The cancelled, twin-boom Arado Ar E.340 was to replace the Junkers Ju 88 and Dornier Do 217s medium bombers in service with the German Luftwaffe during World War 2.
Arado proposed the Ar E.340 for a German Air Ministry requirement during World War 2 calling for a twin-engined, medium-class bomber to replace the pre-war line of Junkers Ju 88 and Dornier Do 217 bombers then in frontline service. The Arado submission offered the potential for multi-role airframe capable of level bombing, dive-bombing and Close-Air Support (CAS). While four prominent German aviation bureaus submitting their designs, the Arado contribution was selected for further development.
As conceived, the E.340 was to utilize a twin-boom, prop-powered layout with a centralized fuselage nacelle. Engines would be fitted at the front of each nacelle to contour along the wing leading edges. The aft portions of the booms would mount horizontal planes and vertical fins. There was no stabilizer plane between the two aft boom sections (as seen in the American Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter). Wings included reinforced roots inboard of each boom and sections found outboard. Consistent with the period, the leading edge was to be straight with the trailing edge angled forwards to the clipped wingtips. The operating crew was to number four with the cockpit at the front-most section of the fuselage nacelle, heavily glazed for optimal viewing. Armament was to include 3 x 20mm MG 151/20 series cannons with 2 x 13mm MG131 heavy machine guns. Also proposed were 2 x radio-controlled powered turrets (dorsal and ventral) and unknown armament to be fitted at each aft portion of each tail boom to protect the aircraft's critical "six". The bomb load (estimated) would be 13,000lb.
Power was to be served through an engine pair of either Junkers, Daimler-Benz or BMW origin with the Junkers Jumo 222 was eventually selected for the final product. The estimated maximum speed was 360 mph with a range of 2,235 miles. Due to the fuel requirement of the Jumo (and its extreme scarcity in wartime Germany), development of the entire project suffered and was ultimately cancelled.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
Length
61.2 ft (18.65 m)
Width/Span
75.4 ft (22.98 m)
Empty Wgt
26,455 lb (12,000 kg)
MTOW
52,911 lb (24,000 kg)
Wgt Diff
+26,455 lb (+12,000 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Arado Ar E.340 production variant)
PROPOSED:
3 x 20mm MG 151/20 automatic cannons in turret.
2 x 13mm EDL 131 machine guns in turret.
Unknown armament in tailbooms aft (rear-firing).
Unknown armament in fuselage aft (rear-firing).
Up to 13,000lb of conventional drop bombs (estimated).
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
Ar E.340 - Main Series Designation
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Nazi Germany
