Zmaj R-1

The Zmaj R-1 was a twin-engined prototype bomber produced by Zmaj, designed in the 1930s. The aircraft was never fully put into service due to a number of difficulties in testing.

Design and development
In the factory the Zmaj 1936 at the initiative of engineer Dušan Stankov (then technical manager) approached the construction of multi-purpose combat aircraft, "the destroyer". After tests in the wind tunnel in Warsaw, has been offered command of the Air Force project, which was adopted on 28 March 1938, and received the official designation Zmaj R-1. His purpose was to combat aircraft, bombing and reconnaissance. Then the team of designers joining Eng. Djordje Ducić and a few young engineers who work on the design and manufacture of prototype completed by the beginning of a large aerospace workers strike that took place in April 1940. Final assembly took place at the military part of the airport in Zemun.

The first flight was on 24 April 1940, a test pilot was a reserve lieutenant Đura E. Đaković transport pilot Aeroput. The first flights justified all expectations in terms of aerodynamic characteristics and performance. Unfortunately on the third flight the pilot was unable to lower the landing gear and belly-landed, thereby damaging the propeller and engine. Propeller and landing gear were created by German and French production so that supply parts for the war in Europe went very slowly. The aircraft was rebuilt so that testing could be resumed at the end of March 1941. In early April, the bombing of the airport in Zemun a plane Zmaj R-1 was damaged in late June, the Germans were cut and thrown into the scrap metal.

This twin-engine middlewing aircraft had two engine Hispano Suiza 14AB of the 552 kW, mixed construction and well-armed, two 20mm cannon Oerlikon, and four machine guns 7.9 mm -caliber. The reconnaissance variant instead of guns had more tanks and three crew members. As bombardier could inside the fuselage to carry 1600 kg bombs.

Operational history
By using this operating aircraft did not happen, they know only plans, namely on the basis of the plan of arming Yugoslav Royal Air Force (YRAF) was provided to all aircraft for reconnaissance purchasing from domestic producers that role was supposed to belong to Zmaj R-1. Designed such that the plane was shown useful experience from World War II, where all the warring parties had such a plane (Messerschmitt Bf 110, de Havilland Mosquito, Potez 63, Tu-2 and the like) that belong to this class of aircraft.

Operators

 * Kingdom of Yugoslavia
 * Royal Yugoslav Air Force 1 aircraft