# Romanian Air Force



## gekho (Mar 29, 2011)

Romania has a old and proud aviation history, being one of the few countries in the world to imagine, build and fly various types of aircraft. This history of aviation in Romania began very early in 1529, with the work of Conrad Haas, an artillery engineer and chief of arsenal of the town of Sibiu. Haas, a complex personality of the Renaissance, is nevertheless the father of the multi-stage rocket. He wrote about the construction of multistage rockets and tested many models in flight. Apparently these are the earliest existent writings about the science of rocket engineering in Europe. 

After the pioneering work of Conrad Haas in the 16th Century, the next known written document that deals with rocket-building and fireworks has its origin between 1784 and 1801 in Moldavia, another Romanian Principality. The text is part of a larger document of a great Moldavian family, the Conachi. The writing probably belongs to Gavril Conachi (Great Minister of Internal Affairs in 1785), schooled in mathematics and technology, initiated into the knowledge of ballistics. The language used in this text has technical terms coming from different sources, which is common for that time. It has 22 sketches without dimensions and guide marks, and a table with eight variants of rockets, arranged according to the mass of the fuel. The manuscript offers necessary details for the construction and use of a part of the rocket components. The rockets were used for fireworks and for besieging fortified towns.

The tradition in fireworks and rocket-building has a continuation in the modern period of Romanian history by a number of printed books that deal with this specific field of aviation. One of them "Treatise on light pyrotechnics used in field warfare and sieges" was written by lieutenant Stergeanu, active in the Engineer Corps of the 2nd Regiment from Focsani. It was published in Bucharest at Modern printing house in 1892, and has 233 pages divided into 12 chapters, with 182 sketches which permit, in some cases, a better understanding of the text.

One of the first suggestions for equipping a dirigible with a jet engine dates back as far as 1886, when Romanian inventor Alexandru Ciurcu (1884-1922), together with Frenchman Just Buisson, suggested that an aerostat built and exhibited with an electric engine at the Paris Exhibition of Electricity in 1881 be provided instead with their jet cylinder. Ciurcu built and tested their original first jet engine on a small ship running on the Seine River in Paris in 1886 and on a rail car in 1888. In 1910 a small Flying Corps (Corpul Aerian Romana) was established by the Romanian Army. During the First World War the Flying Corps disintegrated as the country was overrun by Austro-German forces. 

On April 1st 1913, the Romanian Parliament voted the law of the military aviation, Romania being the fifth nation in the world to have an Air Force. The law on the organization of Military Aeronautics stipulated the independent existence of the aeronautics within the Engineers Command. Also Romania was one of the first nations in the world to use aircraft in the war, during the Balkans War in 1913. After Balkans war, on 10 August 1915 by the Higher Royal Decree No. 305, Corpul Aerian Roman - Romanian Flying Corps - was established, having 80 pilots and 25 air observers. It was directly subordinated to the Ministry of War and included all the operational aviation and aerostation structures. 

During the First World War the Flying Corps pilots and aircraft of the Romanian Air Corps fought with German Air Force winning many victories and performing air reconnaissance missions, but finally disintegrated as the country was overrun by Austro-German forces. After the Romanian government was re-established in 1918, it set about forming a new air arm, called the Divizia 1 Aeriana (1st Air Division), under a Directorate of Army Aviation. The new air arm expanded rapidly, and was able to rely increasingly on the domestic aircraft industry. Unfortunately, when World War Two arrived, most of this equipment was obsolete and, with Romania staying neutral, it became difficult to obtain new aircraft from abroad. In September 1940, a Luftwaffe advisory mission arrived to reorganize the air force, (by now called the Fortele Aeriene Regale Romane - Royal Romanian Air Force), and on 23 November 1940 Romania signed the Axis Tripartite Pact.

