Arado Ar 65


The Arado Ar 65 was the single-seat biplane fighter successor to the Ar 64. Both looked very similar. The only major difference was the use of a 12-cylinder inline engine versus the Ar 64's radial. The wingspan was also increased.
The Ar 65 appeared in 1931 and six models were built. The first three 65a-c were prototypes, while the 65d-f were production models. The Ar 65d was delivered in 1933 and served alongside the Ar 64 in the two fighter groups - Fliegergruppe Döberitz and Fliegergruppe Damm. In 1935, the Ar 65 was reduced to a training aircraft. Production of the fighter was discontinued in 1936. However, the next year, 12 of them were presented to Germany's ally - the Royal Bulgarian Air Force. The final production total was 85 aircraft.

Variants

;Ar 65a: Prototype, powered by a 559 kW BMW VI 7.3 12-cylinder water-cooled engine. First flight in 1931.
;Ar 65b: Prototype, similar to the 65a but with minor structural changes.
;Ar 65c: Prototype, similar to the 65b but with minor structural changes.
;Ar 65d: Production model.
;Ar 65E: Similar to the 65d, but with the removal of the vertical fuselage magazine of six 10 kg bombs.
;Ar 65F: Final production model. Similar to the 65E.

Operators

Bulgarian Air Force
Luftwaffe

Specifications (Ar 65E)