Anatra
Encyclopedia
Anatra was an aircraft manufacturer founded by Artur Antonovich Anatra at Odessa
, Ukraine
, then Russian Empire
in 1913
which manufactured several light aircraft designs from then to 1917
.
The factory had been a naval workshop which was engaged in building foreign designs. They had constructed approximately twenty examples from 1909 through 1912. Anatra continued to build foreign designs by Farman
, Morane
, Nieuport
, and Voisin
at increasing rates, ultimately building at a rate of as many as sixty per month by 1917. Later, the firm manufactured a few of its own designs for the Russian army during World War I
. Anatra was nationalised shortly after the Bolshevik revolution, and on 18 June 1918, the factory was destroyed by its former workers.
, Nieuport
, and Aeroplanes Voisin. The later became the most significant, with the Voisin Type L forming the basis for an extensively redesigned Anatra V.I.
design which flew in 1916. By this time, Anatra had already flown what would become the primary aircraft of its own design that would be produced by the company, the Anatra D
, commonly called the Anade or Dekan in service as a reconnaissance
aircraft with the Imperial Russian Air Force
. This aircraft would go on to be further developed into the Anatra DS Anasal
, another reconnaissance design destined for service in World War I
.
In addition to the steady output of reconnaissance aircraft for Russia produced by the factory during the war, Anatra attempted development of a fighter
design. One attempt, the Anatra Anadis
was based on the Anasal, redesigned as a wooden semi-monocoque construction and equipped with a Hispano-Suiza
engine. Ultimately, the single example was built as a two seater, reportedly so that some of the company's French personnel could escape the deteriorating political situation in Russia. The aircraft was first flown on 23 October 1916, and on a later planned flight to Western Europe, the aircraft was lost in a force landing in Romania
.
An earlier attempt at a fighter design proved even less successful. The Anatra Anamon was a single-seat monoplane with a parasol wing
and wooden monocoque
fuselage
. Armament was a single Vickers machine gun
with deflecting plates on the propellers instead of interrupter gear
. This aircraft was widely criticized, and shortly after its initial flight on 16 June 1916, the single prototype crashed, ending the program.
The only other significant design by Anatra was the Anatra DE
, a three-engine bomber design. The unique aircraft had two of the engines mounted in a pusher configuration
and carried four crew members. Two of the crew manned gun turret
s at the front of the engine nacelles. Bombload was planned to be 400 kg, but overall the aircraft was well overweight and ultimately the only prototype was damaged during its maiden flight
on 23 June 1916.
Vassili Nikolayevich Khioni, the company's lead designer, went on after the company's demise operating out of the factory and building several of his own designs. Many of these are often referred to as Anatra-VKh or Anatra-Khioni models.
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, then Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
in 1913
1913 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1913:-January:*13 January – Brazilian naval aviation commences with the foundation of a flying school.-February:...
which manufactured several light aircraft designs from then to 1917
1917 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1917:- Events :* During her 30 November 1916-24 February 1918 cruise, the Imperial German Navy commerce raider Wolf carries a Friedrichshafen FF.33e seaplane nicknamed Wölfchen , which during 1917 singlehandedly captures at least four of the 37 enemy...
.
The factory had been a naval workshop which was engaged in building foreign designs. They had constructed approximately twenty examples from 1909 through 1912. Anatra continued to build foreign designs by Farman
Farman
Farman Aviation Works was an aeronautic enterprise founded and run by the brothers; Richard, Henri, and Maurice Farman. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 1936; during the French nationalization and rationalization of its aerospace industry, Farman's assets were...
, Morane
Morane
Morane may refer to:* Morane, an uninhabited atoll in French Polynesia* Morane-Borel, a French aircraft manufacturer* Morane-Saulnier, a French aircraft manufacturer* Bob Morane, a fictitious character of novelist Henri Vernes...
, Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
, and Voisin
Voisin
- Companies :*Avions Voisin, the French automobile company*Voisin , the French aircraft manufacturer- People :*Catherine Monvoisin, known as "La Voisin" , French sorceress during the reign of Louis XIV...
at increasing rates, ultimately building at a rate of as many as sixty per month by 1917. Later, the firm manufactured a few of its own designs for the Russian army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Anatra was nationalised shortly after the Bolshevik revolution, and on 18 June 1918, the factory was destroyed by its former workers.
