Arado E.580

Arado E.580
Role Jet fighter project
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Arado Flugzeugwerke
Number built Not produced

The Arado E.580 was a German World War II jet fighter design. Based on a design from 1943, the E.580 was then altered for the Volksjäger competition.

Design

The Arado E.580 was a proposed jet-powered lightweight fighter designed in September 1944 by the Arado Flugzeugwerke company.[1] The design specifications were for a lightweight fighter, powered by a single BMW 003A-1 jet engine, and needed to be designed within a few days.[1] The final design was for a single fuselage aircraft with a low-mounted unswept wing and a single jet engine mounted behind the pilot's canopy on the dorsal side of the fuselage.[1][2] With the engine mounting position behind the pilot, the canopy partially obstructed the air intake.[1] It had tail unit with twin fins and rudders.[2] The fuselage was made of steel, and the wing was made of wood, and the aircraft had an empty weight of 1,955 kilograms (4,310 lb).[1] The aircraft was 8 metres (26 ft) long and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high.[1] The wingspan was 7.75 metres (25.4 ft) with a total wing area of 10 square metres (110 sq ft).[1]

The aircraft was expected to have a maximum speed of 750 kilometres per hour (470 mph) at 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) altitude, and a service ceiling of 12,000 metres (39,000 ft).[1] It was expected to be able to climb to 6,000 m in 7.4 minutes, and to 10,000 m in 17.9 minutes.[1] Fuel endurance at 100% thrust was designed for 35 minutes at 6,000 m with a fuel capacity of 500 kilograms (1,100 lb).[1] Armament was designed to be two 30mm MK 108 cannons mounted in the nose.[1]

The conclusion of World War II ended further development of the aircraft, and the design was never completely finished.[2][1]

Replica

An exhibit on display at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia is claimed to be a replica.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Schick, Walter; Meyer, Ingolf (1997). Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Fighters 1939-1945. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. pp. 94–95. ISBN 1857800524.
  2. ^ a b c Lepage, Jean-Denis G.G. (2009). Aircraft of the Luftwaffe, 1935-1945. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 281–282. ISBN 978-0-7864-3937-9.
  3. ^ Tomás Del Coro (21 July 2018). "Arado Entwurf 580 (Replica)". Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach. Retrieved 21 August 2018 – via flickr.
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