Darzhavna aeroplanna rabotilnitsa (Държавна аеропланна работилница - State Aircraft Workshops), abbreviated DAR (ДАР), was the first Bulgarian aircraft manufacturer, established in 1924 at Bojourishte.
Native name | Darzhavna Aeroplanna Rabotilnitsa |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1924 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people |
|
History
Initially involved in repairing German aircraft then in use in Bulgaria, DAR soon began producing copies of some of these (DAR Uzunov-1, DAR 2), before moving on to licensed production of the Focke-Wulf Fw 44. The workshops produced a number of original designs, some of these were produced (DAR 1, DAR 3, DAR 4, DAR 6, DAR 8, DAR 9, DAR 11), while others never proceeded past prototype stage (DAR 5, DAR 7, DAR 10).
Although aircraft manufacture was moved to the Darzhavna Samoletna Fabrika (Държавна самолетна фабрика - State Airplane Factory, abbr. ДСФ - DSF) in Lovech in 1940, designers remained in DAR. Tsvetan Lazarov was DAR's head designer towards the end of the organisation's lifespan. Amongst others, he was responsible for its final design, the DAR 11 fighter of 1941 that never left the drawing board. DAR was closed after 1945 and the personnel and facilities were moved to the DSF in Lovech.
Although not direct legal successor, in 1995 a newly established private company called Aeroplani DAR based its name and heritage on DAR.[1]
Products
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAR Uzunov-1 | 1925[2] | 7 | License built single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| DAR 1 Peperuda | 1926 | 20 | Single engine biplane trainer |
| DAR 2 | 12 | License built single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane | |
| DAR 3 Garvan | 1926 | 26 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| DAR 4 | 1930 | 1 | Three engine biplane airliner |
| DAR 5 Brambar | 1930[2] | 1[3] | |
| DAR 6 | 1932[2] | 6[a] | Single engine biplane trainer |
| DAR 7 | 1[3] | ||
| DAR 8 Slavei | 12 | Single engine biplane trainer | |
| DAR 9 Siniger | 6[3][b] | Single engine biplane trainer | |
| DAR 10 Bekas | 1941 | 2 | Single engine monoplane light bomber |
| DAR 11 Lyastovitsa | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt license built single engine monoplane fighter |
See also
References
Footnotes
Notes
Bibliography
- Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. p. 89.
- World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 891 Sheet 56.
External links
- Romanian Military History Forum: Bulgarian Aircraft Production (1910-1945) – includes pictures of a magazine article with production lists