Ar-196 with (fake?) Russian markings

[Jan vd Heuvel]

I have this photo

http://www.nederlandseluchtvaart.nl/...se-vlag-16476/

of an Ar-196 with Russian markings.

I don't believe this is an aircraft captured by the Russians but a German aircraft with false Russian markings to fool the Russian ships.

Has anyone information about this ?

Jan

[Stig Jarlevik]

Jan, nice to see you are still collecting

Interesting picture, and I suppose anything is possible, but unless there are proof that the Germans faked Russian stars I would not consider this as an initial option. Are there any other known instances they actually did this? The way I see it, it is always dangerous to do so since it could easily hit back and hurt yourself more than your enemy....

From the books published most Russian Ar 196 came from Bulgaria and were erected post war. Likewise an Ar 196 was handed over to the Soviets by the Finns in late 1944. This one was still in German camouflage in Finnish service and was probably handed over as is.

Neither can it be totally disregarded that the Soviets in fact DID capture some Luftwaffe operated Ar 196 during the war.

From the photo it certainly looks like there is a German badge on the nose, but not possible to ID straight off.

No idea if it is possible to identify the vessel

Cheers
Stig

[mars]

According to Mr Guest's "Under the red star", Soviet also received 1 Ar-196 from Finland, this one A3+AC was delivered to Finland in 1944, and was used by the Finnish Air Force during the Lapland war agains the germans. It was given the unofficial, out-of sequence Finnish civil registration OH-PMK, and later delivered to Soviet on 16 March 1945