The number of German 'instructors' was progressively increased, as was the quantity of German aircraft supplied. When Germany attacked Russia on 22 June 1941, Romanian air elements supported the German attack on the Bessarabian front to liberate Eastern part of Romania, occupied in 1940 by Soviet troops. By the beginning of 1944, the Romanian squadrons operating in Russia had suffered huge losses, equivalent to almost half of the total front-line strength of the Romanian air force. The severely weakened force was withdrawn to help with countering growing Allied air attacks on the Ploiesti oil fields. The antifascist coup of 23 August 1944 took the Germans completely by surprise. Attempts were made to move German troops into Bucharest by air, but as the Romanians held all the serviceable airfields, the operation was cancelled. Romanian Air Force fought the rest of the war against Germany, being active in combats to liberate Romanian territory, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria, until the final victory on 8 May 1945. During WW II, Romanian pilots proved their abilities as fighter pilots, the most known aces being Constantin "Bâzu" Cantacuzino, Alexandru Serbanescu, Ion Dobran, Vasile "Chitu" Gavriliu, Ion Milu, among many others.

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## gekho (Mar 29, 2011)

Romania ordered 50 Bf 109E in December 1939, of which 11 aircraft were dlivered in 1940 and the remaining 39 a year later. They equipped the newly-formed Grupul 7 Vanatoare and took part in operation Barbarossa from the very first missions. Even the successful 1941 campaign was draining the group's resources at a troubling pace. The group had to be replenished by 15 second-hand German Bf 109E-7s in mid-1942. It was sent back to front again just in time to join the battle of Stalingrad. The unit was surrounded by the Soviet counteroffensive and had to make a dramatic escape from encirclement, losing 8 of its aircraft. The remnants were joined with the rests of other units to form a mixed group which remained on the front until February 1943. Then the unit returned home for replenishment and later converted to Bf 109Gs.

The Bf-109G entered FARR service in March 1943. This aircraft of Grupul 9 Vanatoare belonged to the then second-best Romanian fighter ace, prince Constantin Cantacuzino (Bazu). This Bf 109 was in action against Americans on August 18th, 1944, when the unit commander and the top ace of FARR Al Serbanescu was shot down and killed by Mustangs. The nose insignia is the Desloch-Serbanescu coat of arms. Only a week later, after 23 August 1944, the group was brought in to defend the capital against German air raids and scored a number of 'kills' against Luftwaffe bombers and transports. Later on, over the front in Transylvania, Romanian Bf 109Gs met German Gustavs in combat. The unit remained in front line service until the end of the war and even managed to score a kill against a Bf-109K, the last and best model of the Messerschmitt's fighter.

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## gekho (Mar 29, 2011)

In March 1939, Romania purchased 30 He 112Bs. The aircraft were assigned to Grupul 5, Escadrila 51 52. These units saw action from the first day of war, June 22nd, 1941. Flying the "black 4", slt.av. Teodor Moscu shot down 2 Polikarpov I-16s that day over Bulgarica. Actually, Moscu claimed three victories but the third one hadn't been confirmed.

The Heinkels were subsequently used mainly in a ground attack role and were quite successful, but due to the lack of armour protection the rate of attrition was high. In August 1941, Escadrila 52 transferred its remaining He-112Bs to the Escadrila 51 and received IAR-80As. The 51st was assigned temporarily to home defence, but in October it was sent back to front to take part in the siege of Odessa. After Odessa's capture on October 16th, the squadron remained there and flew tactical reconnaissance missions until July 1942, when it was brought back to Romania for aerial defense. In early 1943, the Escadrila 51 finally converted to Bf 110s and the remaining Heinkels were relegated to advanced trainer role.

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## gekho (Mar 29, 2011)

Romania showed interest in the new design. Even before the P.11a, 50 aircraft designated P.11b were produced for the Romanian Air Force and delivered in 1932[2]. They were fitted with Gnome-Rhone 9Krsd Mistral 595 hp (444 kW) engines, otherwise they were similar to the P.11a. After the P.11c had been developed, the Romanians decided to buy a licence and produce the new model at the IAR factory. As a result, from 1936 IAR built 70 aircraft as the IAR P.11f with the slightly updated 9Krse of 610 hp (450 kW). The Romanians then produced another Polish fighter, the PZL P.24, developed from the P.11 exclusively for export.


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## Gnomey (Mar 29, 2011)

Nice shots!


