Warplanes of Germany: Luftwaffe Arado Ar 232A and Arado Ar 232B
Arado Ar 232A and Ar 232B
(Luftwaffe Photo)
Arado Ar 232 twin-engine transport.
(Luftwaffe Photo)
Arado Ar 232 four-engine transport.
The Arado Ar 232 Tausendfüßler (German: "Millipede"), sometimes also called Tatzelwurm, was a cargo aircraft that was designed and produced in small numbers by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado Flugzeugwerke. It was designed during the first half of the Second World War in response to a request by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (German Air Ministry, RLM) for a successor or supplemental transport aircraft to the Luftwaffe's obsolescent Junkers Ju 52/3m. The Ar 232 introduced, or brought together, almost all of the features now considered to be standard in modern cargo transport aircraft designs, including a box-like fuselage slung beneath a high wing; a rear loading ramp (that had first appeared on the December 1939-flown Junkers Ju 90 V5 fifth prototype four-engined transport via its Trapoklappe), a high-mounted twin tail for easy access to the hold and features for operating from rough fields. It was initially requested to be powered by a pair of BMW 801A/B radial engines, however, an alternative arrangement of four BMW Bramo 323 engines was adopted instead due to a lack of capacity.
The first twin-engine prototype performing its maiden flight in June 1941, while the first four-engine prototype followed roughly one year later. The type demonstrated clear performance advantages over the Ju 52/3m and limited pre-production orders were placed, leading to roughly 20 aircraft being constructed. The envisioned mass production of the Ar 232 was never attained, primarily due to Germany having an abundance of transport aircraft in production and thus it did not purchase large numbers of Ar 232s. Several aircraft did see operational use, to aid wartime production efforts and on the front line. Arado's design team continued to work on refinements, including economy measures and the enlarged six-engined Ar 632 variant. At one point, German officials expected quantity production of the type to be attained in October 1945 but the war ended instead. Two Ar 232s were captured by the British and operated for a time between England and Germany following the conflict. (Wikipedia)
The general performance of the Ar 232 proved to outperform the Ju 52/3m in multiple respects; it carried roughly double the load over longer distances, operated from shorter runways and rougher fields if need be, and cruised about 70 km/h (44 mph) faster. A further ten pre-production aircraft were constructed; these saw operational used as the Ar 232A-0 while awaiting production versions. The Ar 232B program proceeded in parallel to this effort. With the quartet of 895 kW (1,200 hp) Bramo 323s replacing the twin BMW 801s, each Bramo 323 with its aforementioned 550 kg dry weight apiece; power increased from 2,386 kW (3,200 hp) to 3,580 kW (4,800 hp), solving the Ar 232A's problem of having little excess power in case of engine failure. This change also required the wing to be extended slightly, the span increasing just over 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in total. The extra weight of the Bramo 323 engines also moved the center of gravity forward, which was offset by stretching the cargo area rearward another meter, expanding the cargo capacity it could carry internally.
During May 1942, the first of the two four-engined prototypes, V3, performed its maiden flight. A further 10 aircraft were then ordered as the Ar 232B-0, and were used widely in an operational role. However, this was the only order for the design, as the Luftwaffe gave transport aircraft production a relatively low priority. Many of those aircraft produced were used by Arado to transport aircraft parts between its factories, and did not see front-line service.Various improvements to the Ar 232 were planned, such as the replacement of the outer wing sections and control surfaces with wooden versions to conserve aluminium.[7] Originally to be known as the Ar 232C, the design effort was protracted and was later redesignated the Ar 432. During June 1944, plans were finally put into place to start production in October 1945, but the conflict came to an end without even a prototype being produced.[8] Two even larger planned versions, the Ar 532 and the Ar 632, would have almost doubled the wingspan to 60 m (196 ft 10 in), as large as Germany's six-engined BV 238 flying boat design, and added another two engines. An amphibian transport, the Ar 430, was also projected for use in the Mediterranean.
The Ar 232 was a multi-engined transport aircraft. It was normally operated by a crew of four, of which the pilot was the only member without two roles. The navigator also operated a 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun in the nose, while the radio operator could also used a 20 mm MG 151 cannon in a rotating turret on the roof, and the loadmaster was provisioned with a 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun that fired rearward from the extreme rear of the cargo bay above the cargo doors.
