State Aircraft Factory (Bulgaria)

The State Aircraft Factory (Bulgarian: Държавна самолетна фабрика, ДСФ, Darzhavna Samoletna Fabrika, DSF), also referred to as Държавна Аеропланна Работилница (ДАР, Darzhavna Aeroplanna Rabotilnitsa, DAR) in its earlier years, was a Bulgarian aircraft manufacturer. Founded in 1925, it played a key role in the development of Bulgarian aviation during the interwar period and World War II.

The factory produced a variety of aircraft, initially under license from foreign manufacturers such as Albatros and Focke-Wulf. Over time, it developed its own designs, including trainers, fighters, and light bombers. Some notable designs include the DAR-3 Garvan, a light reconnaissance bomber, and the DAR-10 Bekas, a trainer aircraft. The factory was located in Lovech, Bulgaria.

Following World War II and the establishment of a communist regime in Bulgaria, the factory's operations were reorganized and nationalized. Its focus shifted to repairing and maintaining Soviet-made aircraft, and indigenous aircraft development was largely curtailed. The factory continued to operate under various names and structural changes within the Bulgarian aviation industry, but its significance as an independent aircraft manufacturer diminished. The historical significance of the State Aircraft Factory lies primarily in its contribution to the early development of Bulgarian aviation engineering and manufacturing capabilities.