport aircraft in production and thus it did not purchase large numbers of Ar 232s. Several aircraft did see operational use, to aid wartime production efforts and on the front line. Arado's design team continued to work on refinements, including economy measures and the enlarged six-engined Ar 632 variant. At one point, German officials expected quantity production of the type to be attained in October 1945 but the war ended instead. Two Ar 232s were captured by the British and operated for a time between England and Germany following the conflict.

Development

What would become the Ar 232 originated from a tender offered by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM/German Aviation Ministry) issued during late 1939 which sought a replacement for the ubiquitous Ju 52/3m transport. Both Arado and Henschel were requested to design a rear-loading aircraft that was to be powered by a pair of 1,193 kW (1,600 hp) BMW 801A/B radial engines,^[1] which was just entering prototype production and not currently used on any front-line designs. Arado's design team was headed by the aeronatical engineer Wilhelm van Nes. The basic configuration selected was that of a cantilever mid-wing smooth-skinned monocoque design with a spacious cargo area that was as low to the ground as feasibly possible. Furthermore, the aircraft was to be relatively robust and capable of operating from austere airstrips and rough terrain, possess short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities, and permit rapid loading and unloading times.^[2]

Following a review of the competing aircraft, Arado's design was selected over Henschel's, leading to the company receiving an initial order for three prototypes in 1940. However, challenges for the Ar 232 soon became apparent in the form of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 project, which had been also earmarked to use the same BMW 801A/B engine. However, production of the BMW 801 was deemed to be insufficient to fulfil all of the prospective demands, thus Arado was compelled to adopt an alternative engine for the Ar 232. Eventually, the BMW Bramo 323 Fafnir nine-cylinder radial engine, weighing roughly 550 kg (1,210 lbs) each, from Focke-Wulf's Fw 200 land-based maritime patrol aircraft was selected as the alternate powerplant instead. The Bramo 323 was already in production and could meet requirements if the Ar 232 really did replace the Ju 52/3m in service. The prototypes were far enough along that switching engines would have seriously delayed the program, thus the first two aircraft were to be completed as the Ar 232A, while the third and a newly ordered fourth prototype were designated as the Ar 232B. The third and fourth prototypes (and all production aircraft) used four engines (in place of the two specified in the RLM specification) in order to provide the desired performance.

The first two prototypes, bearing the Stammkennzeichen alphabetic codes GH+GN and VD+YB^[3] respectively, were completed in early 1941 and commenced trials as soon as possible. The first flight, while otherwise uneventful, suffered a partial landing gear failure during landing; while the nose gear collapsed, the twenty-two "millipede wheels" saved the aircraft from damage. The cause was determined to be a stuck oleo strut, which was too short when fully extended, and thus easily rectified via the insertion of a ring.^[4]

The general performance of the Ar 232 proved to outperform the Ju 52/3m in multiple respects; it carried roughly double the load over longer distances, operated from shorter runways and rougher fields if need be, and cruised about 70 km/h (44 mph) faster.^[5] A further ten pre-production aircraft were constructed; these saw operational used as the Ar 232A-0 while awaiting production versions.

The Ar 232B program proceeded in parallel to this effort. With the quartet of 895 kW (1,200 hp) Bramo 323s replacing the twin BMW 801s, each Bramo 323 with its aforementioned 550 kg dry weight apiece; power increased from 2,386 kW (3,200 hp) to 3,580 kW (4,800 hp), solving the Ar 232A's problem of having little excess power in case of engine failure. This change also required the wing to be extended slightly, the span increasing just over 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in total.^[6] The extra weight of the Bramo 323 engines also moved the center of gravity forward, which was offset by stretching the cargo area rearward another meter, expanding the cargo capacity it could carry internally.

During May 1942, the first of the two four-engined prototypes, V3, performed its maiden flight. A further 10 aircraft were then ordered as the Ar 232B-0, and were used widely in an operational role. However, this was the only order for the design, as the Luftwaffe gave transport aircraft production a relatively low priority. Many of those aircraft produced were used by Arado to transport aircraft parts between its factories, and did not see front-line service.

