The DAR 10 (ДАР 10) was a Bulgarian light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. DAR-10 was designed for horizontal and dive bombing, reconnaissance, and ground attack.

Design and development

The DAR 10 was designed by Zvetan Lazarov in 1938 in the DAR (Darzhavna Aeroplanna Rabotilnitsa, meaning literally 'State Airplane Workshop') factory in Bozhurishte, near the capital Sofia.

The DAR 10 was a single-engine two-seat (pilot and gunner) low-wing cantilever monoplane aircraft of conventional layout. Its two seats were in tandem under enclosed glazing. Its tailwheel undercarriage was fixed, and the mainwheels were spatted. The wings had a wooden structure, covered with plywood. Flaps were not used.

The fuselage was comparatively wide and deep, to accommodate the nose-mounted radial engine. It was constructed of steel-tube framework and wood formers, covered with fabric.

Three-bladed steel propellers were used.

Two prototypes were built, powered by different engines:

  • DAR 10A Bekas (Bulgarian: "snipe"), powered by an Alfa Romeo 128 R.C.21 nine-cylinder radial engine rated at 950 hp (709 kW). This was the first DAR 10 to fly, on 2 July 1941. It was designed to carry four machine guns (two fixed forward-firing and two in rear gunner position). It could carry five 100-kg bombs, mounted under the wings. There was also the possibility of a fixed 20 mm forward-firing cannon installation in the forward fuselage.

This aircraft crashed in October 1942.

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|crew=two

|length main=9.54 m

|length alt=31.3 feet

|span main=12.20 m

|span alt=40.0 feet

|height main=3.3 m

|height alt=10.8 feet

|area main=22.2 m²

|area alt=239 ft²

|empty weight main=1,843 kg

|empty weight alt=4,063 lb

|loaded weight main=2,570 kg

|loaded weight alt=5,666 lb

|useful load main=

|useful load alt=

|max takeoff weight main=

|max takeoff weight alt=

|engine (prop)=Alfa Romeo 128 R.C.21

|type of prop=

|number of props=1

|power main=708 kW

|power alt=950 hp

|max speed main=410 km/h

|max speed alt=255 mph

|max speed more=

|never exceed speed main=

|never exceed speed alt=

|range main=1,170 km

|range alt=727 miles

|ceiling main=7,250 m

|ceiling alt=23,785 feet

|climb rate main=

|climb rate alt=

|loading main=

|loading alt=<!-- kg/m²-->

|thrust/weight=

|armament=<div>

  • 4x machine guns:
  • 2x 7.92 mm fixed in wings
  • 2x 7.7 mm in rear upper station
  • 1x 20 mm gun in nose (?)
  • 500 kg bombs

</div>

See also

References

Bibliography

  • Photo of DAR-10A