Arado Ar 95
The Arado 95 was a single engined reconnaissance and patrol biplane designed and built by the German firm Arado in the late 1930s. Ordered by Chile and Turkey, a number were taken over by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) when World War II started.
Development
The Arado 95 was designed in 1935 as a two seat seaplane, for coastal patrol, reconnaissance and light attack roles. The first prototype, an all metal biplane powered by a BMW 132 engine, flew in 1936[1]., while a second prototype was powered by a Junkers Jumo 210 liquid cooled engine. The two prototypes were evaluated against the similar Focke-Wulf FW.62. The BMW powered version was considered worthy of further study, and a batch of six were sent for further evaluation with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War [2].
The Arado Ar 95 was the basis for the prototype Ar 195 carrier based torpedo bomber, which was proposed for operation from the German carrier Graf Zeppelin [1].
Operational history
The Ar 95 was not ordered by the German armed forces, and so was offered for export in two versions, the Ar 95W floatplane and Ar 95L landplane, with a fixed, spatted undercarriage. Six Ar 95Ls were ordered by the Chilean Air Force, being delivered prior to the start of World War II[3]. Turkey placed an order for Ar 95Ws, but these were taken over by Germany on the outbreak of war.
The requisitioned Ar 95s were designated by the Luftwaffe as the Ar 95A, and were used for training[1] and for coastal reconnaissance operations in the Baltic sea, operating off the coast of Latvia and Estonia in 1941, and in the Gulf of Finland[2]. They continued operating until late 1944[1].
Operators
Specifications (Arado 95A-1)
Data from Warplanes of the Luftwaffe [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
Performance
Armament
- One fixed forward firing 7.92 mm MG17 machine gun and one flexible MG15 in rear cockpit
- One 800 kg (1,760 lb) torpedo or 500 kg (1,102 lb) bomb on underfuselage rack
References
- ^ a b c d e Smith, J.R (1972). German Aircraft of the Second World War. London: Putnam. ISBN 85177 836 4.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Donald, David (Editor) (1994). Warplanes of the Luftwaffe. London: Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1 874023 56 5.
{{cite book}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ Taylor, Michael J. H. (Editor) (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Jane's Publishing. ISBN 1 85170 324 1.
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See also