Arado Ar 198

The Arado Ar 198 was a prototype reconnaissance aircraft developed by Arado Flugzeugwerke, with backing from the Luftwaffe, who initially preferred it over the Blohm & Voss BV 141 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 189.^[1][2][3] However, when flight tests were carried out the aircraft performed poorly, and did not impress the Luftwaffe. One aircraft was completed in 1938.^[4][5]

Specifications

Data from Warplanes of the Third Reich^[6]

General characteristics

• Crew: 3
• Length: 11.80 m (38 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 14.90 m (48 ft 11 in)
• Height: 4.51 m (14 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 35.20 m² (378.9 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 2,400 kg (5,290 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,031 kg (6,683 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × BMW-Bramo 323A nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 670 kW (900 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 359 km/h; 194 kn (223 mph)
• Range: 1,081 km; 584 nmi (672 mi)
• Service ceiling: 8,001 m (26,250 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1× fixed forward firing 7.92 mm MG 17 machine gun and 2× MG 15 machine guns flexibly mounted at dorsal and ventral positions
• Bombs: 4 × SC50 50 kg (110 lb) bombs on underwing racks

References

• Green, William. Warplanes of the Third Reich. New York:Doubleday, 1972. ISBN 0-385-05782-2.
• Wagner, Ray and Nowarra, Heinz. German Combat Planes: A Comprehensive Survey and History of the Development of German Military Aircraft from 1914 to 1945. New York: Doubleday, 1971.