Various improvements to the Ar 232 were planned, such as the replacement of the outer wing sections and control surfaces with wooden versions to conserve aluminium.^[7] Originally to be known as the Ar 232C, the design effort was protracted and was later redesignated the Ar 432. During June 1944, plans were finally put into place to start production in October 1945, but the conflict came to an end without even a prototype being produced.^[8] Two even larger planned versions, the Ar 532 and the Ar 632, would have almost doubled the wingspan to 60 m (196 ft 10 in), as large as Germany's six-engined BV 238 flying boat design, and added another two engines. An amphibian transport, the Ar 430, was also projected for use in the Mediterranean.^[9]

Design

The Ar 232 was a multi-engined transport aircraft. It was normally operated by a crew of four, of which the pilot was the only member without two roles. The navigator also operated a 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun in the nose, while the radio operator could also used a 20 mm MG 151 cannon in a rotating turret on the roof, and the loadmaster was provisioned with a 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun that fired rearward from the extreme rear of the cargo bay above the cargo doors.^[4]The aircraft could be outfitted with various auxiliary kits to suit certain operational circumstances, such as winter/tropical kits, a radio set, a rubber liferaft, an oil-burning heater, and a emergency power unit.^[4]

The cargo bay of the Ar 232, which was directly behind the aircraft's "stepless cockpit", was 6.6 m (21 ft 7¾ in) long, 2.3 m (7 ft 6½ in) wide and 2.0 m (6 ft 6¾ in) high. Unlike typical designs of the era that used a side-mounted door for access, the Ar 232 was furnished with hydraulically powered clamshell-doors on the rear of the bay with a ramp, which permitted cargo to be rolled into the hold. The twin tail configuration tail surfaces were mounted on the end of a long boom to keep the area behind the doors clear so trucks could drive right up to the ramp, much like the 1944-era American Fairchild C-82 Packet of a differing twin boom fuselage configuration. The high-set tail on its "pod-and-boom" configuration fuselage allowed the Ar 232 to be loaded and unloaded faster than other designs. An overhead crane was installed within the cargo bay to assist this process.^[4]

The Ar 232 was furnished with a three-piece twin-spar wing, comprising all-through rectangular centrepiece that was attached to a pair of trapezoidal outer wings, each accommodating self-sealing fuel tanks and the main landing gear.^[4] The entire rear surface of the wing incorporated Arado's own "travelling flap" design to achieve excellent short-field performance; these flaps were electronically actuated and interconnected with the ailerons. Further measures to reduce the landing distance included a drogue parachute and rockets.^[4] Even when loaded to 16,000 kg (35,270 lb), the Ar 232 could take off in 200 m (656 ft); this was in part achieved via a boundary layer control system. The take-off distance could be further reduced via the use of Starthilfe liquid fuelled monopropellant rocket assist (RATO) jettisonable propulsion units.^[4]

Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the Ar 232 was the landing gear. Normal operations from prepared runways used a tricycle gear — a then-novel feature for German military aircraft—but the sideways-retracting main gear's lever-action lower oleo strut suspended arm – carrying the main gear's wheel/tire unit at the bottoms of the maingears' struts could "break", or kneel, after landing to place the fuselage closer to the ground and thereby reduce the ramp angle. An additional set of eleven smaller, non-retractable twinned wheels per side, mounted along the ventral centreline of the fuselage from just behind the semi-retractable nosewheel aftwards to just forward of the wing's trailing edge, supported the aircraft once the main landing gear's lever-action lower arm had "knelt", or could be used for additional support when landing on soft or rough airfields.^[4] The aircraft was intended to be capable of taxiing at low speeds on its row of small wheels, thus being able to negotiate small obstacles such as ditches up to 1.5 m (5 ft) in width. The appearance of the row of small wheels led to the nickname "millipede". In flight, the main legs fully retracted inwards into the wings, while the fixed support wheels remained exposed and the nose wheel only semi-retracted, with the nosewheel tire's lowest point while retracted never going above the lowest point of the 22 auxiliary centre-line wheels' tires.^[10]

Operational history

German officials intended for the aircraft to be used in a wide variety of circumstances, specific mentions including North Africa and the Arctic.^[4]

In late 1942, in response to the deteriorating situation of the Wehrmacht's 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad, it was decided to deploy the first two Ar 232 prototypes to the Eastern Front for the purpose of delivering critical supplies and airlifting casualties ^[11]

The first prototype was promptly lost along with its entire crew after the pilot became disorientated. The second prototype was more successful, completing multiple missions in January 1943, typically flying in and out of Stalingrad unhindered. Its crew occasionally opted to avoid airfields when enemy forces were known to be waiting in ambush, instead landing on rough terrain, a feat that would have been impossible for most transport aircraft of its size at the time.^[12]

On 17 July 1943, an twin-engined Ar 232 flew from Brandenburg, Germany to Banak, Norway, the northernmost airport in Europe; the flight, which delivered automated weather apparatus, necessitated the fitting of auxiliary fuel tanks. One month later, the aircraft was lost with all onboard due to a single engine failure shortly after take off followed by a collision with terrain.^[13]

