А.Шепс Самолеты Первой мировой войны. Страны Антанты

Доран AR.1 1917 г.

   Эта машина, также участвовавшая в конкурсе на одномоторный разведчик, совершила первый вылет в сентябре 1916 года, а производство машин началось в апреле следующего года. Первоначально самолет выпускался с двигателем "Рено" (190 л. с.).
   Было построено 22 машины, получившие у военных обозначение AR.1 A2. Позднее на самолет установили более мощный двигатель "Лоррен-Дитрих" мощностью 238 л. с. Этих машин, обозначенных АR.2 A2, было выпущено 120 штук. Это был двухместный двухстоечный биплан. Фюзеляж прямоугольного сечения, имел обычную для самолетов того времени конструкцию. Для обеспечения обзора пилоту верхнее крыло имело отрицательный вынос. Другой особенностью машины был поднятый над нижним крылом фюзеляж, что позволило использовать более короткие стойки шасси. Крыло двухлонжеронное, цельнодеревянной конструкции, оборудовалось элеронами. Стойки бипланной коробки - стальные трубы в деревянных обтекателях. Оперение без стабилизатора и киля, деревянной конструкции. Управление тросовое. Вооружение состояло из синхронного 7,71-мм пулемета "Виккерс" и двух пулеметов "Льюис" на турели. Радиаторы размещались между фюзеляжем и нижним крылом.
   Машина обладала неплохими летными данными, но на вооружение приняли более надежный Бреге Вre.14, поэтому почти все построенные машины передали Американскому экспедиционному корпусу. Некоторое количество машин попало на итальянский фронт и на средиземноморский ТВД.

  
ЛЕТНО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ
  
   Доран AR.1 А2 Доран AR.2 А2
   1917г. 1917г.
   Размах, м 13,28 13,28
   Длина, м 9,15 9,27
   Высота, м 3,30 3,10
   Сухой вес, кг 810 760
   Взлетный вес, кг 1247
   Двигатель: "Рено" "Лоррен-Дитрих"
   мощность, л. с. 190 245
   Скорость максимальная, км/ч 150 170
   Время набора высоты, м/мин 3000/20
   Дальность полета, км 400 450
   Потолок, м 5500 5800
   Экипаж, чел. 2 2
   Вооружение 2-3 пулемета 2-3 пулемета
   80 кг бомб 80 кг бомб

J.Davilla, A.Soltan French Aircraft of the First World War (Flying Machines)

A.R.1 and A.R.2

  By 1916 it was increasingly obvious that the Farman F.40 was no longer capable of performing daytime reconnaissance. The F.40's pusher configuration prevented defense against attacks from behind, a fact which the German fighters fully exploited. Therefore Colonel Dorand, who headed the STAe. formulated a requirement for a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft with tractor configuration that would improve its ability to defend against rearward attacks. Dorand approached Farman about producing the new plane; however, Farman was reluctant to abandon the pusher configuration and the STAe had to find another engineer. Captain G. Lepere (who later designed the Packard LUSAC-11 and 21 in 1918) was selected to develop the new aircraft, which was designated A.R.
  The A.R.1 was later known as the Dorand A.R.1 because of Commandant Dorand's association with the type. However, Dorand had no direct involvement with either the design or production of the aircraft beyond drawing up the initial specification. The designation A.R. has at least three alternative meanings. The Renault firm, which built the engine, believed that it stood for "Avion Renault" or "Avant Renault." Renault insisted that any aircraft using Renault engines should have the letter "R" for "Renault" included in its designation. The Aviation Militaire, however, had no interest in acknowledging Renault's contribution to the A.R., and insisted the designation stood for "Avion de Reconnaissance." In fact, the STAe designation for the airplane was A.R.1 and A.R.2, regardless of whether a Renault or Lorraine engine was fitted.
  The A.R.1 was a tractor biplane with negatively staggered wings and powered initially by a 160-hp Renault engine. Later versions had a 190-hp Renault 8Gd or a 240-hp Lorraine 8A. The crew was seated in tandem with the pilot just below the top wing and a gunner located beneath a cutout in the upper wing. The pilot's forward vision was hampered by the rhino exhaust of the 160-hp Renault. Later versions had the 240-hp Renault 8Gd, in which the exhausts passed along either side of the engine cowl. giving the pilot a clearer view ahead. The pilot's upward view was quite limited because of his position underneath the top wing; he had two small windows in the floor to enhance downward vision. There was also a window and camera opening in the floor of the observer's cockpit. Four bomb cells were situated between the pilot and the observer and permitted vertical storage and release of four 120-mm bombs. The pilot fired a synchronized 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun fixed on the starboard side of the fuselage, while the observer had one or two Lewis guns on a movable mount. The radiator was initially located in the nose with an auxiliary radiator under the nose. Subsequent aircraft had the radiator under the fuselage above the lower wing. The two-bay wings were of equal span. The fuselage was suspended between the upper and lower wing by struts made of ash. Only the lower wing had dihedral. Ailerons were located on only the upper wing. The rudder and elevator were rectangular.