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## gekho (Mar 30, 2011)

In response to Romanian requests for a more useful torpedo-carrying bomber, the Germans delivered twelve Heinkel He 111H-6 bombers in the first months of 1942, these entering service as the Escadrila 78 Bombardament Maritim. Again, it's unclear whether this squadron ever flew any operational torpedo missions, only that they were equipped to do so, though as the war progressed the number of potential targets tended to grow more elusive, with Soviet warships virtually abandoning the western Black Sea by the fall of 1943, by which time demands from the front in southern Russia saw the Heinkels of Escadrila 78 Bombardament Maritim being deployed inland (the formation would see much action in Bessarabia and Moldavia in the spring and summer of 1944, and later fly missions in Transylvania against Hungarian and German targets).

The He111H-6's were relegated to conventional bombing duties as of the spring of 1944, though presumably they could have been sent on a torpedo mission at that time. Sources indicate that of the nearly sixty assorted Heinkel He 111 bombers supplied to Romania during the war (thirty-odd He 111H-3's, a dozen He 111H-6 torpedo carriers and the rest an assortment of He 111E's and other older models for training duties), less than a dozen were still airworthy by the spring of 1945. Several Heinkel's were retained although converted as transports by May 1946 but even these had been withdrawn from service before 1950.


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## gekho (Mar 30, 2011)

Late 1940 through 1943 the Royal Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Regale ale Romaniei – FARR) received 155 Ju-87s of variants -1, -2, -3 and -5s to replace the obsolete French and British aircraft they had been using. The aircraft were given to the 3rd Dive Bomber Group and also later the 6th Dive Bomber Group operated within the 3rd Bomber Flotilla. Their main task was to provide air support for the ground troops which they did and received much praise from the troops and the Fliegerkorps. In June 1944 the group were flying missions in support of the Axis troops fighting on the River Mius. Then in July the 3rd Dive Bomber Group was moved to the Kerch peninsula to provide air support for troops at the Kuban bridgehead. The Stukas were tasked with many types of missions and within 2 to 3 months had suffered damage to 31 of the 45 aircraft they received. On August 20, 1944 Soviet forces began an offensive at Yassy (Jassy – Jassi – Iassy) and Tiraspol in eastern Romania. The attacks by the 3rd and 6th Romanian Dive Bomber Group managed to destroy or damage a lot of Soviet equipment but were unable to stop their progress. On August 23, 1944 realizing that they were supporting the losing side Romanian King Michael announced that his country had reached an armistice with the Allies and they were about to switch sides. They now helped the Soviets liberate parts of Romania that were under German control. By late 1944 the Romanian Air Force once again found themselves with limited numbers of aircraft and a scarcity of spare parts so their effectiveness basically came to an end at this time.


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## muggs (Mar 30, 2011)

Thanks for the thread !


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## gekho (Mar 30, 2011)

Seven Savoia-MarchettiS.55 Italian flying boats were purchased by Romania in the 1930's. Axworthy (see sources) indicates six were ordered and received in early 1931 and the seventh in the summer of 1936, while Bernad and Roba report their acquisition as being in 1933. Be that as it may, seven were in service as of September 1939, originally formed into the "Escadrila S.55" but later designated as the 102nd Hydro Reconnaissance and Bomber Squadron [or Escadrila 102 Hidro-informatie si Bombardament, if you will] which in the summer of 1941 participated in the attack on Russia under the command of Capitan Aviatori Constantin Afenduli.

It's unclear whether the S.55's ever flew any torpedo missions during the war, as by 1941 their aging condition had severely restricted their operational capacity -- as a rule their mechanical unreliability limited their patrols to no more than twenty-odd miles from the coast. In fact, the few instances I've found of their combat missions for this period show them carrying 50-kilo depth charge bombs for antisubmarine duty; when later in the year Soviet warships *did* bombard Constanta, which certainly would have been within the S.55's modest patrol zone, there's no evidence of the S.55's making any torpedo attacks.

By August of 1941 several of the S.55 flying boats had been grounded for essentially irrevocable repairs, and by March of 1942 only three machines were still in service, dropping to zero as of January 1943 (some sources suggest that one machine may have remained airworthy into 1944, but if so it would have been limited to homeland training duties or the like as none were listed with any regular service units after the end of 1942).


