With a total production run of more than 11,500 aircraft by
the cessation of hostilities, the Arado Ar 96 was the Luftwaffe's standard
advanced trainer, designed by Walter Blume and first flown in 1938. Of
all-metal light alloy construction, the prototype was powered by a240-hp
(179-kW) Argus As 10C engine and was fitted with main landing gear which
retracted outwards into the wing. In order to widen the track, to make the
aircraft easier for student pilots to handle, the legs were repositioned to
retract inwards.
Reichsluftfahrtministerium trials were completed
successfully and an initial production batch of Ar 96A aircraft was
manufactured in 1939, leading to large- scale orders in 1940 for the more
powerful Ar 96B which was to become the major production version, with a
lengthened fuselage to provide greater fuel capacity for the more powerful
engine. It was built in variants that included the unarmed Ar 96B-1 and the Ar
96B-2 which carried either a 7.92-mm (0.31-in) MG 17 machine-gun or a camera
gun for gunnery training. An Ar 96C bomb-aiming trainer with a transparent
panel in the cockpit floor was evaluated but did not enter production.
Manufacture of the Ar 96B was transferred to the Junkers subsidiary Ago
Flugzeugwerke at Oschersleben/Bode and then, in mid-1941, to the Czech company
Avia, which was joined in the programme by the Prague-based Letov organisation
in 1944. Czech production continued until 1948, supplying aircraft to the Czech
air force under the designation Avia C.2B.
The Luftwaffe used the Ar 96 for advanced, night and
instrument flying training duties with the pilot training schools, fighter
training wings, fighter training and replacement units and the officer cadet
schools.
Variants
Ar 96A
Two-seat advanced
trainer aircraft. Initial production version.
Ar 96B
Improved version.
Main production version.
C.2B
Czech production
version of the Ar 96B. Czech designation C.2B. 228 built by Avia and 182 by
Letov between 1945 and 1950.
Ar 96B-1
Unarmed pilot
trainer version.
Ar 96B-2
Ar 96C
Ar 396
Ar 396A-1
Single-seat
gunnery trainer version.
Ar 396A-2
Unarmed instrument
trainer version.
SIPA S.10
French production
version of Ar 396, 28 produced.
SIPA S.11
Modified version
of S.10,powered by Renault 12S (French built Argus As 411), 50 built for the
French Air Force.
SIPA S.12
All metal version
of S.11, 52 built for the French Air Force.
SIPA S.121
Modified version
of S.12, 58 built for the French Air Force.
Specifications (Arado
Ar 96B-2)
General
characteristics
* Crew: 2
* Length: 9.10 m
(29 ft 10¼ in)
* Wingspan: 11.00
m (36 ft 1 in)
* Height: 2.60 m
(8 ft 6¼ in)
* Wing area: 17.10
m² (184.07 ft²)
* Empty weight:
1,295 kg (2,854 lb)
* Max takeoff
weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb)
* Powerplant: 1×
Argus As 410A-1 12-cylinder inverted-Vee piston engine, 347 kW (465 hp)
Performance
* Maximum speed:
330 km/h (205 mph)
* Cruise speed:
295 km/h (183 mph)
* Range: 990 km
(615 mi)
* Service ceiling:
7,100 m (23,295 ft)
Armament
* 1 × 7.92 mm
(0.312 in) MG 17 machine gun
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