Variants

  There were two other versions of the A.R. The first, and most important, was the A.R.2 which had a tightly cowled 190-hp Renault 8Gd/Gdx, or 240-hp Lorraine 8Bb engine. There were airfoil wing radiators, and the surface area of the wings was reduced. The other version was the A.R.1 D2 trainer, which had a Renault 12d.


Production

  An order for 750 A.R.1 s was placed on 24 September, 1916. Numerous firms including Farman and Letord built the aircraft under license. However, as with virtually all French aircraft of the time, production was seriously delayed. It had been anticipated that by February 1917 delivery of 645 would have been completed; however, not a single aircraft had been delivered by that date. Slowly, the production rate began to increase and by 1 August. 1917, there were 216 A.R.s in service with the escadrilles, with an additional 80 in the general reserves. A total of 1,435 Dorands of all types was eventually built.


Operational Service

  The A.R.1 entered service in early 1917. AR 1 was one of the first escadrilles to receive the new A.R.1s. The new plane had been eagerly awaited by the members of F 1, who had been so disgusted with the poor performance of their F.40s that they had adopted a winged snail as the escadrille insignia. Unfortunately, the A.R.1 would not prove a significant improvement over the F.40. In April 1917 F 1 became AR 1; at that time AR 1 was assigned to the 33rd CA. (Corps d'Armee) and participated in the Battle of Chemin des Dames. The crews of AR 1 provided the crucial, if mundane, task of artillery spotting. They enabled the French artillery to strike effectively al the German troops and artillery units and were active over the Vauclerc plateau. In August 1917 the crews were allowed to recuperate from the intense activities during the Battle of Chemin des Dames by moving to a quiet sector where the front lines were stable. Based at Lure, along with the 33rd CA., AR 1 saw little activity. On 11 September AR 1 moved to Fontaine, where the aggressiveness or German fighters resulted in a large number of combats. The unit returned to Lure in late January 1918 and re-equipped with Salmson 2s to become SAL 1.
  No fewer than 49 escadrilles were equipped with A.R.1s; 44 of these units served on the Western front. Escadrilles 14, 22, 44, 254, and 275 (which operated a mix of A.R.s and Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutters) also saw service on the Italian front.
  Most of the escadrilles supplied with A.R.1s had previously used M.F.11s and F.40s. The tractor layout of the A.R.1s was seen as presenting a marked improvement over the pusher configuration of the Farman aircraft. The gunner's Lewis guns had a clear field of fire, which helped to discourage attacks from the rear. Also, the performance of the A.R.1 was marginally superior to the M.F.11 and the F.40. The AR escadrilles flew reconnaissance missions over the front and were particularly useful spotting artillery. As the A.R.1 had a limited range, many units were equipped with a few Letord aircraft for long-range reconnaissance. It was clear, however, by the summer of 1917 that the A.R.s were rapidly becoming obsolete. The aircraft became increasingly vulnerable La German fighters, and many AR escadrilles were assigned to less active sections of the front during late 1917. Despite the fact that the A.R.s were now of limited usefulness, the Aviation Militaire had little choice but to keep them in service. The superior Salmson 2 A2s and Breguet 14 A2s were not yet available in sufficient numbers to completely equip the reconnaissance units.
  In escadrille service the A.R.1s had some minor problems. The throttle attachment to the fuselage was found to be defective and had to be replaced. On the first 20 airplanes the radiators were found to be ineffective and the engines were frequently overheating. The problem was corrected in subsequent machines. The 10th Armee complained that the A.R.1s built by Farman had more defects than those built by other manufacturers.
  A.R.1s were used as night bombers while serving with the 10th Armee in Italy. They were equipped with cockpit lights for the crew, and a row of spotlights were placed on the landing gear to enable targets on the ground to be spotted. These A.R.1s carried up to 120 Type P lance bombs.
  The A.R.1s and A.R.2s were replaced by Salmson 2 A2s, Breguet 14 A2s, and SPAD 11s in late 1917.
  Although the A.R.1s were superior to the Farmans they replaced, the "Dorands" were obsolescent by the time they entered service. It has been noted that Colonel Dorand believed the type had performed as well as could have been expected considering the mediocre engines with which they had been equipped.


