Early in 1944, on a directive from the Technical Office of the Imperial Aviation Ministry, the Arado plant in Landshut/Silesia began designing an aircraft with high-speed and long-range capabilities. After a meeting on 20 April 1944, it was decided to use the flying wing concept. The aircraft was expected to achieve a range of 4,800 km (2,980 miles) and a top speed of 860 km/h (534 mph). The bomb load was designed to carry a variety of weapons, up to a maximum payload of 4,000 kg (8,820 lbs). For defensive armament, two Rheinmetall-Borsig 30 mm MK 103 cannons were planned for the leading edges of the wing, along with two twin Mauser 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in turrets above and below the fuselage. The turrets were to be controlled via a retractable periscope from a pressure-ventilated crew compartment, which could accommodate up to three crew members. The main undercarriage consisted of an inwardly retractable tandem arrangement with four wheels per side, coupled with a smaller nose gear with two wheels. The power unit comprised six BMW 003A jet engines mounted on the upper fuselage. They were arranged in pairs, side by side, with the outer pairs offset slightly aft. Similar engines were also used later in the mass production of the Arado Ar 234C and Heinkel He 162. On December 23, 1944, due to the war and the lack of raw materials, all further work was discontinued on instructions from the Imperial Aviation Ministry. Today, the Arado Ar 555, along with the Go 229, another aircraft preserved at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., is considered a first-generation stealth aircraft. The Northrop B-2 Spirit is similar to the Ar 555 in many of its features, such as the undercarriage design with its oversized main gear doors, the crew compartment, and the engine arrangement. In 2009, on behalf of the National Geographic Channel, Northrop itself tested the stealth characteristics of these aircraft in an extensive radar comparison test. At the Northrop Test Center, a Go 229 was built to the original size (1:1), mounted on a pylon, and its radar returns were measured. The results indicated more than 20% lower reflection rates when compared with conventional aircraft, which would have reduced detection times by more than half (only 8 minutes instead of 19). As the "America Bomber"—as it is often referred to—the Arado Ar 555 would not have been suitable. With a range of only 5,000 km (3,100 miles), it would not have reached New York—the distance between Frankfurt/Main and New York is 6,200 km (3,850 miles).
Technical Data:
20.90 m (68 ft 6 in)
Wingspan
Length
15.85 m (52 ft 0 in)
Height
5.00 m (16 ft 5 in)
Engines
6 x BMW 003A
Power
800 kp each
Empty Weight
15,680 kg (34,574 lbs)
Take-off Weight
24,000 kg (52,920 lbs)
Landing Speed
165 km/h (102 mph)
Maximum Speed
860 km/h (534 mph)
Cruising Speed
620 km/h (385 mph)
Service Ceiling
15,000 m (49,200 ft)
Range
4,800 km (2,980 miles)
Armament
2 x MK 103 Wing Leading Edge
2 x MG 151/20 Rotating Turret
2 x MG 151/20 in a Rotating Turret under the Fuselage
Bomb Load
4,000 kg (8,820 lbs)
Crew
3
Info instructions of Revell.
Technical Data:
20.90 m (68 ft 6 in)
Wingspan
Length
15.85 m (52 ft 0 in)
Height
5.00 m (16 ft 5 in)
Engines
6 x BMW 003A
Power
800 kp each
Empty Weight
15,680 kg (34,574 lbs)
Take-off Weight
24,000 kg (52,920 lbs)
Landing Speed
165 km/h (102 mph)
Maximum Speed
860 km/h (534 mph)
Cruising Speed
620 km/h (385 mph)
Service Ceiling
15,000 m (49,200 ft)
Range
4,800 km (2,980 miles)
Armament
2 x MK 103 Wing Leading Edge
2 x MG 151/20 Rotating Turret
2 x MG 151/20 in a Rotating Turret under the Fuselage
Bomb Load
4,000 kg (8,820 lbs)
Crew
3
Info instructions of Revell.
