Arado Ar 197

The Arado Ar 197 was designed by Arado for a single-seat, carrier-based aircraft in biplane construction.

Developed in 1937, the aircraft was under construction for the German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin on the basis of the Arado Ar 68H, the first model of Arado closed cockpit. Their cell was only optimized for carrier landings and the chassis absprengbar designed to facilitate water landings. In addition, a landing hook and catapult fittings was attached.

The drive was a water-cooled V-engine Daimler -Benz DB 600 with 910 hp and the V- 2, a radial engine BMW 132 J with 815 hp and the V-3 for the V -1 ( D- ITSE ) a radial engine BMW 132Dc fitted with 880 hp. The V-3 also received an external auxiliary tank and armament of two 20 mm MG FF and two 7.9 -mm MG 17 There were four 50 -kg SC50 - bombs to be carried under the wings.

Although regarded the flight performance of a biplane since 1937 as insufficient, the situation for carrier-based aircraft was assessed differently. Here are primary requirements low landing speed, short landing and take- off distance, long range and especially robustness. Therefore, the Ar was not completely dropped 197, as already the carrier variant Bf 109T was available, but it was not suitable to be used for the carrier on the high seas as a lightweight high performance aircraft. Ultimately the project failed a carrier hunter to different views of Navy and Air Force: The Navy rejected the Bf 109T as inappropriate from, but on the other hand had no clear requirement profile. The Air Force did not want to imagine, to let develop its very own type, but accepted only adapted but existing types. She held fast to the idea of ​​a high-performance fighter. At times, the solution should be the Me 155, a precursor of the later altitude fighter project with larger wings and a retractable inside the wide-gauge chassis. To a series production of the Ar 197, there was not one way or another, since the Graf Zeppelin was never completed. The carrier prototypes and small series of Bf109T were built back in land-based hunters.

From the Ar 197 three prototypes ( mat.-no. 2071-2073 ) and a pilot series of at least eleven aircraft were built until April 1940.

Specifications

Arado Ar 197 V-3

  • Wingspan: 11.0 m
  • Length: 9.2 m
  • Height: 3.6 m
  • Empty weight: 1840 kg
  • Maximum weight: 2475 kg
  • Maximum speed: 400 km / h in 2500m altitude
  • Cruising speed: 354 km / h at 1500m altitude
  • Range: 695 km, with additional tank 1640 km
  • Service ceiling: 8600 m
  • Armament: 2 x MG FF, 2 × MG 17, 4 x 50 kg bombs
Arado Flugzeugwerke Daimler-Benz DB 600 MG FF cannon MG 17 machine gun Arado W 2 Arado Ar 79 Arado Ar 64 Arado Ar 65 Arado Ar 66 Arado Ar 67 Arado Ar 69 Arado Ar 76 Arado Ar 77 Arado Ar 80 Arado Ar 81 Arado Ar 95 Arado Ar 195 Arado Ar 196 Arado Ar 198 Arado Ar 199 Arado Ar 231 Arado Ar 232 Arado Ar 234 Arado Ar 240 Arado Ar 240#Variants Arado E.340 Arado E.381
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