Foreign Service

Greece

  The French supplied the Greek air service with 37 A.R.1s in 1917. They were assigned to the 532 Mira Vomvarthismou ke Anagnorisseos (532 Bombing and Reconnaissance Squadron) which had been formed on 10 December, 1917. This unit was based at Gorgop and operated a mixture of A.R.1s and Breguet 14s. 532 Mira saw action bombing enemy positions in the Vardar valley, the fortifications of Shar-di-Legen, and the Axos river. The 533 Mira Dioxeos (533 Fighter Squadron). formed in June 1918, also operated a mixture of A.R.1s and Breguet 14s. Twenty-two A.R.1s remained in Greek service at the end of the war. In early 1919 elements of both 532 and 533 Miras saw service in the Greco-Turkish War. However, it seems that only the Breguet 14s were actually used in combat, as the A.R.1s were now considered to be obsolete. The A.R.1s were retired in 1923.

Serbia

  On 18 May, 1917, F 382 replaced its F.40s with A.R.1s and was designated AR 382. Another A.R.1 unit, AR 521, subsequently became the 1st Serbian Escadrille on 17 January, 1918. It was initially based at Ostrovo and moved to Venekop in July 1918. This unit participated in attacks on Bulgarian troops and reinforcements along the front. In early autumn the escadrille was sent to Uskub and operations were conducted against the retreating Germans and Austro-Hungarians. It appears that the A.R.1s had been replaced by the Breguet 14s before the war ended.

United Kingdom

  The RFC borrowed a single example of an A.R.1 from French Escadrille SPA-Bi 2 in January 1918. It had been planned to use it to attack the German battlecruiser Goeben, but no such attack was ever made.

United States

  Desperate to get its pilots into combat, the United States Air Service accepted aircraft types purchased from the French which were clearly obsolete. Along with Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutters and SPAD 11s, a total of 22 A.R.1s and 120 A.R.2s were purchased. The 1st Observation Squadron had a dozen A.R.1s on strength by May 1918. The 12th Aero Squadron was also equipped with A.R.1s and A.R.2s, the 89th Aero Squadron had five A.R.1s in May 1918, and the 91st Observation Squadron also had a few A.R. aircraft in 1918. The remaining A.R.1s and A.R.2s were based at Gondrecourt, Meuse.
  Fortunately for the Americans, the A.R.1s and A.R.2s were used primarily for training and most of the squadrons replaced them with more modern types before entering combat. In April the 1st Aero Squadron had re-equipped with SPAD 11s (although a few A.R.1s remained with the unit). By the first week in June, the 12th Aero Squadron (in the Baccarat sector) had re-equipped with Salmson 2 A2s. The 91st Aero Squadron replaced their "Dorands" with Salmson 2 A2s in April 1918. The A.R.1s and A.R.2s were greatly disliked by the American pilots, who contended that the A.R. designation actually stood for 'Antique Rattletraps.'



