Arado Ar 196 A-3 Seaplane and Bismarck Story

This blog entry is about the Arado Ar 196. 

Commentary about the build is in blue and the history of the Arado and its association with the Bismarck is in black. 

The Arado AR was the seaplane that flew off the German Navy's capital ships during WW2. 

I built this 1/32 kit from Revell because I am also building the 1/350 Bismarck with full photo etch [Academy's new version] and one of the things I like to do is build any associated items with any model I build such as this Arado.

For example I am also completing the IJN Akagi, the aircraft carrier that was the Japanese flagship for the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941. So with it, I am building the three types of aircraft that flew from its deck.

To start this history of the Arado, and its sad story in association with the Bismarck, consider this picture [left]. This is a photo of the Arado aircrews on the Bismarck during its Baltic Sea training period in the fall of 1940 before putting to sea for its 9 day epic first cruise climaxing in it being sunk on May 27, 1941 with the loss of 2,206 lives. Only a 115 survived to be rescued by HMS Devonshire.

The Bismarck, the death star of its day, only lasted 277 days from its commissioning.


The sinking of the Bismarck [seen right with an Arado flying by] has remained a WW2 controversial story. The Bismarck was the most fearsome weapons platform ever built up until that time.

Bismarck's airwing.

Arado Ar196	Crew
Werk.No.052, markings T3+IH	Pilot: Unteroffizier Ernst Lange. Observer: Leutenant Günter Lademann.
Werk.No.110, markings T3+AK	Pilot: Feldwebel Oskar Andersen. Observer: Leutenant zur See Rolf Hambruch.
Werk.No.123, markings T3+DL	Pilot: Feldwebel Josef Kempfle. Observer: Oberleutenant Siegfried Mühling.
Werk.No.150, markings T3+MK	Pilot: Feldwebel Werner Seeliger. Observer: Leutenant Martin Lange.

The Bismarck carried 4 Arados [ it could handle as many as 6].

One remains in its hangar, a shattered wreck from a direct hit from the Rodney. How do we know? The Rodney pounded the Bismarck from one side while the King George V hit it from the other therefore the entry hole points to the origin of each shot.

If you wish to view an excellent briefing on the Bismarck I suggest you view James Cameron's [Titanic exploration] at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkGeoWR8gFo  






This is a picture of one of the Arado hangers as it sits deep on the ocean floor today.

Only one member of the four aircrews and several maintenance technicians survived the sinking on that fateful morning.

1/32 scale is a large scale for aircraft leading to the problem of what to do with the finished kit. 

For that reason many aircraft modellers choose the 1/48 or even the 1/72 scale which offer great detail in more compact kits. 


I like the large scale both for its size and detail. For example the radio panels to the left I are large enough that I can paint them by hand.

Plus I do have the storage and display capability for the kit in Canada, but for our home on Crete I shall have to change as it is simply too small to overwhelm my partner with my large kits there. 

The twin-seat seaplane had a metallic structure and was covered with metal in the front and fabric in the rear. The engine was a BMW 132W [A-5]. 

Like most other capital ships of the time, the Bismarck was equipped with aircraft for reconnaissance, patrol missions, and artillery spotting. 

These were very robust and heavily armed single-engine aircraft with twin floats. Two aircraft were stored in the 120 m² double hangar under the mainmast, and the other two in single hangars of 60 m² each to both sides of the funnel amidships. 

To save space their wings could be folded. These aircraft belonged to the 1st Squadron (1.Staffel) of the board reconnaissance group 196 (Bordfliegergruppe 196) that had been formed before the war in 1937, and the pilots and technicians were members of the Luftwaffe.

 The radio operator sat in the second seat from where he could turn and operate the 7.92 MG 15 [with 525 bullets per canister]. 

The plane also had a bomb dropping capability with 2 - 50kg contact bombs under its wings

The radio operator, at the rear seat, had a machine gun 7.92 mm MG 15 (525 bullets). 

I chose to build the kit with some contrasting colours rather than the prescribed colours only to better display the components. With all of the pre-construcion of the many parts on the frame before adding them to the main fuselage but was pleasantly surprised with how easily it all went together. 

Such is the quality of the new Revell kits.

The Arados were launched on a 32-meter long double catapult that could be extended telescopically beyond the ship's sides to a length of 48 meters. This catapult was located amidships between the mainmast and the funnel and could be deployed to both sides. 

After completing a mission, the seaplane landed on the water close to one of the ship's sides, and was then lifted aboard by one of the big 12-ton cranes. This was always a dangerous manoeuvre as the ship had to lie almost dead in the water to pick up the aircraft making it vulnerable to attack by submarine.

Once lifted out of the water, two other small cranes under the funnel searchlight platform helped to place the aircraft back in the hangars.

The kit allows for the Arado to be built in either its stored configuration with wings folded or in the flight position with winds extended.

I chose a hybrid of both to best display the Arado. One side is fully open and one side fully folded. 