Aircraft
Foreign designs were the initial primary product of Anatra, with designs by the Farman Aviation Works, Morane-SaulnierMorane-Saulnier
Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier is a French aircraft manufacturing company formed in October 1911 by Raymond Saulnier and the Morane brothers, Leon and Robert...
, Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
, and Aeroplanes Voisin. The later became the most significant, with the Voisin Type L forming the basis for an extensively redesigned Anatra V.I.
Anatra V.I.
|-References:* * -See also:...
design which flew in 1916. By this time, Anatra had already flown what would become the primary aircraft of its own design that would be produced by the company, the Anatra D
Anatra D
|-References:* *...
, commonly called the Anade or Dekan in service as a reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
aircraft with the Imperial Russian Air Force
Imperial Russian Air Force
The Imperial Russian Air Force existed in the Russian Empire between 1910 and 1917....
. This aircraft would go on to be further developed into the Anatra DS Anasal
Anatra DS
|-References:* at site* * *Andrzej Kiński, Tomasz J. Kopański: Anatra Anasal in Lotnictwo Wojskowe 2/1999, ISSN 1505-1196, p. 56-60 -External links:...
, another reconnaissance design destined for service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In addition to the steady output of reconnaissance aircraft for Russia produced by the factory during the war, Anatra attempted development of a fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
design. One attempt, the Anatra Anadis
Anatra Anadis
-Bibliography:*Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon. "Anatra Andis" , The Complete Book of Fighters. Salamander Books, Spain....
was based on the Anasal, redesigned as a wooden semi-monocoque construction and equipped with a Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza was a Spanish automotive and engineering firm, best known for its luxury cars and aviation engines in the pre-World War II period of the twentieth century. In 1923, its French subsidiary became a semi-autonomous partnership with the parent company and is now part of the French SAFRAN...
engine. Ultimately, the single example was built as a two seater, reportedly so that some of the company's French personnel could escape the deteriorating political situation in Russia. The aircraft was first flown on 23 October 1916, and on a later planned flight to Western Europe, the aircraft was lost in a force landing in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
An earlier attempt at a fighter design proved even less successful. The Anatra Anamon was a single-seat monoplane with a parasol wing
Parasol wing
A parasol wing monoplane is an aircraft design in which the wing is not mounted directly to the fuselage, but rather, the fuselage is supported beneath it by a set of struts, called cabane struts...
and wooden monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
. Armament was a single Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
with deflecting plates on the propellers instead of interrupter gear
Interrupter gear
An interrupter gear is a device used on military aircraft and warships in order to allow them to target opponents without damaging themselves....
. This aircraft was widely criticized, and shortly after its initial flight on 16 June 1916, the single prototype crashed, ending the program.
The only other significant design by Anatra was the Anatra DE
Anatra DE
-References:* V.B. Shavrov, Histoire de la construction aéronautique en URSS....
, a three-engine bomber design. The unique aircraft had two of the engines mounted in a pusher configuration
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
and carried four crew members. Two of the crew manned gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
s at the front of the engine nacelles. Bombload was planned to be 400 kg, but overall the aircraft was well overweight and ultimately the only prototype was damaged during its maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
on 23 June 1916.
Vassili Nikolayevich Khioni, the company's lead designer, went on after the company's demise operating out of the factory and building several of his own designs. Many of these are often referred to as Anatra-VKh or Anatra-Khioni models.
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anatra D Anatra D |-References:* *... Anade |
19 December 1915 | 170 | Military reconnaissance |
| Anatra V.I. Anatra V.I. |-References:* * -See also:... |
1916 | 139 | Military reconnaissance |
| Anatra Anamon | 16 June 1916 | 1 | Fighter |
| Anatra DE Anatra DE -References:* V.B. Shavrov, Histoire de la construction aéronautique en URSS.... |
23 June 1916 | 1 | Bomber |
| Anatra DS Anatra DS |-References:* at site* * *Andrzej Kiński, Tomasz J. Kopański: Anatra Anasal in Lotnictwo Wojskowe 2/1999, ISSN 1505-1196, p. 56-60 -External links:... Anasal |
25 July 1916 | 70+ | Military reconnaissance |
| Anatra Anadis Anatra Anadis -Bibliography:*Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon. "Anatra Andis" , The Complete Book of Fighters. Salamander Books, Spain.... |
23 October 1916 | 1 | Fighter |