The first version had a circular cross-section fuselage, with a small round window in the nose for the pilot's vision. Overall, the entire fuselage was protected by a 5mm armored shell. The pilot lay in a prone position, and the cockpit was very cramped. A removable 140mm (5.5 inch) armored glass screen was mounted in front of the pilot. The wings were straight and mounted midfuselage, with a stepped bulge above the wings which held the single MK 108 30mm cannon with 60 rounds. The rocket engine exhausted beneath the tail unit which featured a twin fin and rudder setup. A retractable skid could be lowered for landing and a drag parachute (ejected from a hatch on the top rear fuselage) was also to be used upon landing.

All versions of the Arado Ar E.381 were to be carried beneath an Arado Ar.234C-3 4-jet bomber.

A mock-up was built and several unpowered wooden airframes were also said to be constructed, and it is even rumored that a single unmanned prototype was tested by being towed aloft. No powered examples were ever built.

(Artist's view!)

The second version was very similar to the first version of the Ar E.381. The front canopy was enlarged, giving the prone lying pilot better vision out of the still cramped cockpit. A single MK 108 30mm cannon (45 rounds) was mounted on the top, firing over the cockpit.
A mock-up was built and several unpowered wooden airframes were also said to be constructed, and it is even rumored that a single unmanned prototype was tested by being towed aloft. No powered examples were ever built or flown.

All versions of the Arado Ar E.381 were to be carried beneath an Arado Ar.234C-3 4-jet bomber.

(Artist's view!)

With the third E.381 design, the overall dimensions were again enlarged slightly. The step above the fuselage was eliminated, and the wing was now a shoulder mount design. Instead of a single MK 108 30mm cannon, the third version was armed with six RZ65 or 73 spin-stabilized rockets fired from the wing leading edges. Landing was the same as the first two versions, via a retractable landing skid and drag parachute. The problem of entering or exiting the E.381 was solved by adding a side-opening hatch on the starboard side of the forward fuselage. A mock-up was built and several unpowered wooden airframes were also said to be constructed, and it is even rumored that a single unmanned prototype was tested by being towed aloft. No powered examples were ever built or flown.

All versions of the Arado Ar E.381 were to be carried beneath an Arado Ar.234C-3 4-jet bomber.

(Artist's view!)