The IAR-814, aka MR-2, was a Romanian designed and built twin-engined trainer aircraft built in the early 1950s, the first twin-engined aircraft wholly designed and built in Romania.

Design

Originally designed by Radu Manicatide and fine-tuned by the Uzinele de Reparații Material Volant-3 (URMV-3) of the Industria Aeronautică Română, the IAR 814 was a three-seat low-wing monoplane of mixed construction, primarily designed as a trainer, but could also serve as a transport. Power was supplied by two Walter Minor 6-III engines, and the aircraft was also equipped with blind-flying instrumentation and radios. The main wheels of the tail-wheel undercarriage retracted into the rear of the engine nacelles. The two prototypes and 8 production aircraft were registered as YR-MRA to YR-MRJ.

Operational history

The IAR-814 was designed with long-distance flying in mind and established a long-distance world record in class C-1d, (contemporary FAI class), on 14–15 October 1961; flying a distance of 4,462.87 km (2,773.10 mi; 2,409.76 nmi) over a circuit between Băneasa-Alexeni Airfield-Strejnic-Băneasa, piloted by Octavian Băcunu and Vladimir Viscun, in a time of 20 hours 41 minutes at 216 km/h (134 mph; 117 kn).

Variants

IAR-814

Two prototype trainer/light transport aircraft

MR-2

Production aircraft; 8 built

Specifications

Data from Romanian Aeronautical Constructions 1905–1974

General characteristics

  • Crew: 3
  • Length: 11.05 m (36 ft 3 in)
  • Wingspan: 14.00 m (45 ft 11 in)
  • Height: 2.92 m (9 ft 7 in)
  • Wing area: 28 m2 (300 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 1,400 kg (3,086 lb)
  • Gross weight: 2,030 kg (4,475 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Walter Minor 6-III 6-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine, 120 kW (160 hp) each
  • Propellers: 2-bladed variable-pitch propellers

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 272 km/h (169 mph, 147 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 230 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)
  • Stall speed: 85 km/h (53 mph, 46 kn)
  • Range: 950 km (590 mi, 510 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 5,600 m (18,400 ft)

Further reading

  • Vlad, Danut (March–April 1998). "Out of the Ashes: The Romanian Aviation Industry Since 1945". Air Enthusiast. No. 74. pp. 9–19. ISSN .