The Dorand AR.1 was a World War I French two-seat reconnaissance bi-plane used by the French Air Force, the American Expeditionary Force, Kingdom of Greece and Kingdom of Serbia.
Designed by Captain Lepére of the STAé (Section Technique de l’Aéronautique). Dorand AR-series were named after the STAé director, Lt. Col. Dorand. They were characterized by backward-staggered two-bay wings and angular all-moving tail surfaces.
Production began in a state-owned S.T.Aé. factory at Chalais-Meudon near Paris after flight testing had been completed in the autumn 1916.
The first of the thirteen squadrons which flew Dorands on the Western Front received their aircraft in the spring 1917. Five other French squadrons used the type on the Italian Front.
In 1917 the American Expeditionary Force ordered the Renault-engine varieties of the Dorand, the first of 22 AR.1s being delivered in December 1917 and the first of 120 AR.2s in following February.
The presented AR.1 A2 200 was a mid-production version powered by a 150 kW (200 hp) @1600rpm Renault 8Gdy V8 naturally aspirated liquid-cooled 900in3 (14.7L) engine with a wet sump oil system and twin-choke updraught carburettor.
Specifications: Span: 43ft8in 13.29m, Length: 30ft 9.14m, Empty weight 1962lb 890kg, Two-bladed wooden fixed pitch (15) 9.383ft 2.86m diameter propeller, Max.speed: 80kn 92mph 148km/h, Endurance: 3 hours, Stall: 36knots, max AoA 12, Vne 130kns
This particular unit was found in a barn close to the Serbian – Hungarian border in a very bad shape. The plane was disassembled shipped to Australia and thoughtfully restored in its original glory presenting you a unique vintage experience of the 1910s era with some upgrades to be able to operate in the present.
Features:
• Highly detailed, fully animated and functional cockpit and airframe
• 4k UHD PBR materials
• Authentic high fidelity flight-, engine and propeller model
• Hideable modern avionics
• Original, recorded engine sound
• Environment effects
• Six different liveries
• Tested by realworld pilots