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## Wayne Little (Mar 30, 2011)

Interesting ....more 109's please....


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## muggs (Mar 30, 2011)

Happy to oblige  No more color ones though ! ( ok maybe 1 )


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## Bernhart (Mar 30, 2011)

any ideas on the colours of 4 and 5?


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## muggs (Mar 30, 2011)

Here you go


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## Gnomey (Mar 30, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## vikingBerserker (Mar 30, 2011)

What a cool topic, Thanks for posting it!


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## muggs (Mar 31, 2011)

*Junkers Ju-87 Stuka*

A couple more pics


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## gekho (Mar 31, 2011)

In May 1939 the Aeronautica Regalã Românã (A.R.R. or Royal Romanian Aeronautics), the official name of the Roumanian Air Force, ordered 12 fully equipped Cant Z.501s and six spare engines in Italy. All these aircraft were delivered in 1940 but unfortunately nr. 5 was lost on the 11th of May during its delivery flight and nr. 6 crashed only six days later. In January 1941 the remaining 10 Cants were operated by the newly formed Flotila de Hidroaviatie for combined air operations along the Black Sea Coastline. This unit consisted of Escadrila 101 (Cant Z.501s), Escadrila 102 (Savoia Marchetti S.55s and S.62s) and Escadrila 53 (Hawker Hurricane Mk. I fighters). 

On the 26th of July 1941 a Romanian Cant Z.501 managed to shoot down one out of two MBR-2s some 200 kilometers east of Constanta. Both flying boat Escadrile carried out 586 sorties during 1941 and a further 905 during 1942 for the loss of four Z.501s in 1941 (one shot down in coFrom that moment on, Heinkel He 114s began to replace the old Italian flying boats in the A.R.R. This process was completed at the end of 1943 and the remaining four Z.501s were withdrawn from service. 
mbat and the others were lost due to accidents) and two more in 1942.


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## gekho (Mar 31, 2011)

Out of the 50 ordered Hurricanes, Romania eventually only received twelve. This aircraft, "red 3" belonged to Escadrila 53, which in 1941 was included in the Dobruja air command. Its main mission was to defend the Constanta harbour and Cernavoda railway bridge. It also carried out bomber escort missions. Romania's top-scoring fighter ace, lt.av. Horia Agarici shot down 3 (2 confirmed) Soviet DB-3 bombers over Constanta flying this aircraft on June 25th, 1941. The lack of spare parts quickly became a major problem for the Romanian Hurricanes and after more IAR-80s became available in late 1942 and early 1943 they were taken out of active duty.


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## gekho (Mar 31, 2011)

Designed by Breguet's chief engineer, Marcel Vuillerme, as a successor to the Breguet 14, the Breguet 19 was intended either as a two-seat day bomber (B.2 category) or as a reconnaissance aircraft (A.2 category). The Bre.19.01 prototype was exhibited at the Paris Salon de l'Aeronautique in November 1921, with an experimental Breguet-Bugatti 16-cylinder powerplant installed, comprising two eight-cylinder Bugatti engines coupled to drive a single propeller. Re-engined soon afterwards with a more conventional 450 hp (336 kW) Renault 12Kb, it made its maiden flight in March 1922. Eleven evaluation aircraft followed, and during an extensive test programme these were fitted with a variety of engines. Quantity production started in 1923, and by 1927 some 2,000 Breguet 19s (divided almost equally between reconnaissance and bomber versions) had been delivered to the French Aviation Militaire.

The Breguet 19 had a circular-section fuselage built up on a duralumin tube framework, covered as far as the rear cockpit with duralumin sheet and aft of this with fabric. The unequal-span fabric-covered wings were two-spar structures with spars and ribs of duralumin. The tail unit, which had horn-balanced elevators, had duralumin frames with fabric covering. The landing gear of production aircraft was of simple cross-axle type, the single tapered strut on each side having cable cross-bracing. First version to go into French service was the Bre.19 A.2 reconnaissance variant, which equipped the 32e, 33e, 34e and 35e Régiments d'Aviation from the autumn of 1924 onwards. The Bre.19 B.2 bomber version first went into service in June 1926 with the 11e Régiment d'Aviation de Bombardement.

