Operational history Dorand AR

dorand ar.1 @ military flying school @ le crotoy.

the first of thirteen squadrons flew dorands on western front received aircraft in spring 1917. 5 other french squadrons used type on italian front. these aircraft withdrawn combat units in 1918.

in 1917 american expeditionary force ordered renault-engined varieties of dorand, first of 22 ar.1s being delivered in december 1917 , first of 120 ar.2s in following february. americans operated these types on western front first half 1918, until replacing them salmson 2. after being retired fighting duties, surviving examples used trainers.

dorand ar.2 s of first serbian squadron

a small number of dorand ar.1s supplied kingdom of serbia, operated these aircraft in 4 squadrons april 1918 onwards.

while dorand ar-types didn t have particularly distinguished career in either french or american service, having rather mediocre performance late-war daytime reconnaissance aircraft , suffering having low priority engine supplies, testimony general soundness of design after war, many ar.1s , ar.2s appeared in french civil register, being used 2/3-passenger transports companies compagnie aérienne française , réseau aérien transafricain. private users found aircraft useful training , joy-flights well.