Arado Ar 66
Arado Flugzeugwerke · German Reich · first flew 1932 · light aircraft
The Arado Ar 66 was a two-seat primary training biplane that became the standard basic trainer of the Luftwaffe from the mid-1930s, produced in large numbers through World War II.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Standard Luftwaffe primary biplane trainer
- Open tandem cockpits on equal-span biplane
- Also used for night harassment bombing in WWII
A conventional equal-span biplane with open tandem cockpits, a Argus As 10 inverted-V engine, and fixed spatted undercarriage; very similar in layout to many other 1930s trainers.
Specifications
- The Arado Ar 66 has a length of 8.3 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 210 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1932, the Ar 66 was adopted as the Luftwaffe's standard primary trainer when Germany began rearming. Thousands were built and the type trained an entire generation of German pilots. In the final years of the war, Ar 66s were also pressed into service for night harassment bombing on the Eastern Front.
Variants
The main production variant was the Ar 66C; earlier marks differed in engine and equipment details.
Where you'll see it
The Ar 66 served with Luftwaffe flying schools from 1933 to 1945 and was also operated by Bulgarian and Romanian air forces as a trainer.
Related aircraft
- Arado Ar 65
- Arado Ar 67
- Arado Ar 64
- Arado Ar 68
- Arrow Aircraft Active
- Beechcraft Staggerwing
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- BFW M.29
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