Royal Romanian Air Force bought 50 Breguet 19 A2s and B2s in 1927, then 108 Br.19 B2s, and five Br.19.7's in 1930. They were in service until 1938.


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## Wayne Little (Mar 31, 2011)

Nice


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## muggs (Apr 1, 2011)

Enjoy ! ( Quality is slightly better if you select 480p )


_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMIhjV2ooQY_


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## gekho (Apr 1, 2011)

In 1923, the Avions Henry Potez aircraft works started production of a successful Potez 15 reconnaissance biplane. Basing on experience gathered during the construction of that plane, Henry Potez started working on a new design of a heavier and faster multi-purpose plane. Designated Potez XXV or Potez 25, the prototype was built already in 1924. The main differences included a larger, more powerful engine and a new wing design. Instead of a classic biplane, Potez introduced a sesquiplane, with the lower wing significantly smaller. It was built in two main military variants: Potez 25A2 reconnaissance plane and Potez 25B2 bomber-reconnaissance plane.

In May 1925, the prototype was tested at the Service Technique d'Aeronautique Institute and was found a promising construction both for its manoeuvrability, speed and durability. Following the tests, the prototype entered serial production. To promote the new plane abroad, in a post-World War I markets filled with hundreds of cheap demobilized planes, the Potez 25 was entered into a large number of races. Among the best-known achievements was a European rally (7,400 km/4,598 mi) and a Mediterranean rally (6,500 km/4,039 mi), both won by pilots flying the Potez. In 1920s, the Potez 25 was also used in a well-advertised Paris-Tehran rally (13,080 km/8,127 mi). In June 1930, Henri Guillaumet crashed with his Potez 25 in the Andes during an air mail flight. He survived an incredible march through the mountains and was found after one week of searching.

Such achievements added to plane's popularity and made it one of the most successful French planes of the epoch. It was bought by a number of air forces, including those of France, Switzerland, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Greece, Spain, Japan, Yugoslavia, Poland and Portugal, as well as Romania, Turkey and the USSR. Altogether, roughly 2,500 planes were built in France. Already in 1925, Poland bought a license for Potez 25 and started to manufacture them in Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów (PWS, 150 built) and Plage i Laśkiewicz aircraft works (150 built). In 1928 the first Polish-built Potez 25 were tested by the Technical Aviation Development Institute in Warsaw and the design was slightly modified to better fit the needs of the Polish air forces. Among the notable differences were the introduction of leading edge slots. The production in Poland ceased in 1932. Altogether, 300 planes were built in a number of versions for long- and short-range reconnaissance and daylight tactical bombing. As the original Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb engine was unavailable in Poland, it was replaced in 47 aircraft with a more powerful PZL Bristol Jupiter VIIF radial engine, starting from 1936. Several other countries manufactured Potez 25s under licence.


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## gekho (Apr 1, 2011)

The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early operational roles, but became one of the most versatile combat aircraft of the war. Affectionately known as "The Maid of all Work" (a feminine version of "jack of all trades"), the Ju 88 proved to be suited to almost any role. Like a number of other Luftwaffe bombers, it was used successfully as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, heavy fighter, and even as a flying bomb during the closing stages of conflict.

Despite its protracted development, the aircraft became one of the Luftwaffe's most important assets. The assembly line ran constantly from 1936 to 1945, and more than 16,000 Ju 88s were built in dozens of variants,[2] more than any other twin-engine German aircraft of the period. Throughout the production, the basic structure of the aircraft remained unchanged, proof of the outstanding quality of the original design.


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## gekho (Apr 1, 2011)

The PZL.23 Kara was a Polish light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, designed in the mid-1930s by PZL in Warsaw. It was the main light bomber in the Invasion of Poland. In 1939, the plane was not a modern one. Its main fault was low speed, its manoeuvreability was not high as well. At the outbreak of the World War II, on September 1, 1939, Poland had 118 PZL.23B in combat units (further 50 PZL.23B and 35 PZL.23A were in air schools or under repairs). PZL.23B were used in 5 bomber squadrons of the Bomber Brigade and 7 Army reconnaissance squadrons, each with 10 aircraft (other squadrons of the Bomber Brigade were equipped with PZL.37 Los). They actively took part in the Invasion of Poland. Some planes were also used in a wartime improvised units.

