Ikarus Orkan

{{Infobox aircraft | name = Orkan | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = [[Light bomber]]/[[reconnaissance aircraft]] | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]] | manufacturer = [[Ikarbus|Ikarus]] | design_group = | designer = S.Momčilović and D.Radojković | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = [[Royal Yugoslav Air Force]] | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 1 prototype<ref>Петровић, O. (2004). Војни аероплани Краљевине СХС/Југославије (Део II: 1931–1941.). Београд: МВЈ Лет 3.</ref> | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = June 24, 1940 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}

The '''Ikarus Orkan''' ([[Serbian Cyrillic]]: Икарус Оркан) was a three-seat twin-engine [[monoplane]] designed as a [[light bomber]]/[[reconnaissance aircraft]] in the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]] before [[World War II]]. It was designed and built at the [[Ikarbus|Ikarus]] factory in [[Zemun]]-[[Belgrade]].

==Development== The Orkan was created as a private project by two young designers, S. Momcilovic and D. Radojkovic. They tried to make a light two-engine bomber. By the end of 1937, most of the prototype documentation was complete. A wooden model was tested in early 1938 in the wind tunnel in Paris. The aircraft was high winged with very clean aerodynamic fuselage and full metal construction. The wing had a NACA 23012 airfoil with a root thickness of 12% and a top sash thickness of 6%. The Yugoslav Air Force command was interested in the aircraft for the new Yugoslav twin-engine medium bomber competition.

The prototype had to be shipped by June 14, 1939. Ikarus is committed to providing engines for aircraft and weapons. It was initially planned to use a 552 kW [[Hispano-Suiza 14AB]] because of its compactness. It was intended to be well-armed with a forward-firing 20 mm [[Hispano Suiza HS.404]] cannon and a rear-firing 20 mm [[Oerlikon FF]] for defence. It was also envisaged that the aircraft would have three 7.92 mm machine guns (two on the front and one on the back). From Orkana, the expected performance was 500 km/h, a rate of climb {{convert|4000|m|ft|abbr=on}} in 4.5 minutes, a radius of action of 1,000 to 1,200 km, and an 800 kg payload of bombs.

Electric equipment was the most recently available from the domestic manufacturers Mikron and Teleoptik.  Teleoptik provided landing gear and flap control equipment, which reported the position of the flaps and landing gear. More of them, Orkan had the internal crew communicator system, Teleoptik M-38 oxygen system, and gun camera installation. Teleoptik also constructed the powered rear cannon mounting with electric firing.

French manufacturer [[Messier-Bugatti-Dowty|Messier]] produced the complete hydraulics equipment and landing gear according to Yugoslavian specifications. The system powered the landing gear, cooling gills, bomb bay door, gunner sliding hood, tail wheel, and flaps. The landing gear retracted into the nacelles behind the engines. The wheels were fitted with low-pressure tires, which allowed it to operate off grass airstrips.

While the prototype was being manufactured, the [[Second World War]] broke out, which caused additional problems. [[France]] banned the export of war [[materiel]]s, so, in consultation with the YRAF command, the Hispano Suiza 14AB engine was replaced by a 627 kW [[Fiat A.74]] RC 38. This necessitated a change in the aircraft's design and estimate of the other parameters, which led to a change in the completion of the prototype.

==Operational history== The prototype was completed in April 1940, and the first flight was planned for the same month. However, the maiden flight was made at Zemun airport on 24 June 1940 due to the additional trimming. When landing, it was damaged, and due to the war in Europe, its repair took longer, and it could not restart testing until March 1941. Flights began on 19 March 1941, and 13 flights were made by 5 April. The aircraft showed good results in meeting the expectations of the set project task. Serial production did not start because of the [[Invasion of Yugoslavia]] by Germany and Italy on 6 April.

The Orkan was damaged and captured in September 1941 during the brief war. It was embarked on a train and transported to [[Nazi Germany]] for testing. The fate of the plane is unknown.

==Operators== ;{{flag|Kingdom of Yugoslavia}} *[[Yugoslav Royal Air Force]]

==Specifications==

{{Aircraft specs |ref=<ref name=Боснић>{{cite journal | last = Боснић | first = Петар | date = September 1999 | script-title=sr:Оркан из Икаруса | journal = Аеромагазин | volume = 10 | publisher = ББ Софт | location = YU-Београд | language = sr | issn = 1450-6068 | pages = 30–32 | title = Архив }}</ref>

|prop blade number=3 |prop name=variable-pitch propellers |prop dia m= |prop dia note=  |max speed kmh=545 |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh=468 |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed note= |range km=1200 |range note= |combat range km= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m=11000 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |climb rate ms=15 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance=  |guns=<br> :*3 × {{cvt|20|mm|3}} cannon :*3 x {{cvt|7.92|mm|3}} machine gun |bombs= <br> :*4 x {{cvt|106|kg|0}} }}

==See also== *[[Rogožarski R-313]] *[[Zmaj R-1]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite book | last = | first = | title = Encyclopedia of World Aircraft | publisher = Prospero Books | location = | isbn =1-8941-0224-X | pages = | chapter = | year = 1997 }} *{{cite book | last = | first = | script-title=sr:Војна енциклопедија | year = 1975 | publisher = Народна армија | location = YU-Београд | language = sr | id = | pages = | chapter = }}

==External links== *http://vazduhoplovnetradicijesrbije.rs/index.php/istorija/223-ikarus-orkan{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2008/06/01/ikarus-orkan/ Ikarus Orkan] *http://www.airwar.ru/enc/bww2/orkan.html (ru)

[[Category:Ikarus aircraft]] [[Category:High-wing aircraft]] [[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]] [[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1940]] [[Category:1940s Yugoslav bomber aircraft]]