How did an Arado Ar 232 end up in Britain?

Short answer

Captured: two Ar 232 B-0s fell into British hands toward the end of the war. The Royal Air Force then used them for a time on flights between England and Germany, as late as 1946. The model came from an RLM competition at the end of 1939 to replace the Ju 52/3m.

Published: November 2, 2026 · Updated: November 2, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

How did an Arado Ar 232 end up in Britain?

Arado Ar 234 B-2 Blitz (Lightning)

Two aircraft in British hands

Two Ar 232 B-0s were captured by British forces towards the end of the conflict. The Royal Air Force then kept them in use for a time, flying them between England and Germany as late as 1946.

What the Ar 232 was

The aircraft had been born from a competition called by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) in late 1939, which sought a replacement for the ubiquitous Ju 52/3m. Around 20 aircraft were built, and one of the orders was for 10 examples designated Ar 232B-0, the same version as the two captured aircraft.

The undercarriage beneath the fuselage

In addition to the main undercarriage, the Ar 232 carried an extra set of eleven twin wheels on each side, smaller and non-retractable, mounted along the ventral centreline of the fuselage.