"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, commenting on the British airmen in the Battle of Britain The Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance aircraft built by the German firm Arado starting in 1936. The next year it was selected as the winner of a design contest, and became the standard aircraft of the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) throughout World War II. The plane was loved by its pilots, who found it handled well both in the air and on the water. With the loss of the German surface fleet the A-1s were added to coastal squadrons, and continued to fly reconnaissance missions and submarine hunts into late 1944. Two notable operations were the capture of HMS Seal, and the repeated interception of RAF Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley bombers. Although it was no match for a fighter, it was considerably better than its Allied counterparts, and generally considered the best of its class. Owing to its good handling on water, the Finnish Air Force utilized Ar 196 solely on transporting and supplying special forces patrols behind enemy lines, landing on small lakes in remote areas. Several fully equipped soldiers were carried in the fuselage. Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Arado Ar 196A-3 floatplane that was attached to 1./Bordflieger Staffel 196, then embarked upon the German battleship Bismarck during 1941. OXFAC108 Dimensions: Features: Historical Account: "In the Navy" - Embarked Air Group 196 (German: Bordfliegergruppe 196), was a unit of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) founded in 1937 and disbanded in 1945. Initially created as a group (German: Gruppe) composed of two squadrons (German: Staffeln), two further squadrons and a staff unit would be added as the group played a role in World War II, providing aircraft for service aboard the German Navy's surface combatants. Please note: We happily combine multiple sales into one order to reduce shipping charges. Please contact us first to determine the cost of shipping before proceeding to final checkout so we can clarify the procedure with you. |