On September 2, 1939, one PZL.23B of the 21st escadre bombed a factory in Olawa as the first bomb attack on the German territory. The bomber squadrons attacked German armoured columns, while the main mission of Army squadrons was reconnaissance. All PZL.23 suffered high losses due to low speed, lack of armour and fighter protection. Many were shot down by the German fighter planes, but they also shot down a few in return. Some 20 aircraft crashed on rough field airfields. The five squadrons of the Bomber Brigade delivered about 52-60 tons of bombs during the campaign, the Army squadrons added about a dozen tons of bombs as well. About 90% of PZL.23 were destroyed in 1939. In addition two PZL.43A from the Bulgarian order were impressed into Polish service in the 41st Squadron. 11 PZL.23B and about 20 PZL.23A were withdrawn in 1939 to Romania and then used by the Romanian air force against the USSR. 50 PZL.43 and PZL.43A (2 were delivered by the Germans) were used in Bulgaria for training until 1946, with a name "Chaika". No PZL.23's were left in Poland after the war.


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## Wayne Little (Apr 1, 2011)

great little video muggs, thanks for that. Do you happen to know who's aircraft White 1 belong to?


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## imalko (Apr 1, 2011)

A few more pictures that haven't been posted here yet...


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## Wayne Little (Apr 1, 2011)

Good one's Igor..!


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## muggs (Apr 1, 2011)

Thanks imalko for your contribution.

Wayne that would be Lucian Toma's Me 109 of the 53rd Fighter Squadron ( 4 victories ) If you liked the Mickey Emblem, the entire 53rd Squadron had it on the cowling  

It was inherited from "back in the day" when the squadron was equipped with Hurricane Mk I's.


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## Gnomey (Apr 2, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## Wayne Little (Apr 3, 2011)

Thanks muggs, pic I have shows White 1 with 7 victories on the white rudder.


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## gekho (Apr 4, 2011)

The Morane-Saulnier AR was a military trainer aircraft produced in France during and after the First World War. Developed from the Morane-Saulnier LA fighter, it was a wire-braced parasol-wing monoplane of conventional design with two open cockpits in tandem and cross-axle-style tailskid undercarriage. Construction was mostly of fabric-covered wood, but the forward fuselage was skinned in metal.

Large-scale production commenced after the Armistice, with the type now designated MS.35, in a number of subtypes differentiated principally in the engine used. Although Morane-Saulnier hoped to sell the type on the civil market as a touring machine, most of the 400 examples built saw service with the French Army, but others were used by the Navy and still others exported to foreign air arms. The MS.35s remained in service in France until 1929, after which time some were sold to the nation's flying clubs.


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## gekho (Apr 4, 2011)

The Fleet Model 1 (originally the Consolidated Model 14 Husky Junior) and its derivatives were a family of two-seat trainer and sports plane produced in the United States and Canada in the 1920s and 30s. They all shared the same basic design and varied mainly in their powerplants. They were all orthodox biplanes with staggered, single-bay wings of equal span and fixed tailskid undercarriage. Accommodation was provided for two in tandem, originally sharing a single open cockpit, but in most examples in separate open cockpits. The fuselage was made of welded steel tube and the wings had a wooden spar with duralumin ribs, the entire aircraft being fabric-covered. Despite a superficial resemblance to Consolidated's highly successful Trusty and Husky designs (hence the "Husky Junior" nickname), the Model 14 was an all-new design.

Originally created as a means for Consolidated to enter the civil market, the company abandoned this ambition shortly before the completion of the first prototype. The manufacturing rights were purchased by designer and Consolidated company president Reuben Fleet to put into production himself under a new enterprise, Fleet Aircraft. It was an immediate success, and in the first year of production alone, over 300 machines were sold. Consolidated quickly responded by buying Fleet Aircraft and retaining it as a subsidiary while opening a second production line at Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. Canadian manufacturing was a great success, with some 600 examples built for the Royal Canadian Air Force as the Fleet Fawn (Model 7) and Fleet Finch (Model 16).