Two Ar 232 B-0s were captured by British forces towards the end of the conflict. Multiple test flights of these aircraft were performed by Eric "Winkle" Brown, who reportedly gave the aircraft an excellent report. Subsequently, they were operated for a time by the Royal Air Force on flights between England and Germany as late as 1946. (Wikipedia)
Arado Ar 232 V1 & V2 twin-engine transport aircraft prototypes and research aircraft, powered by a pair of 1,193 kW (1,600 hp) BMW 801A/B engines. (Luftwaffe Photos)
Arado Ar 232B-1
(Luftwaffe Photo)
Arado Ar 232B four-engine transports in Luftwaffe service.
The Arado Ar 232 Tausendfüßler (Millipede), sometimes also called Tatzelwurm, was a Luftwaffe four-engine heavy transport aircraft powered by four 1,200-hp BMW-Bramo 323R-2 radial piston engines. The Ar 232 was the first truly modern cargo aircraft, designed and built in small numbers by the German firm Arado Flugzeugwerke during the Second World War. The design introduced, or brought together, almost all of the features now considered to be “standard” in modern cargo transport aircraft designs, including a box-like fuselage slung beneath a high wing; a rear loading ramp (that had first appeared on the October 1941-flown Junkers Ju 252 tri-motored transport); a high tail for easy access to the hold; and various features for operating from rough fields. Although the Luftwaffe was interested in replacing or supplementing its fleet of outdated Junkers Ju 52/3m transports, it had an abundance of types in production at the time and did not purchase large numbers of the Ar 232.
The Ar 232B had a maximum speed of 211-mph, a cruising speed of 180-mph, a service ceiling of 26,245’, and a range of 658 miles. It had a maximum weight of 46,595-lbs at take-off. It had a wingspan of 109’11”, a length of 77’2”, and a height of 18’8”. The “Millipede,” was equipped with a pod-and-boom fuselage with a hydraulically operated rear-loading door.
The most noticeable feature of the Ar 232 was the landing gear. Normal operations from prepared runways used a tricycle gear, but the struts could “break”, or kneel, after landing to place the fuselage closer to the ground and thereby reduce the ramp angle. An additional set of ten smaller, non-retractable twinned wheels per side supported the aircraft once the primary gear was “broken”, or could be used for additional support when landing on soft or rough airfields. The aircraft was intended to be capable of taxiing at low speeds on its small wheels, thus being able to negotiate small obstacles such as ditches up to 1.5 m (5 ft) in width. The appearance of the row of small wheels led to the nickname “millipede”. In flight, the main legs fully retracted into the engine nacelles, while the fixed support wheels remained exposed and the nose wheel only semi-retracted.
Normally operated by a crew of four, the pilot was the only member without two roles. The navigator operated a 13-mm (.51 in) MG 131 in the nose, the radio operator a 20-mm MG 151 cannon in a rotating turret on the roof, and the loadmaster a 13-mm (.51 in) MG 131 firing rearward from the extreme rear of the cargo bay above the cargo doors.
(Luftwaffe Photos)
Arado Ar 232B-1 four-engine transports in Luftwaffe service.
(RAF Photos)
Arado Ar 232B-0, (Wk. Nr. 305002), RAF AM17.
Arado Ar 232B-0 (Wk. Nr. 305002) A3+RB, 3./KG 200 (3rd Sqn, 200th Bomb Wing, (Special Operations Wing). The aircraft was surrendered to British forces at Eggebek, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, in 1945. This aircraft was designated RAF AM17 and pressed into service to ferry spare parts from occupied Europe to Farnborough, often flown by Squadron Leaders McCarthy and Somerville. It was scrapped at RAF Sealand in 1948. One of two B-0s captured by British forces at the end of the war, it was also test flown by Capt (N) Eric “Winkle” Brown, who gave the design excellent marks. The aircraft were part of the Royal Aircraft Establishment’s Foreign Aircraft Flight at Farnborough. None of these aircraft have survived. S/L McCarthy, DSO, DFC and Bar, had flown with the RAF’s famous Lancaster “Dambusters.” After the war he chose to remain in the RCAF, finishing his service on Canadair CP-107 Argus ASW aircraft at Greenwood, Nova Scotia, in 1968.
