THE PATRON - PROF. TZVETAN LAZAROV

    Tzvetan Lazarov was born on 25. February 1896 in Pleven, Bulgaria. While he is student, the world faces great technical improvement – the internal combustion engine and the radio set are invented, the first zeppelins and airplanes are constructed. These technical achievements lead to his future desire to explore new possibilities. He studies French and Russian – the most common technical languages at the time.
     At the age of 16 Tzvetan Lazarov starts the development of his glider. That is the year, when the Balkan war begins and this talented youngster goes at the front as a volunteer, serving as a mechanic for first airplane division in the town of Svilengrad. When the war ends, he returns at home and finishes his airplane. Lazarov completes his secondary education in 1915. The First World War begins. The young man again volunteers to defend his country.
      In the beginning of 1920 he is demobilized and goes to Germany, where he studies mechanical engineering at the Higher Technical School of Sherlottenburg.
      After graduating in 1926 he returns to Bulgaria and starts working as a constructor for the State’s airplane workshop in Bojurishte. There he participates in the development of several “DAR” airplanes.
      In 1933 he goes to work for the newly founded airplane factory in Kazanlak and becomes a chief constructor. In three years, he returns to Bojurishte again. There he invents “DAR 6” airplane, later labeled as the most successful airplane in the world.
     In 1941 he constructs his own model “LAZ-5” with speed much more exceeding the speed of the German “pikes”.
       In 1946 he constructs “LAZ-7” airplane and in 1949 the first passenger plane “LAZ-8”.
     In 1949 Lazarov becomes a professor and takes the lead of Aircraft Engineering Department in State’s Polytechnic School, later changed into Institute of Machinery and Electro-techniques “V. I. Lenin” – Sofia. In 1954 a decree is issued for liquidation of the mechanical engineering in Bulgaria.
      Therefore from the professor’s last constructions “LAZ-9”, “LAZ-10”, “LAZ 11” and “LAZ 12”, only “LAZ-12” (single-seated training airplane) is made in 1953.
      Under Professor Lazarov’s supervision many qualified specialist have been trained who later contributed to development of Bulgarian aviation.
       Professor colonel Engineer Tzvetan Lazarov dies on 13 January 1961.