| Ar 96 | |
|---|---|
 Arado Ar 96Bs in echelon flight | |
| General information | |
| Type | Militarytrainer |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Arado Flugzeugwerke |
| Primary users | Luftwaffe |
| Number built | 2,891 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1939 |
| First flight | 1937 |
TheArado Ar 96 was a single-engine, low-wingmonoplane ofall-metal construction, designed and produced by theGerman aircraft manufacturerArado Flugzeugwerke. It was theLuftwaffe's standard advancedtrainer throughout theSecond World War.
The Ar 96 was designed during the mid-1930s in response to a requirement issued by theReichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM/German Aviation Ministry) for a modern trainer. Arado produced a new design suitable for conducting various forms of training, including advanced flying,aerobatics,aerial reconnaissance, night flying, and radio operator training. Various trainee-friendly features were present, including aerodynamically balancedflight control surfaces, widely-setlanding gear, and automatically deployingflaps. In late 1936, the firstprototype was completed; five more prototypes followed with various improvements, such as the use of a more powerful engine,variable-pitch propeller, and automatedslats. The first batch ofAr 96A aircraft were delivered during late 1939.
By the end of 1940, the Ar 96 was becoming a common sight at many Germany pilot training schools, where they were often regarded as being relatively rugged, easy to fly and maintain, and technologically up-to-date aircraft. During theBattle of Berlin, on the evening of 28 April 1945, test pilotHanna Reitsch flew with the Luftwaffe headGeneralfeldmarschallRobert Ritter von Greim out from Berlin in an Ar 96. Arado continued to develop the type throughout the war, proposing various models as well as enacting various manufacturing changes to minimise production time as well as the use of strategic materials. Shadow production of the Ar 96 was undertaken byLetov and theAvia factory in occupiedCzechoslovakia; they continued to manufacture the type for several years after the end of the conflict under the designation ofAvia C-2B. A wooden version, known as theAr 396, was built inFrance and was designated theSIPA S.10.
The origins of the Ar 96 can be traced back to the mid 1930s and the shortcomings of theFocke-Wulf Fw 55W, abiplanefloatplane intended for the trainer role.[1] During early 1936, theReich Air Ministry issued atender to produce a modern trainer aircraft; Arado opted to produce its own response. A design team at the company, headed by theaeronautical engineerWalter Blume, promptly designed a monoplane aircraft that featured all-metal construction and a low-mountedcantilevered wing.[1] It was designed with Arado's standard forward-set tailfin, which reduced the occurrence ofspins. The aircraft was envisaged to perform standard training, night flying,aerobatics, radio operator training,aerial reconnaissance (using photogrammatical cameras) and even bombing missions.[1]
To suit its principal use as a trainer, the design of the aircraft incorporated various safety features.[2] All of theflight control surfaces were aerodynamically balanced and could be readily adjusted mid-flight. Theflaps would automatically deploy (based on airspeed) if the trainee pilot forgot to do so.[2] While the mainlanding gear and brakes werehydraulically powered, manual actuation via a hand pump was available in the event of a hydraulic failure.[2]
In the autumn of 1936, the firstprototype was completed.[1] Modifications proved to be necessary; a continuousspar design replaced the tubular steel bridge arrangement initially used to link the wings, fuselage, and landing gear, while the horn counterbalance on therudder was also eliminated. The outward-retracting landing gear was replaced by wider-tracked design to fulfil training safety requirements, while automaticslats were also added along with increased canopy glazing.[1] The first prototype was initially powered by a singleArgus As 10cengine, capable of producing up to 179 kW (240 hp).[1]
During 1937, testing of the first batch of prototypes proceeded positively; that same year,Ernst Udet, Chief of the Technical Office,T-Amt, (the development wing of theReich Ministry of Aviation), flew one of the early Ar 96s.[1] The second prototype incorporated numerous changes based on experiences of the first; the third prototype was equipped with the newly-developedArgus As 410 engine, which was initially capable of 360 hp (270 kW). This engine, along with the adoption of avariable-pitch propeller, was observed to have considerably increased the aircraft's performance.[1] In mid-1938, the third and fourth prototypes were handed over to theE-Stelle Rechlin, the German test centre, for further testing.[1]