A.R.1 Two-Seat Reconnaissance Aircraft with 190-hp Renault 8Gd
  Span 13.27 m; length 9.30 m; wing area 50.17 sq. m
  Empty weight 810 kg; loaded weight 1,250 kg
  Maximum speed:
   2,000 m 152 km/h
   3,000 m 147 km/h
   4,000 m 141 km/h
Climb:
   2,000 m 11 minutes
   3,000 m 22 minutes 20 seconds
   4,000 m 39 minutes
Ceiling 5,500 m; range 375 km
Armament: four 120-mm bomb a synchronized 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun, and one or two Lewis gun on a movable mount.

A.R.2 Two-Seat Reconnaissance Aircraft with 240-hp Lorraine 8Bb
  Dimensions same as A.R.1
  Empty weight 825 kg; maximum weight 1,250 kg
  Maximum speed: 2,000 m 159 km/h
  Climb:
   2,000 m 14.5 minutes
   3,000 m 28.2 minutes
Service ceiling 3,000 m; absolute ceiling 4,500 m
Range 375 km; endurance 3 hours at 3,000 m
Armament: same as A.R.1.

Total production of the A.R.1 and A.R.2 was 1,435 aircraft.

G.Swanborough, P.Bowers United States Military Aircraft Since 1909 (Putnam)

DORAND A.R.1 & A.R.2

   The Dorand A.R.1 and 2, with nose and wing radiators for 200 and 190 h.p. Renault engines, respectively, were direct 1917 developments of a pre-war design by Colonel Dorand of the Section Technique d’Aviation of the French Army and were built in French Government shops at Chalais-Meudon. Unconventional features of the design were negatively-staggered wings and a lower wing set well below the fuselage. The A.E.F. bought 22 A.R.1s and 120 A.R.2s, and used them as trainers rather than combat observation types.
   A.R.1: Span, 43 ft. 7 in.; length, 30 ft.; wing area, 540 sq. ft.; gross weight, 2,900 lb.; high speed, 92 m.p.h.

Jane's All The World Aircraft 1919

THE DORAND RECONNAISSANCE BIPLANE.
  
  
  
   "Flugsport" for Aug. 14th describes the Dorand biplane, explaining that this machine is known as " A.R." or " A.L.D." according to its equipment with a Renault or a Lorraine-Dietrich engine. The machine described, naturally one captured from the French, bears the description, " A.R.," and the number 309. The letter "A" indicates that it is a Reconnaissance machine.
   The empty weight of the aircraft is 890 kilos. A note on the rudder gives the weight of the fuel (poids combustible) as 140 kg. and that of useful load (poids utile) at 300 kg., the total load working thus out at 1,330 kg. As the planes have an area of 1330 50.30 square metres, the loading of the planes is thus 1330/50.36 = 26.40 kg. per sq. m., and the engine performance 1330/190.36 = 7 kg. per h.p.
   The main object of the design seems to have been the production of a light aeroplane with fairly high wing loading. The construction of component parts, such as stampings, has, therefore, been kept simple and light.
  
  
  
Type of machine Two-seater Reconnaissance Biplane.
Name or type number of machine A.R.
Purpose for which intended Reconnaissance.
Span 13.3 metres.
Gap, maximum and minimum 2 m. to 1.825 m.
Overall length 8.225 m.
Total surface of wings 50.36 sq. meters.
Engine type and H.P. 8 cyl. Renault, 190 h.p
Weight of machine empty 890 kgs.
Load per sq. metre 7 kgs.
Tank capacity in litres 170.
Disposable load apart from fuel 300 kgs.
Total weight of machine loaded 1330 kgs.
  
Weights. Kg.
   Engine 245
   Cooling water 25
   Airscrew 22
   One main petrol tank 22.5
   One auxiliary petrol tank 2
   One oil tank 2
   Engine equipment,
   exhaust collector body
   with tools 244.5
   Landing gear 60
   Control arrangement 6
   Planes 234.5
   Rudder and elevator 26.5
   ---
   Empty load 890
   Total weight 1330
  
Load (Approximately). Kg.
   Pilot and observer 150
   Armament 75
   4 bombs @ 12 kg. 48
   Wireless and
   photography equipment 27
   182 lit. petrol; 7 lit. oil 140
   ---
   440
Note painted on the rudder:
   "Useful load" 300 kg.
   Fuel 140 kg.
Average useful loading of the planes: 4.65 kg. sq. m.