Outside of conventional military logistics, the Ar 232 found numerous uses; Arado made frequent use of the type to transport high priority aviation components.^[6]

At least five Ar 232s are believed to have been operated by Kampfgeschwader 200, a secretive special operations unit of the Luftwaffe.^[14] Multiple attempts using Ar 232s were made to infiltrate covert agents behind Soviet lines, including a mission under remit of the top secret Operation Zeppelin which intended to assassinate Joseph Stalin in late 1944.^[15]

Starting in December 1944, several Ar 232 were directed to fly supplies to a supposed pocket of German military personnel active behind Soviet lines. Despite such flights continuing for months, this effort was entirely fruitless as it was an NKVD deception operation, known as Operation Scherhorn.^[15]

Two Ar 232 B-0s were captured by British forces towards the end of the conflict. Multiple test flights of these aircraft were performed by Eric "Winkle" Brown, who reportedly gave the aircraft an excellent report. Subsequently, they were operated for a time by the Royal Air Force on flights between England and Germany as late as 1946.^[7]

Variants

Ar 232 V1 & V2: Ar 232A prototypes and research aircraft, powered by two 1,193 kW (1,600 hp) BMW 801A/B engines.

Ar 232 V3 & V4: Ar 232B prototypes and research aircraft, powered by four BMW Bramo 323R-2 Fafnir engines.

Ar 232A: Pre-production aircraft used for operational trials, powered by two BMW801 engines, only ten built.

Ar 232B: The first production aircraft powered by four Bramo 323 Fafnir engines, only ten built as Ar 232B-0.

Ar 232C: A redesigned version using wood for outer wing sections and control surfaces; redesignated Ar 432.

Ar 432: Redesignation of Ar 232C.

Ar 532: Planned enlarged four-engined version of the Ar 432.

Ar 632: Planned enlarged four-engined version of the Ar 432.

Operators

Germany

Luftwaffe

Specifications (Ar 232B)

Data from Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Vol.1 – AEG-Dornier^[16]^[17]

General characteristics

Crew: 4
Capacity: 4,500 kg (9,921 lb) payload
Length: 23.52 m (77 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 33.5 m (109 ft 11 in)
Height: 5.69 m (18 ft 8 in)
Wing area: 142.6 m² (1,535 sq ft)
Empty weight: 12,780 kg (28,175 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 21,150 kg (46,628 lb)
Powerplant: 4 × BMW Bramo 323R-2 Fafnir nine-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 735 kW (986 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers

Performance

Maximum speed: 308 km/h (191 mph, 166 kn) at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
Cruise speed: 290 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn) at 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Range: 1,062 km (660 mi, 573 nmi)
Service ceiling: 6,900 m (22,600 ft)
Take-off run: 200 m (660 ft) minimum

Armament

Guns:

1 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun mounted in the nose
1 × 20 mm MG 151/20 autocannon mounted in an Elektrische Drehlafette EDL 151 forward dorsal turret
1–2 × 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun mounted in the rear position
Up to 8 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 34 machine guns mounted in side windows when transporting infantry

References

Citations

^ Chant 1999, p. 22.
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 122-123.
^ Munson 2002, p. 22.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 123.
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 122.
^ ^a ^b Kranzhoff 1997, p. 126.
^ ^a ^b Kranzhoff 1997, p. 128.
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 128-129.
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 129.
^ Sengfelder 1993, p. 40-42: "A significant advantage of this [Ar 232] aircraft was its rough-field landing gear. With the landing gear in the compressed position, the eleven pairs of wheels mounted on independently-sprung legs beneath the fuselage, together with the wide-track main landing gear (8.4 meter, 27 ft 6 in wheel track) and the levered-suspension nose wheel, endowed the aircraft with outstanding rough field capabilities."
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 123-124.
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 124-125.
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 125.
^ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 126-127.
^ ^a ^b Kranzhoff 1997, p. 127.
^ Nowarra 1993, p. 64-65.
^ Nowarra 1993, p. 238-239.

