Messerschmitt M 36

Întreprinderea de Construcții Aeronautice Românești (ICAR)

Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1930s
Headquarters	Romania
Products	Aircraft manufacturing

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The ICAR 36, also referred to as ICAR Comercial (sic), and alternatively known by the names ICAR M 36, Messerschmitt M 36, or BFW M.36, was a design by Messerschmitt that was constructed and evaluated by the Romanian firm ICAR during the mid-1930s. This aircraft was a compact, single-engine, high-wing passenger plane, notable as Romania’s inaugural domestically produced civil transport aircraft.

Design & development

In April 1933, Erhard Milch, formerly the head of Deutsche Luft Hansa, assumed the role of Secretary of State for Air. The relationship between Milch and Willy Messerschmitt had deteriorated following the cancellation and subsequent reinstatement of the BFW M.20 order by Luft Hansa, casting uncertainty over future contracts for BFW. During that summer, a delegation visited Romania, where the company Întreprinderea de Construcții Aeronautice Românești (ICAR) commissioned the design of a small airliner to be manufactured locally. ICAR assigned it the designation ICAR 36, while Messerschmitt, operating under Messerschmitt#BFW, identified it as the M 36.

Description

The ICAR 36 was designed as a high-wing cantilever monoplane featuring a mixed-material structure, a single engine, a fixed landing gear, and an enclosed cockpit. Its fuselage consisted of welded steel tubing covered with plywood, while the wings were tapered, single-spar, and also plywood-covered. Positioned ahead of the wing, the cockpit accommodated two crew members and included radio equipment; it could be outfitted with dual controls if necessary. Behind and below the cockpit and wing area was the cabin for six passengers, characterized by large rectangular windows and rear access doors. Additionally, there were two compartments designated for baggage.

File:I.C.A.R.-Comercial 3v.gif

Only one unit (registration YR-ACS) was constructed, later altered to house five passengers along with two luggage compartments. Although originally planned to be powered by a licence-produced 340 kW (450 hp) Gnome & Rhône 7K radial engine, the aircraft ultimately utilized a 280 kW (380 hp) Armstrong Siddeley Serval I ten-cylinder radial engine enclosed within a NACA cowling. This engine was subsequently replaced by a 220 kW (300 hp) Lorraine 7M Mizar 47 engine driving a three-bladed propeller. The fixed landing gear was supported by elongated, faired vertical struts attached to the wings, featuring teardrop-shaped wheel spats on the main wheels and a tailwheel mounted at the fuselage's rear.

Plans existed for a tri-motor variant; however, this development did not come to fruition.

Operational history

A single aircraft was produced and operated by LARES on multiple domestic routes, including service between Bucharest and Cernauti.

Operators

Romania

• LARES

External links

• Images and schematics available at Ugolok Neba