ICAR Comercial

infobox Aircraft
name =ICAR Comercial
type =Passenger aircraft
manufacturer =ICAR


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1934
introduced = 1936
retired =
status =
primary user =Romania (LARES Airlines)
more users =
produced =
number built =1 [http://aviatia.cda.ro/15years.htm "Aviatia" magazine website] ]
unit cost =
variants with their own articles =

The ICAR Comercial was a Romanian single-engine airliner aircraft for 6 passengers, of the 1930s. It was the first civil transport aircraft built in Romania.

Development and usage

The Comercial was designed in 1934 in the German BFW works, according to an agreement with th Romanian factory ICAR ("Īntreprinderea de construcţii aeronautice româneşti") in Bucharest, and on its order. The plane was originally designated BFW (or Messerschmitt) M.36, as a high-wing monoplan for six passengers, of metal construction. First it was planned to use IAR-produced 450 hp (336 kW) Gnome & Rhône 7K radial engine, but eventually the plane was fitted with 380 hp (283 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Serval Mk. I radial engine.

Only one aircraft, designated the Comercial, was built (registration YR-ACS). Later it was modified, with a cabin rearranged for five passengers and two luggage compartments. Also the engine was replaced with a 300 hp (224 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich Mizar 47. The plane was used on domestic lines of the Romanian state airline LARES ("Liniile aeriene române exploatate cu statul"), in 1936-1940. A tri-motor development was planned, but not realized.

There is however a possibility, that two different aircraft existed under ICAR Comercial designation. According to some sources, Comercial was a licence-built Messerschmitt M.18b ["History of Romanian Aviation", Bucharest, 1984 - via [http://aviatia.cda.ro/15years.htm article in "Aviatia" magazine] ] . It would carry markings CV-RAL then, and the aircraft YR-ACS would possibly be the second Comercial, ordered in 1940.

Description

High-wing cantilever monoplane of mixed construction, with closed cab, single engine, and a fixed landing gear. A fuselage of a steel frame, covered with plywood. Straight trapezoid wings, single-spar, plywood covered. Crew of two in a cab before the wing. The cab was equipped with a radio and could be fitted with twin controls. Next and slightly below in a fuselage, under the wing, there was a cabin for 6 passengers, with wide rectangular windows and access doors at the rear. There were also two baggage compartments.

Armstrong Siddeley Serval Mark I 340 hp radial engine in front, under NACA cowling. Three-blade propeller. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a tailwheel. Main gear wheels had teardrop covers and struts joined the main gear with wings.

pecifications

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

crew=2
capacity=6
length main= 9.8 m
length alt=
span main=15.4 m
span alt=
height main=2.8 m
height alt=
area main= m²
area alt= ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1320 kg
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main= 2250 kg
loaded weight alt=
useful load main= 930 kg
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
engine (prop)=Armstrong Siddeley Serval I
type of prop= air-cooled 10-cylinder radial
number of props=1
power main=340 hp
power alt=

max speed main=235 km/h
max speed alt=
cruise speed main= 220 km/h
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main= <89 km/h
stall speed alt=
range main=700 km
range alt=
ceiling main=4,500 m
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=

armament=

References

*Ion Gudju, Gheorghe Iacobescu, Ovidiu Ionescu: "Romanian aeronautical constructions 1905-1974"
*Bernád Dénes: "Romania's Aircraft Production. The First Twenty-Five Years" at [http://aviatia.cda.ro/15years.htm "Aviatia" magazine website]

See also

aircontent
related=
*Messerschmitt M.18
similar aircraft=
*PWS-24bis - Lockheed Vega

lists=
see also=

External links

* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/cw1/icarcomercial.html Photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba site]