(ver SNECMA)

ATAR means "Atelier Technique Aeronautique Rickenbach". Their typical products have been the ATAR turbojets. The study began in 1945 under the direction of Mr. Oestrich in Switzerland.

"Atar-101"

-The French government appealed it and in June 1946 they gave the project to the Snecma study workshop that performed the first engine in 1948.

-It was the first of the large Atar-101 family, and these engines were used by most French military aircraft of those days, like the Super Mystere, Mirage, etc.

-The Atar production was entirely conducted by Snecma.

-There were variants like A, B, C, D, E, F or G.

-At first, starting the engine was carried out with the same system that was used by the Germans, with a short-stroke piston engine with opposed cylinders running at high rate. At first, they used Riedel starter engines (see) and later a French equivalent.

"Atar-101 with Riedel type starter"

-There also was an Atar-101 with afterburner, like the one below.

"Atar-101 with afterburner"

-The range is completed with Atar-8 and Atar-9. From the 1950's, the production is fully done by Snecma, wherefore these engines are known under the name "Snecma-Atar9K" for example.

-In 1960, four Atar models were offered:

-The Atar-8 with 4,400 Kgf of thrust,
-The Atar-9B with 6,000 Kgf. of thrust,
-The "G" of the same power,
-The Atar "E" with 3,500 Kgf.

Below we can see them all together in a picture.

"Group of Atar engines"

-The Atar-8s were initially mounted in the Marcel Dassault Etendard IV-M fighters.

"Atar-8"

-Later Mirage models also used later Atar models. For example, the Mirage IIIE had the Atar-9C and K installed.

"Atar-9"

-These engines generally use afterburners for added combat power, as shown in the Atar-9A below.

"Atar-9A, with afterburner"

-Curiously, Atar engines were used in the experiments for vertical takeoff, known as "Atar-Volantes".

"Tests with two "Atar-Volants"

"Coleoptère with Atar"

-The Atar-Volant gave rise to a larger project, which was the vertical-takeoff aircraft "Coléoptère".