On August 31, 1940, the Arado Ar 196A-2 seaplane crashed in the IJsselmeer. The aircraft, flown by Leutnant zur See Kuhlberg, belonged to Bordfliegerstaffel 1./196 (1./B.Fl.St.196) . Catapult aircraft of the Kriegsmarine were assigned to 1./B.Fl.St.196 (1./B.Fl.Gr.196). During the Second World War, the Luftwaffe used the Schellingwoude water base near Amsterdam to carry out combat duties.

Demise
The Ardo Ar 196A-2 was unable to land on the water base in the evening of August 31, because an English torpedo bomber Bristol Beaufort Mk I attacked the German base. The plane was shelled and the wings were seriously damaged. The aircraft made an emergency landing at 10:45 PM in the IJsselmeer, 4 km off the coast of Nijkerk. Lt. zur See Kuhlberg and his observer Uffz. Squint were injured in the crash. The crew was rescued by Mayor Zwaantinus Bruins Slot van Nijkerk and lock keeper Gerrit Kedde. The Arado has been salvaged and repaired.

The Arado Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance low-wing monoplane aircraft built by the German firm of Arado starting in 1936. The next year it was selected as the winner of a design contest and became the standard aircraft of the Kriegsmarine (German navy) throughout World War II.

Kreuzer "Admiral Hipper", Bordflugzeug

 In addition to coastal patrols and reconnaissance flights, the Ar 196 was also used for attacks on enemy submarines and small ships. The aircraft was armed with a directional rearward firing machine gun in the rear of the fuselage and a fixed forward firing machine gun at the front right side of the fuselage that fired synchronized through the propeller. Each wing contained a fixed forward firing 20 mm cannon and two 50 kg bombs under the wings.

• Flevoland Erfgoed.
  Ardo Ar 196A-2 0059.