Service technique de l'aéronautique
Dorand AR
The Dorand AR was a French reconnaissance aircraft developed during the final years of World War I. Designed by the engineering team of the Service technique de l’aéronautique (STA), the machine first flew in early 1918 and entered limited service with the French Aéronautique Militaire in 1919. Built around a robust 260‑hp Salmson 9Za water‑cooled radial engine, the Dorand AR featured a two‑seat, biplane layout with a wooden frame and fabric covering, a spinner‑less propeller, and a spacious forward observer’s cockpit equipped with a camera mount and a flexible Lewis gun for defensive fire. Its wings were staggered and braced with Warren trusses, giving a relatively high lift‑to‑drag ratio that allowed a maximum speed of about 180 km/h and a service ceiling near 5,500 meters. Though produced in modest numbers—approximately 120 airframes—the aircraft proved valuable for post‑war mapping, artillery spotting, and training missions, showcasing the STA’s ability to transition from wartime production to peacetime innovation. The Dorand AR’s blend of reliability, ease of maintenance, and operational versatility earned it a place in French aviation history as one of the last indigenous reconnaissance biplanes before the shift to monoplanes in the 1920s.
Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1916
Design & Classification
- Primary Use
- Manufacturer
- Service technique de l'aéronautique
- Wikidata ID
- Q1232301