Arado SD III

The Arado SD III, a fighter biplane, was created in Germany during the 1920s.

It was developed alongside the SD II and shared many similarities in terms of its airframe design.

However, the main variations were related to the powerplant installation, which necessitated a shorter forward fuselage and a redesigned undercarriage.

After being evaluated at Staaken, Rechlin, and eventually at Lipetsk, it was deemed unsuitable for large-scale production.

Nevertheless, the knowledge gained from this aircraft proved to be extremely valuable for Arado in the development of the Ar 64 and Ar 65.

Specifications

Crew

One

Length

7.75 m (25 ft 5 in)

Wingspan

9.90 m (32 ft 6 in)

Height

3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)

Wing area

23.0 m² (248 sq ft)

Powerplant

1 × Siemens-Halske licence-built Bristol Jupiter VI,

380 kW (510 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed

225 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)

Rate of climb

11.9 m/s (2,340 ft/min)

Armament

2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns.

Sources
Arado Geschichte Eines Flugzeugwerks-Jorg Armin Kranzhoff.
Die geheimen Anfänge der Luftwaffe 1920-1935-Waffen-Arsenal Special Band-M Griehl.

Die deutschen Militärflugzeuge 1919-1934-H Stutzer.