Arado Ar 79

Ar 79
Role Aerobatic trainer
Manufacturer Arado
First flight 20 April 1938
Introduction 1938
Produced 72

The Arado Ar 79 was an aerobatic two-seat trainer and touring aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado.[1] It was the final civilian aircraft developed by the company.[2]

The Ar 79 was developed during the mid-1930s as a successor to the Arado L I and Arado L II touring aircraft by the aeronautical engineer Walter Rethel. He designed a monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage that featured mixed construction, the forward fuselage was composed of fabric over steel tube while the rear fuselage was a monocoque structure.[1] The Ar 79 was a relatively durable, light weight, and economical aircraft that possessed favourable flight characteristics. It had a fully-glazed cabin integral with the fuselage, a dedicated luggage compartment, and a pair of fuel tanks within the fuselage. While primarily intended as a civil aircraft, its use as a military trainer was not excluded.

First flying in April 1938, the Ar 79 promptly set multiple world speed records in their class that same year and was praised by high-ranking Nazi officials. Various German figured purchased individual aircraft, including Ernst Udet, Hanna Reitsch, Heinz Rühmann, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, and Stephan von Horthy. At least one was still airworthy as late as 1955.

  1. ^ a b Donald 1997, p. 60.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kranzhoff 94 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).