DAR_1 Knowpia

DAR 1
Role	Civil training aircraft
National origin	Bulgaria
Manufacturer	DAR
Designer	Hermann Winter
First flight	1926
Number built	20

The DAR 1 Peperuda (butterfly) was a 1920s Bulgarian two-seat touring or trainer biplane, designed by Hermann Winter and built by the DAR – Drjavna Aeroplane Rаbotilnitsa – State Aircraft Workshops.^[1]^[2]

Design and development edit

The aircraft was a conventional two-seat single-bay biplane with a fixed tailskid landing gear, powered by a 60 hp (45 kW) Walter NZ radial engine.^[1]^[2] Further development resulted in the DAR 1A, which was powered by an 85 hp Walter Vega engine, eight DAR 1As being produced.

After the maiden flight and successful flight tests the DAR 1 was put into production in 1926.^[1] Production DAR 1A aircraft were delivered from 1928.^[1]

Operational history edit

The twelve DAR 1 and eight DAR 1A aircraft were used by the Bulgarian Air Force at the Kazanlak Air School, for primary training and the Yato fighter squadron for continuation training, from 1926 to the early 1940s. Some DAR 1A aircraft were also used by the Civil Air Service as glider tugs.

Variants edit

DAR 1: Initial production variant with a 60hp (45kW) Walter NZ 60 radial engine, 12 built.^[2]
DAR 1A: Variant powered by an 85hp (63kW) Walter Vega engine, eight built plus some upgraded from DAR 1s.^[1]

Operators edit

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Air Force

Kazanlak Air School^[1]

Yato Fighter Squadron^[1]

Bulgarian Civil Air Service

Specifications (DAR 1) edit

Data from Balkan Birds,^[3] p. 23.

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in)
Empty weight: 405 kg (893 lb)
Gross weight: 640 kg (1,411 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Walter NZ-60 radial piston engine, 45 kW (60 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn)

References edit

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "DAR 1". aeroflight.co.uk. 29 July 2005. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
^ ^a ^b ^c Orbis 1985, p. 1295
^ Balkan Birds: Thirty Five Years of Bulgarian Aircraft Production

Bibliography edit

Anderson, Lennart (November–December 2019). "La renaissance de l'aviation militair bulgare dans les années vingt" [The Rebirth of Bulgarian Military Aviation in the Twenties]. Avions (in French) (232): 52–66. ISSN 1243-8650.
Insignia Issue 8 March/April 1998 pp. 132–135
Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria Part III
Bernád, Dénes (July–August 2001). "Balkan Birds: Thirty-Five Years of Bulgarian Aircraft Production, Part One". Air Enthusiast (94): 18–30. ISSN 0143-5450.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.