Bibliography

Kranzhoff, Jörg Armin (1997). Arado, History of an Aircraft Company. Atglen, Pennsylvania, US: Schiffer Books. ISBN 0-7643-0293-0.
Munson, Kenneth (2002). German Aircraft Of World War 2 in colour. Atglen, Pennsylvania, USA: Schiffer. ISBN 0-7643-1665-6.
Myhra, David (1978). Arado Ar 232 The Luftwaffe's Combat Zone Transport Aircraft In World War II. Poole, Dorset, UK: Blandford Press. ISBN 0-7137-0860-3.
Nowarra, Heinz J. (1993). Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933–1945 Vol.1 – AEG-Dornier (in German). Koblenz, Germany: Bernard & Graefe Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7637-5464-9.
Sengfelder, Günther (1993). German Aircraft Landing Gear. Atglen, Pennsylvania, US: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0-88740-470-7.

External links

Soviet-era film about the Ar 232 (mistakenly named the "Ar 332" – in Russian with English subtitles)

[1] Chant 1999, p. 22.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997122-123-2] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 122-123.

[FOOTNOTEMunson200222-3] Munson 2002, p. 22.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997123-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Kranzhoff 1997, p. 123.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997122-5] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 122.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997126-6] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 126.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997128-7] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 128.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997128-129-8] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 128-129.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997129-9] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 129.

[10] Sengfelder 1993, p. 40-42: "A significant advantage of this [Ar 232] aircraft was its rough-field landing gear. With the landing gear in the compressed position, the eleven pairs of wheels mounted on independently-sprung legs beneath the fuselage, together with the wide-track main landing gear (8.4 meter, 27 ft 6 in wheel track) and the levered-suspension nose wheel, endowed the aircraft with outstanding rough field capabilities."

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997123-124-11] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 123-124.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997124-125-12] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 124-125.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997125-13] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 125.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997126-127-14] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 126-127.

[FOOTNOTEKranzhoff1997127-15] Kranzhoff 1997, p. 127.

[FOOTNOTENowarra199364-65-16] Nowarra 1993, p. 64-65.

[FOOTNOTENowarra1993238-239-17] Nowarra 1993, p. 238-239.

