WOW162 – ARADO ‘Tirrpitz’

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SKU: 12771 Category:
Description

Description

The Arado Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance low-wing monoplane aircraft built by the German firm of Arado originally in 1936, ostensibly for a requirement by the Kriegsmarine for a new aircraft design for its Capital ships. In 1937 it was selected as the winner of this design contest and thereafter became the standard aircraft for the Kriegsmarine throughout World War II. The plane was loved by its pilots, who found that it handled well both in the air and on the water. With the loss of the German surface fleet towards the end of the war, the Arado’s 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 during bomber sorties over Germany. Although it was no match for a fighter, it was considerably better than its Allied counterpart seaplanes, and generally considered the best of its class. Owing to its good handling on water, the Finnish Air Force utilized Ar 196s just for 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. Our version of the Arado 196 is one of two carried board the Tirpitz Battleship, which was sunk by RAF bombers during WW2 whilst she was moored in Norway. We have a limited number of 5 of these hand carved Mahogany models available worldwide, comes with free figure Aero001 Luftwaffe pilot.