Arado Ar 195

Arado Ar 195 History

The Arado Ar 195 was a prototype for service on Germany's first aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin. The aircraft was developed to meet the requirements of a carrier-based torpedo bomber, and a total of three prototypes were built in order to bring the system to maximum speed.

As a result, the development of the Ar 195 was short-lived and was superseded by the Fi 167 system designed by Fieseler.

The Ar 195 is based on Arado's earlier Ar 95 design. The main differences between the two systems focus on making the Ar 195 useful in carrier operations, especially by deploying the system with the rear hook and other wearer-friendly equipment. The front of the Ar 195 was equipped with an 819 hp BMW radial engine. The wings are of a biplane design, spanning either side of the enclosed cockpit, which houses a pilot and a tail gunner. The landing gear was installed, and the tail was adorned with a vertical tail.

Armament consists of a 7.92mm machine gun in a fixed firing position in front of the pilot, and a 7.92mm machine gun in a trainable flexible rear mount. The aircraft's actual primary weapon was a bomb or torpedo mounted on a rail mount under the fuselage.

Although the Ar 195 prototype was flown in 1937, the system was unsuccessful. Likewise, the German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin departed, becoming Germany's only WWII aircraft carrier. The system - like the Ar 195 itself - will never see combat.

Specification

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Performance

Armor

Changes