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v t e Reich Air Ministry (RLM) aircraft designations (list)
1 to 100	8-1¹ Fi 2 8-3¹ 8-4¹ Fi 5 DFS 6 8-7¹ Gö 8 Gö 9 Do 10 Do 11/Wn 11 8-12⁴/Do 12 Do 13 Do 14 Do 15 Do 16/Wn 16 Do 17 Do 18 Do 19 Do 20 8-21¹ Do 22 Do 23 Do 24 Do 25³/Kl 25 Do 26/Kl 26 8-27/Do 27³/Kl 27⁵ 8-28¹ 8-29/Do 29 Fw 30 Kl 31 Kl 32 Ju 33 Ju 34 Kl 35 Kl 36 He 37³ He 38/Ju 38 DFS 39 BV 40/DFS 40 He 41³ Fw 42/He 42 Fw 43 Fw 44 He 45 He 46/Ju 46 Fw 47/He 47 Ju 48 He 49/Ju 49 He 50/Ju 50 He 51 He 52/Ju 52 Ju 53 DFS 54/NR 54 Fw 55/NR 55 Fw 56 8-57⁴/Fw 57 Fw 58/He 58 He 59 He 60/Ju 60 Fa 61/Fw 61/He 61 Fw 62/He 62 8-63⁴/He 63 Ar 64/He 64 Ar 65/He 65 Ar 66/He 66 Ar 67 Ar 68 Ar 69 He 70 8-71⁴/He 71 He 72 He 73³ He 74 Al 75 Ar 76/FZG 76⁶ Ar 77 Ar 78³ Ar 79 Ar 80 Ar 81 8-82⁴ 8-83¹ Al 84 Ju 85 Ju 86 Ju 87 Ju 88 Ju 89 Ju 90 Ju 91³ Ju 92 Ju 93³ Ju 94³ Ar 95 Ar 96 Fi 97 Fi 98 Fi 99 Fi 100³/He 100
101 to 200	Al 101 Al 102 Al 103/Fi 103 R Fh 104 Kl 105 Kl 106 Kl 107 Bf 108 Bf 109/Bf 109R⁶ Bf 110 He 111/He 111U⁶ He 112 He 113⁶ He 114 He 115 He 116 He 117³/Hs 117 He 118 He 119 He 120 Hs 121 Hs 122 Hs 123 Hs 124 Hs 125 Hs 126 Hs 127 Hs 128 Hs 129 Hs 130 Bü 131 Bü 132³/Hs 132 Bü 133 Bü 134 Ha 135 Ha 136/Hü 136 Ha 137 BV 138 Ha 139 Ha 140 BV 141 BV 142 BV 143 BV 144 Go 145 Go 146 Go 147/Ju 147 Go 148³ Go 149 Go 150 Kl 151 Kl 152/Ta 152 Kl 153³/Ta 153 Kl 154³/Ta 154 BV 155/Kl 155³/Me 155 Fi 156 Fi 157 Fi 158 Fw 159 Ju 160 Bf 161 Bf 162/He 162 Bf 163/Li 163/Me 163 Me 164/MeC 164 Bf 165 Fi 166/FK 166 Fi 167 Fi 168 Fi 169³ He 170 He 171³ He 172 He 173³ He 174³ 8-175⁴ He 176 He 177 He 178 He 179⁵ Bü 180/He 180 Bü 181 Bü 182 Bü 183³/Ta 183 Fl 184 Fl 185 Fw 186/Ju 186 Fw 187/Ju 187² Fw 188³/Ju 188 Fw 189 Fw 190 Fw 191 Ao 192 Ao 193³/DFS 193 DFS 194/Me 194 Ar 195 Ar 196 Ar 197 Ar 198 Ar 199 Do 200^4,6/Fw 200
201 to 300	Si 201 Si 202 DFS 203 Si 204 8-205¹ Fw 206 8-207¹ Me 208 Me 209 (I)/Me 209 (II) Me 210 Hü 211 8-212⁴/Do 212 8-213¹ Do 214 Do 215 Do 216 Do 217/Hs 217 Do 218³ He 219 He 220 Do 221³ BV 222 Fa 223 Fa 224 Ao 225/Fa 225 BV 226/Ho 226 FGP 227 DFS 228 Go 229/Ho 229 8-230/DFS 230 Ar 231 Ar 232 Ar 233 Ar 234 Do 235⁵ Fa 236³ BV 237 BV 238 8-239¹ Ar 240 Go 241 Go 242 Me 243³ Go 244 Go 245³ BV 246 8-247¹ Ju 248 BV 250/Ho 250 Ho 251 Ho 252 Ju 252 Fi 253/Ho 253 Ho 254/Ta 254 8-255¹ Fi 256 SK 257 8-258¹ Fw 259 8-260¹ Me 261/Me 261w Me 262 Me 263 (1941)/Me 263 (1942)/Me 263 (1945) Me 264 Fl 265/Me 265 Fa 266/Go 266³ Ho 267 Ju 268 Fa 269 He 270 We 271 He 272³ He 273³ He 274 He 275⁵ He 276³ He 277 He 278 He 279³ He 280 He 281³ Fl 282 Fa 283 Fa 284 Fl 285 Ju 286 Ju 287 Do 288^4,6/Ju 288 Ju 289³ Ju 290 Hs 291 As 292/Hs 292³ Hs 293 Hs 294 Hs 295 Ar 296/Hs 296 Hs 297 Hs 298 Ju 299³ Fw 300
301 to 349	DFS 301 8-302¹ 8-303¹ 8-304¹ 8-305¹ 8-306¹ 8-307¹ 8-308¹ Me 309 Zwilling Me 310 8-311¹ 8-312¹ 8-313⁴ 8-314¹ Hs 315 8-316¹ Do 317 Do 318 He 319 Me 320³ Me 321 Ju 322 Me 323/ZMe 323 8-324¹ Fa 325/Fw 325³ 8-326¹ Me 327 Me 328 Me 329 Fa 330 DFS 331 DFS 332 Fi 333 Ar 334³/Me 334 Do 335 Fa 336 Ju 337³ 8-338¹ Fl 339 Ar 340 8-341 WNF 342 He 343 Rk 344/So 344⁵ Go 345 DFS 346 Rk 347 8-348¹ Ba 349
Post-349 (non-sequential)	Ju 352 Fi 356/Ju 356 Me 362 Me 364² Me 368³ Ju 388 Ju 390 Fw 391 Ar 393³ Ar 396 Ta 400 Me 409 Me 410 Do 417 He 419 ZMe 423 Ar 430/Ka 430 Ar 432 Do 435 Ar 440 8-445⁴ DFS 446 Ju 452 Me 462² DFS 468 Ju 488 Fw 491 He 500 Me 509 Me 510 He 519 8-520⁴ ZSO 523 Ar 532 8-534⁴ Do 535/He 535 Me 600² Me 609 Ar 632 Do 635/He 635/Ju 635
¹ Not assigned ² Unofficial/proposed ³ Assigned, but not used before RLM was dissolved ⁴ Assigned to captured aircraft ⁵ Unconfirmed ⁶ Propaganda/cover designation Note: Official RLM designations had the prefix "8-", but this was usually dropped and replaced with the manufacturer's prefix.

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