The first prototype, the Ar 80 V1 (registered D-IRLI), was powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel V engine with a continuous rating of 695 hp and 812 hp available for take off. This aircraft was destroyed in a landing accident.
Initially, the second prototype, the Ar 80 V2 (D-ILOH), was similarly powered, but it was subsequently (as illustrated here) re-engined with a Junkers Jumo 210Ca affording 695 hp for take off.
The Ar 80 V3 (D-IPBN), also powered by the Jumo 210Ca, was the first prototype fitted with armament, comprising one engine-mounted 0.787 in (20 mm) and two 0.311 in (7.9 mm) machine guns in the engine cowling. Later the Ar 80 V3 was fitted with a revised wing eliminating the inverted gull arrangement and was modified as a two-seater.
The Ar 80 V4 (D-IMEM) was fitted with a fuel injected Jumo 210Ga engine and featured an enclosed cockpit., both this and the Ar 80 V5 (D-IROK) undergoing extensive testing at Rechlin for the evaluation of new instrumentation and subsequently at the Tarnewitz armament test center, finally being returned to Arado for the defense of the company's airfield at Warnemünde.
A proposed production version of the Arado fighter with a Jumo 210Ea and fully-retractable main landing gear was discontinued upon selection of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 to fulfill the requirement."
The following data relate to the Ar 80 V3 (D-IPBN).
