Arado Ar 66

infobox Aircraft
name = Ar 66
type = Trainer
manufacturer = Arado

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caption =
designer = Walter Blume
first flight = 1932
introduction = 1933
retired =
status =
primary user = Luftwaffe
more users =
produced =
number built =
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Arado Ar 66 was a German single-engined, two-seat training biplane, developed in 1933. It was also used for night ground-attack on the Eastern Front. It was engineer Walter Rethel's last design in collaboration with Arado.

Design and development

Arado's chief designer Walter Rethel started design of a new two-seat trainer in 1931, with the design being developed by Walter Blume when Rethel transferred to Messerschmitt, with the first prototype, the Ar 66a flying in 1932 Smith and Kay 1972] .

The Ar 66 had an Argus As 10 air-cooled inverted V8 engine producing about 240 hp, which drove a 2.5 m double-bladed propeller. It carried 205 litres of fuel, and 17 litres of lubricant.

The fuselage had an oval cross-section and was made of welded steel tubes, covered with fabric. The double wings provided very high lift, even at low speeds. Both wings had the same span with an eight degrees sweep. Construction consisted of a double pine cross-beam structure, with lime tree ribs, and fabric covering. There were ailerons in both upper and lower wings. The tail had a conventional design, with the horizontal stabilizer mounted on the fuselage upper edge. The rudder was placed behind the elevator. Both the rudder and the elevator were of steel tube covered in fabric, and had a bigger surface than the first version to correct balance problems. The steel tube undercarriage was attached to the fuselage in a "V" shape and used a high pressure rubber suspension.

The crew consisted of two: instructor pilot and trainee, seated in open tandem cockpits equipped with dual controls. The aircraft was equipped with instrument flight systems with photographic cameras were mounted as optional equipment.

Operational history

The Arado Ar 66 entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1933, serving as a trainer until well into the Second World WarSmith and Kay 1972] . In 1943, the Luftwaffe set up a number of night harassment groups to operate on the Russian front. The Ar 66, along with the Gotha Go 145, formed the main equipment of these groupsSmith and Kay 1972] .

Variants

;Ar 66A: Used in the new Luftwaffe as a trainer.;Ar 66C: Modified elevators, larger rudder, and larger diameter wheels.;Ar 66B: Seaplane version of Ar 66C. Two large steel hollow floats braced with iron cable. About ten were constructed and used for seaplane training.

Operators

*
** Luftwaffe

pecifications (Ar 66C)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=German Aircraft of the Second World War Smith and Kay 1972]

crew=Two
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 8.3 m
length alt= 27 ft 2¾in
span main= 10 m
span alt= 32 ft 9¾in
height main= 2.93 m
height alt= 9 ft 7⅓ in
area main= 29.6 m²
area alt= 319 ft²
airfoil=

empty weight main= 905 kg
empty weight alt= 1,996 lb
loaded weight main= 1,330 kg
loaded weight alt= 2,993 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)= Argus As 10 C
type of prop=eight cylinder air cooled inverted V-8 engine
number of props=1
power main= 179 kW
power alt= 240 hp
power original=

max speed main= 210 km/h
max speed alt= 130 mph
max speed more (sea level)
cruise speed main= 175 km/h
cruise speed alt= 109 mph
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 716 km
range alt= 389 nm, 445 mi
ceiling main= 4,500 m
ceiling alt= 14,800 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Climb to 1,000 m (3280 ft): 4.1 min
* Landing Speed: 80km/h (50 mph)
armament=
* 1.8 kg (4 lb) and 4 kg (9 lb) anti-personnel bombs
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=

lists=
* List of military aircraft of Germany
* List of World War II military aircraft of Germany

see also=
* Arado Flugzeugwerke

References

* Smith, J.R and Kay, Antony L. "German Aircraft of the Second World War". London: Putnam, 1972. ISBN 0-85177-836-4.

External links

* [http://www.luftfahrtmuseum.com/htmi/itf/ar66.htm Arado Ar 66c]