During 1939, an initial batch ofAr 96A aircraft was produced; these largely resembled the sixth prototype, albeit being powered by the weaker Argus As 10 engine instead, largely due to insufficient numbers of As 410 engines being available at that time.[1] This batch was subsequently followed by the Ar 96B, the first major production series, which were equipped the more powerful Argus As 410 engine.[2]
Once quantity production of the type had been established, Arado's test group studied various means to more economically produce the aircraft; it was hoped that production time could be roughly halved from 110 hours to 60–65.[2] One approach, aimed at reducing individual part count and shortening production time, involved the use of a hydraulicextrusion press and an electric rollwelding process on the tailplane subassembly manufacture. This necessitated the use of large quantities of relatively expensiveduralumin sheeting, as well as being a deviation from the semi-monocoque approach.[2] One cost reduction was achieved via the use of smaller than standard panel sheeting. Increased automation and the use of snapriveting was also studied by the company.[3]
By 1943, Germany's declining military situation and intense demands for key materials motivated Arado started development of a new derivative of the Ar 96 that made greater use of lower grade non-strategic metals and wood.[4] The initial version, theAr 296, proved to be unsatisfactory and thus did not reach quantity production. Instead, cooperation with other aircraft manufacturers on producing the aircraft was pursued.[4]
During 1943, the French aircraft manufacturerSociété Industrielle pour l'Aéronautique (SIPA) was ordered to build threeAr 396 prototypes and 25 pre-series aircraft. They made extensive use of wood and simplified construction wherever possible, even at the expense of aerodynamic refinements.[4] However, development were deliberately constrained by the French,[5] while the launch of theAllied invasion of France during the following year forced the Germans to shift production of the Ar 396 to Czechoslovakia instead.[6][7] Accordingly, this work was undertaken by bothLetov and theAvia factory in occupiedCzechoslovakia, while considerations for another final assembly site in neighbouringHungary was also considered.[4] The first Czech-built example flew on 24 November 1944, with about 12 more examples completed by a consortium of several Czech manufacturers, headed by Avia.[8][5] SIPA, meanwhile, continued work on its prototype after the German withdrawal from France, with the first French-built Ar 396, redesignated SIPA S.10, flying on 29 December 1944.[6][5]
In late 1939, the first deliveries of Ar 96s to German flight training schools took place.[1] The first Ar 96B-1s were delivered, the first properly-equipped trainers, followed months later. Unlike the following Ar 96B-2 model, all Ar 96B-1 aircraft were unarmed.[2] The Ar 96 quickly became commonplace at fighter pilot schools, where they were typically used for advanced, night and instrument-flying training. They were frequently described as being relatively rugged, easy to fly and maintain, and technologically up to date.[2]
During theBattle of Berlin, following orders given by Hitler shortly after midnight on 29 April 1945, test pilotHanna Reitsch flew with then-Luftwaffe headGeneralfeldmarschallRobert Ritter von Greim out from Berlin in an Ar 96 trainer from an improvised airstrip in theTiergarten while under Soviet fire.[9] Despite theend of the conflict in May 1945, manufacturing of the AR 96 continued for some years afterwards in the newly freed Czechoslovakia, where the type was locally designated as theAvia C-2B.[5] French production of a model of the aircraft, under the local designation ofSIPA S.10, also proceeded.[5] Further developments included theSIPA S.11 (armed version), and theSIPA S.12, a metal version; 188 of all versions were produced until 1958. The S.11 was operated with some success inAlgeria, where it was commonly armed withmachine guns, rockets, and light bombs.[citation needed]
.jpg)
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(February 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Version | Arado | AGO | Avia | Letov | Total | Construction period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prototypes | 4 | 4 | 1937–1938 | |||
| A-0 | 6 | 6 | including 3 delivered on 1 April 1939, W.-Nr. 2879-2884 | |||
| A | 23 | 69 | 92 | Mid 1939 – May 1940 | ||
| B-0 | 2 | 2 | 1940 | |||
| B-1 | 144 | 223 | 997 | 17 | 1,381 | July 1940 – April 1944 |
| B-3 | 210 | 210 | 1941–1943 | |||
| B-6 | 100 | 100 | July 1943 – January 1944 | |||
| B-7 | 518 | 378 | 896 | May 1944 – March 1945 | ||
| B-7/B-8 | 81 | 81 | December 1944 – March 1945 | |||
| B-8 | 74 | 74 | June 1944 – January 1945 | |||
| Sales series | 45 | 45 | 1939–1940 | |||
| Total | 224 | 292 | 1825 | 550 | 2891 |
Data fromAircraft of the Third Reich Vol.1[16]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
1 × 7.92 mm (0.312 in)MG 17 machine gun
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