E.Hauke, W.Schroeder, B.Totschinger Die Flugzeuge der k.u.k. Luftfahrtruppe und Seeflieger 1914-1918

00. Versuchs- und Beuteflugzeuge (Опытные и трофейные самолеты)
00.57 Dorand A.R. 1, Nr. 3041 (französisch) Renault 200

Журнал Flight

Flight, September 19, 1918.

THE FRENCH A.R. BIPLANE,
WITH 190 H.P. RENAULT MOTOR.

[The following illustrated description of the French "A.R." machine has been translated from a German contemporary, and should be of considerable interest, inasmuch as one is not permitted to refer in detail to the modern aeroplanes of the Allies until the enemy has issued a report. - ED.]

   THIS machine, designed by Dorand, is designated as A.R., or A.L.D., according to whether it is fitted with a Renault or with a Lorraine-Dietrich engine. The particular machine under review is marked A.R., Type 1, and the number is 309. The machine is a two-strutter biplane of 13.30 m. span, and has its fuselage supported between the planes on ash struts. Sweep-back and dihedral angle are only present in the lower plane. The former amounts to 1 deg., while the dihedral angle is 2 deg. The top plane is staggered backwards 0.5 m. The gap is 1.825 and 2 m. respectively, that is to say in the centre it is 0.945 of the chord. The angle of incidence of the upper plane is 2.5 deg., that of the lower plane 3 deg.
   The halves of the wings are screwed together in the centre of the machine. The wing spars appear to be of I section, covered on both sides with three-ply. Between every two ribs, whose spacing is 300 to 340 mm., is a short false rib on the top surface only, running from the leading edge to the front spar. The wing fabric, which is of a cream colour, is sewn to the ribs. In front of the trailing edge, which is formed by a wire, as in all French machines, eyelets are incorporated.
   The plane struts, which, with the exception of those secured to the body, are of hollow section, are of stream-line form. In order to prevent lateral bending the outer plane-struts are provided with a peculiar bracing. In addition the middle of the struts are braced to one another and to the bottom of the body struts. (See illustrations.) The strut fittings are of a very simple type, as shown in one of the illustrations. Strut sockets of sheet steel are secured -to the spars by U bolts, the two shanks of which pass through the spar and are secured by nuts on the other side. The flying wires and landing wires are anchored to the corners of these U bolts, while the incidence wires are secured to lugs projecting from and forming part of the steel plate bottom of the strut sockets. This bottom is simply resting inside the socket and is not secured in any other way.
   The wing bracing consists of solid wires throughout, which are connected to the fittings and turnbuckles in the usual way by bending them over and sliding a ferrule of spiral wire over the free end. The flying wires are in duplicate and lie one behind the other. The space between them is filled with a strip of wood. The external drift wire running to the nose of the body is wrapped with thin cord to prevent it becoming entangled in the propeller in case of breakage. Between the fuselage and the lower plane there is diagonal bracing in the plane of each spar. As. however, there is no corresponding bracing above the fuselage, the upper ends of the top plane body struts are allowed a considerable amount of play.
   Non-balanced ailerons, positively operated, are hinged direct to the rear spar of the top plane only. The aileron control cables are in the form of simple cables running from the sprocket wheel on the control column, around pulleys in the lower plane, along the lower side of the lower plane and under another pair of pulleys. From this point on they are in the form of solid wires of 2 mm. diameter running to the aileron crank levers, which are in the form of quadrants. The upper cranks of the ailerons are connected by cables and wires running across from side to side, along the upper surface of the top plane.
   At the stern of the fuselage is fixed a small tail plane to which is pivotted the balanced trapezoidal elevator. The rudder is also balanced. The rudder post is braced to the elevator, and this in turn to the body, by stream-line steel tube struts. The ends of these struts are flattened oat and bolted to the various fittings. There is no vertical fin. The rudder is controlled by plain wires of 2.5 mm. diameter. Only where they pass over pulleys have cables been substituted for the wire's.
