- Yes
- No
Arado Ar 95 W
History:
- In 1938 Chile bought its 9 Arado Ar 95 from Germany, replacing the old seaplanes of the Chilean Navy. These new seaplanes were used for reconnaissance and light attack as they carried bombs in addition to their machine guns. These planes could also be modified to the L (Land) variant by removing the floats and leaving a fixed landing gear and Chile used the 2 versions depending on their needs. The operational life of these planes was marked by several accidents that in some cases had fatal results, since World War II began shortly after arriving in Chile in the next few years, so obtaining spare parts became impossible. At the end of 1942, only 3 of these aircraft remained operational and later the last one was withdrawn in 1943. This little-known aircraft was operated by very few countries, these being Germany, Chile and Spain.
Arado Ar 95L in service in Chile
Characteristics of seaplane, history of its production and his service during World War II
The first prototype of these seaplanes made its maiden flight in 1936. The Arado Ar 95 was a single-column blipaza biplane with a monocoque fuselage made of light metal alloys. The wings had duralumin spars and ribs, their upper surfaces clad with light metal and the lower surfaces with canvas. The aircraft was capable of using light metal floats in addition to fixed landing gear. Its defensive armament was a fixed 7.92 mm machine gun with 500 rounds (a limited edition that carried 2 machine guns was sold in Chile) and a mobile rear machine gun with eight discs of 75 rounds each. By 1937 the company Arado Flugzeugwerke began to advertise the Arado Ar 95, its only foreign buyers being Spain and Chile.
In 1938 six pre-production seaplanes were sold to the Condor legion in Spain and in April 1939 three seaplanes were delivered to the Francoists, these seaplanes served in Spain until 1948. Chile ordered a limited edition of Ar 95 L and Ar 95 W models in 1938, for a total of 9. In Germany these seaplanes operated in the Baltic, and during 1941 when Germany attacked the Soviet Union they moved to Latvia and Estonia, later to Finland and later served in Romania.
Arado Ar 95L prototype. Chile ordered 3 of these seaplanes being delivered before the second world war
A pair of Arado Ar 95 over the Baltic during the war with the Soviet Union
Specifications:
- Crew:
- 2
- Armament:
- Primary: 2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns (1000 rounds) and 1 × flexible 7.92 MG 15 machine gun in rear cockpit (eight discs of 75 rounds each)
- Secondary: 1 × 800 kg torpedo or 500 kg in bombs.
- Dimensions:
- Length: 11.10 m
- Wingspan: 12.50 m
- Height: 3.60 m, plus the size of the floats
- Wing area: 45.40 m2
- Empty weight: 2,450 kg
- Max takeoff weight: 3,560 kg
- Performance:
- Powerplant: 1 × BMW 132De air-cooled 9-cylinder radial engine, 656 kW (892 hp)
- Maximum speed: 310 km/h at 3,000 m
- Cruise speed: 255 km/h at 1,200 m
- Range: 1,100 km
- Service ceiling: 7,300 m
- Rate of climb: 7.5 m/s
Photos:
Sources:
- El Observador Aeronáutico: Arado Ar 95 en la FACh
- Arado Ar 95 [Hidroavión de Reconocimiento] - La Segunda Guerra Mundial
- Donald, David, ed. (1994). Warplanes of the Luftwaffe. London: Aerospace Publishing.
- Fernandez, José (January 1994). “L’Arado Ar 95 (2ème partie): L’Arado 95 dans la Fuerza Aerea de Chile”
- Alas de Pioneros: Historia del Grupo de Aviación No. 2 de la Fuerza Aérea de Chile (Aviation Art & History - Chilean Air Force)
- Мировая авиация - Военные самолеты
