The Ar 196 prototypes were all delivered in summer 1937,
V1 (which flew in May) and
V2 with twin floats as A models, and
V3 and
V4 on a single float as B models. Both versions demonstrated excellent water handling and there seemed to be little to decide one over the other. Since there was a possibility of the smaller outrigger floats on the B models "digging in", the twin-float A model was ordered into production. A single additional prototype,
V5, was produced in November 1938 to test final changes.
10
A-0s were delivered in November and December 1938, with a single 7.92 mm (.312 in)
MG 15 machine gun in the rear seat for defense. Five similarly equipped
B-0s were also delivered to land-based squadrons. This was followed by 20
A-1 production models starting in June 1939, enough to equip the surface fleet.
Starting in November, production switched to the heavier land-based
A-2 model. It added shackles for two 50 kg (110 lb) bombs, two 20 mm
MG FF cannons in the wings, and a 7.92 mm (.312 in)
MG 17 machine gun in the
cowling. The A-4 replaced it in December 1940, strengthening the airframe, adding another
radio, and switching
props to a VDM model. The apparently mis-numbered
A-3, which had additional strengthening of the airframe, replaced the
A-4. The final production version was the
A-5 from 1943, which changed radios and
cockpit instruments, and switched the rear gun to the much-improved
MG 81Z. Overall, 541 Ar 196s (15 prototypes and 526 production models) were built before production ended in August 1944, about 100 of these from SNCA and
Fokker plants.
The
Ar 196C was a proposed aerodynamically-refined version. The Ar 196C project was cancelled in 1941.
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Originally Posted by Thomatchef
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