   The undercarriage struts are secured to the spars of the lower plane at the points where occur the attachments for the struts running to the body. The short body struts are braced by stream-line tubes fore and aft to the body. The one-piece axle rests between two cross struts of steel, tube. The travel of the axle is not restricted. The undercarriage is braced diagonally in the plane of both pairs of struts.
   The longerons and struts of the fuselage, which is fabric covered, are made of ash up to the observer's seat. From there they are made of spruce. The struts of the rear poition of the fuselage rest on the longerons without any attachment, and are held in place by the bracing only. To prevent them from sliding along the longerons the ends of the struts are notched to correspond with the shape of the wiring lugs, which surround the longerons. (See illustration.)
   The 8-cylinder, Vee type Renault motor develops, according to a plate in the pilot's cockpit, 190 h.p. at 1,550 to 1,600 r.p.m. The radiator is placed between the body and the lower plane. There is a shutter arrangement for varying the cooling. A water collector or tank is placed above the port row of cylinders. The exhaust gases are carried outwards to each side through short collectors. With the older motors the exhaust from both rows of cylinders was carried inwards to a common collector carrying it up above the top plane, an arrangement which greatly hampered the view of the pilot. In these machines the radiator was in the nose of the body. An auxiliary radiator was placed below the fuselage.
   The motor is bolted to two channel section steel bearers, which rest on strong sheet steel cradles. Immediately behind the engine is placed transversely the oil tank, which has a capacity of 7 litres. The main petrol tank, which has a capacity of 170 litres, is divided into three compartments, and is placed behind the pilot's seat. From here the petrol is pumped into a small gravity tank holding 12 litres and placed behind the engine. For this is employed either a pump driven by the engine or a hand pump to the right of the pilot. If too much petrol is pumped through it is returned to the main tank via an overflow.
   The pilot sits in a line with the leading edge of the top plane. Here he has a very good view forward, but the view in a rearward and upward direction is very restricted.
   On the instrument board in front of the pilot are the following instruments: A cooling water thermometer, ignition control, compass, petrol cock and revolutions indicator. To the right, at the side of the seat, is the petrol hand pump with a three-way cock as well as the trimming gear for the elevator. On the left are the levers for advancing or retarding the ignition, the petrol and air levers, the radiator shutter control and the oil cock. In the floor of the fuselage, in front of the rudder bar, there are small windows.
   In the observer's cockpit there are two folding seats, one in front and one at the rear. In front, behind the petrol tank, there are on each side racks for four bombs. Between these racks, through an opening in the floor, the photographic camera can be inserted. A shelf for plate holders is placed behind the port bomb racks. On the starboard inner wall of the observer's seat are aluminium plates for the switches and keys of the wireless. The other instruments of the wireless are placed aft of the seat.
   The pilot is armed with a fixed machine gun placed on the right hand side above the body, and is operated from the left cam shaft. Firing is accomplished by Bowden control from the control wheel. The observer has two movable machine guns, coupled together and mounted on a gun ring with elevating arrangements.
   The weight of the machine, empty, was ascertained to be 890 kg. An inscription on the rudder states that the weight of the fuel (poids combustible) is 140 kg., and that the useful load (poids utile) is 300 kg. This gives a total weight of 1,330 kg. As the area is 50.36 sq. m. the loading is 1,330 : 50.36 = 26.40 kg./sq. m. The loading per h.p. is 1,330 : 190-36 = 7.0 kg./h.p.
   The chief aim of the designer appears to have been to provide a light machine with low wing loading. The construction of the details such as fittings, wiring, lugs, &c. has therefore been kept very light and simple.
   Item weights. - Motor, 245 kg.; cooling water, 25 kg.; air screw, 22 kg.; one petrol main tank, 22.5 kg.; one petrol gravity tank, 2 kg.; one oil tank, 2 kg.; motor-accessories, exhaust collector, body, &c, 244.5 kg.; undercarriage, 60 kg.; controls, 6 kg.; wings, 234.5 kg.; bracing, 26.5 kg.; weight empty, 890 kg.; total weight, 1,330 kg.
   Loads. - Pilot and observer, 150 kg.; armament, 75 kg.; four bombs at 12 kg., 48 kg.; wireless and camera, 27 kg.; 182 litres petrol and 7 litres oil, 140 kg.; total, 440 kg.
   Weight of wings. - 4.65 kg./sq. m.