The way Revell creates its build plans takes a little getting used to but once understood are quite good. I was surprised to realize no swastika was included with the kit and then learned that it is illegal to print the swastika in Germany- and as Revell is German company- no swastika!

In the early morning of 27 May 1941, the last day for the Bismarck, Admiral Lutjens [below]  tried to send the war dairy of the Bismarck back to occupied France. 

Unfortunately, the catapult was damaged and therefore the aircraft could not be launched. The Arado could not be left on catapult as it would be a fire hazard in the coming battle so it had to be pushed overboard. 

With Bismarck's steering jammed as a result of an unbelievably  lucky shot worthy of a Hollywood genre, and his[German ships are referenced by the male gender in contrast to our tradition of 'she'] speed slashed, the Bismarck and his crew of 2,200 were left the proverbial 'sitting duck' and at the mercy of the Royal Navy. The British as a result of the sinking of HMS Hood with the loss of all but three men, and with Churchill's orders to sink him, there was to be no mercy for the Bismarck. 

On the morning of the 27th HMS Rodney and King George V closed in and shot over 2400 shells at the helpless Bismarck with many hitting the battleship yet it refused to sink. It was reduced to a blazing inferno. 

Although the British claimed with confidence they sank him,  the Bismarck's crew claimed they scuttled it. The evidence from the wreck bears witness to the fact that the Germans indeed scuttled the burning hulk as none of the many torpedo hits penetrated the inner hull. 

This is a picture of the Arado in Norway in 1941 [left]. These planes were also used for coastal patrol.

Above right is a painting of the Arados over Crete where they searched for British submarines resourcing the Cretan resistance throughout the occupation.

This last picture [right] is taken by the radioman from the rear seat of an Arado on patrol along the coast of occupied Crete. 

Bob's Building Tips:

Start with a larger scale kit. These are more expensive but more forgiving at the same time. 

Buy a good kit! Hasegawa, Revell, Academy, Tamiya and several others make really good kits. You get what you pay for so don't let the price scare you. 

At the same time look at what the kit includes and go on line and look up the kit you are considering under "build review of "name, kit and #". Here you will get more info to help you choose the right kit.

If you are just beginning- leave photo etch and other add ons until later!

and enjoy!

 

Bob's Build Blog - Beginnings.

Readers of this blog will follow my learning curve as I pursue my renewed interest in model building. Modelling, like everything else in our world, has been transformed beyond recognition by our technological capacity.

I began modelling, like many boys and some girls, as a youngster. When I lived in Boston I was 10 and there was a model shop close by that I could walk to not only to acquire kits- but see the realm of possibilities. The interest in modelling sparked then has lingered and now that I have the time I intend to invest it in my renewed modelling interests.

The IJN [Imperial Japanese Navy] has really captured my attention. When I was young almost everything was American with some German and British. Now the field has expanded to include all nations, the span of history, Sci-fi, miniatures and vignettes and much more.


To the left is my constant supervisor, Daisy.She offers to "lab test" my work for a cookie from a little bowl of treats I keep on my desk.

My home office has been transformed to my modelling room. Obsolete books are gone, file cabinets emptied and contents shredded, the printer, now rarely used, lives in a corner.

 Models in various stages of construction occupy the shelves. This 'man cave' is mine and I love it.




The IJN ships feature pagoda type superstructures that tower over the ships providing the silhouettes many people instinctively recognize as oriental in nature.

These ships are different. The aircraft carriers are purely functional and seem to lack anything 'pretty' about them while the battleships are packed with weapons, even though in reality they weren't very effective during WW2.

Above is the IJN heavy crusier Tone [on top], the IJN battleship Haruna and below, unfinished, is the Titanic. Note there size of the Titanic against the others. They are all the same scale.

Right isanother view of the Tone under construction. The Tone was a member of the IJN river class cruisers named after rivers in Japan.



Another feature of this blog will be to tell the stories of some of these ships and other builds so the reader can appreciate the stories.

This is the battleship/aircraft carrier Ise's aft section at the beginning of its build. The surface is barren as the carrier deck will sit in this space.

The Ise was converted to a hybrid aircraft carrier following the battle of Midway where the Japanese lost 4 of its main fleet carriers. Lacking the industrial might of the US they began to convert existing ships and the Ise was one.

I built this moveable work station so I can continue to work on models when Nance and I are watching TV or in the family room. The fact that it rolls back into my model room quickly keeps her happier.

This display cabinet was acquired from Carleton Cards when they were changing their display cases. This makes an ideal model home and it where the dioramas, again in various stages of construction, are housed

I am also studying the creative challenge of dioramas making as a form of story telling.

Here are some 1/35 scale building I'm working on together with some vehicles and figures.

This blog will record this evolution as I learn the demanding field of aging vehicles with features such as weathering and detailing a scene towards the ultimate goal of believability.

The blog will be organized under each model and will be edited from time to time to reflect the evolution of that particular model. If you are following this blog you will need to follow the edits to find the updates information.

So- if you have an interest in modelling or just curious you are welcome in my virtual modelling room as these models and 'stories' unfold.