Military Model Scene

Title: Arado Flugzeugwerke
Author: Volker Koos
Publisher: Fonthill Media
ISBN: 978-1-78155-671-9

This new book from Fonthill Media covers both the development of the Arado company and it's various factories and then a record by type of each of their varied aircraft products. From a time in WW1, operating under other names, they built various aircraft for the German air arm before it became Arado Flugzeugwerke in 1925. Involved in building training aircraft and seaplanes for the Reichswehr during a time of clandestine work on military aircraft, a job officially prohibited after WW1 but supported by government subsidy to do so.
After the background story to the company is set out at the beginning, the bulk of the book goes through the interesting mix of aircraft types which came out of the Arado company. A few are well know, such as the Arado Ar 96 trainer and the Ar 196 floatplane, and in the later stages of WW2, the Ar 234 jet bomber. Perhaps less well known are the Ar 95, another seaplane but which to me looks just like a bi-plane version of the later Ar 196 monoplane. Then how about the Ar 198, an aircraft I don't recall seeing before, a reconnaissance aircraft with a very unusual glazing arrangement in the lower part of the fuselage that is quite logical for a reconnaissance aircraft but just looks strange. With the Ar 232, described as a Combat Zone Transporter, with a multiple wheeled undercarriage, designed to make rough field landings, prompted by numerous operational accidents to the Ju 52 when landing on rough ground where ditches could bring them to grief. In addition to all their own machines I was also interested to see how they were also involved in building parts of aircraft for other manufacturers, wings, fuselages and so on.
As an enthusiast and modeller of military aircraft for many years I discovered that while some Arado aircraft I knew quite well there were so many that I didn't, nor did I know the wider story of the company itself. A really interesting read, and well illustrated throughout with pictures of many aircraft I had never seen before.
Thanks to Fonthill Media for our review copy.

Robin