A small number of US-built machines were purchased by the US military, including a batch evaluated by the United States Army Air Corps as the PT-16 but not bought in quantity, and six specialised N2Y trainers for the United States Navy equipped with hooks to catch the trapeze on aircraft-carrying airships and train F9C Sparrowhawk pilots. US manufacturing rights were eventually sold to Brewster, which intended to produce the Brewster B-1 based on the Canadian Model 16F. The Model 10 was a refined version of Model 7 for export to Europe


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## gekho (Apr 4, 2011)

Henschel was one of four companies (the others being Focke-Wulf, Gotha and Hamburger Flugzeugbau) to which, in April 1937, the Technische Amt of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) issued a specification for a twin-engine ground-attack aircraft. It was required to carry at least two 20 mm MG FP cannon and to have extensive armour plating protection for crew and engines. The two designs for which development contracts were awarded on 1 October 1937 were the Focke-Wulf Fw 189C and Henschel Hs 129. The latter was another Friedrich Nicolaus design with a light alloy stressed-skin fuselage of triangular section. It contained a small cockpit with a restricted view, necessitating the removal of some instruments to the inboard sides of the engine cowlings. The windscreen was made of 75 mm (2.95 in) armoured glass and the nose section was manufactured from armour plating. Nose armament comprised two 20 mm MG FF cannon and two 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 17 machine guns. The prototype flew in the spring of 1939, powered by two 465 hp (347 kW) Argus As 410A-1 engines, and two further prototypes were flown competitively against the modified Fw 189 development aircraft for the Fw 189C.

The Hs 129B equipped three Staffeln of the 8th Assault Wing of the Royal Romanian Air Corps. On 23 August 1944 there was a coup in Romania, as a result of which the country changed from being an ally of Germany to becoming an enemy. These Hs 129Bs, accordingly were used against the German armies, finally being combined into a unit equipped with the Ju 87D Stuka.


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## gekho (Apr 4, 2011)

The I.A.R. 80 was Romania's best indigenously produced fighter of World War Two. First test flown in late 1938 or early 1939 by pilot Dimitru "Pufi" Popescu, it entered service in 1942 and remained in front-line use until 1944. The manufacturer was Industria Aeronautica Romana {I.A.R.}, based in Brasov in central Romania. Formed in 1925 under state control, the firm drew upon the experience of licence-building many aircraft and engines including the Potez 25, Moraine-Saulnier 35, Fleet 10-G, and a pair of Polish PZL fighters, the PZL P.11 and P.24. The I.A.R. 80 shared the PZL P.24e's tail, rear fuselage and engine design, the rest was all-new. Work began on the I.A.R. 80 in late 1937, the open cockpit prototype was fitted with the 940 hp. I.A.R. K14-III C36 engine which was similar to the Gnome-Rhone 14K Mistral Major. After the initial flight trials the more powerful I.A.R. K14-1000a powerplant was installed and the wing span, area and length were slightly increased.

The I.A.R. 80's flying characteristics were reported to be excellent, highly maneuverable with heavy firepower. A pressurized cockpit was provided and there were several variants, the I.A.R. 81 was a dive-bomber and long-range fighter. Production ceased in January 1943. The I.A.R. factory in Brasov was heavily damaged by Allied bombers in April-May 1944. In 1950 the Aircraft Repairing Shops {ARMV} in Bucharest remanufactured a number of I.A.R. 80's into a two-seat trainer version, the I.A.R. 80 D.C., in the Pipera Industrial Complex. The trainer retained the original's excellent aerodynamic qualities.

The fighter was deployed on home defence in the Bucharest and Ploesti areas as well as in the attack role on the Eastern front during 1942-3. It was sometimes mistaken by Allied pilots for the Focke-Wulf Fw-190. A number of I.A.R. 80's were scrambled against the well-publicized USAAF mission to bomb the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania on 1 August 1943. The B-24s of Ninth Bomber Command took very heavy losses from flak, fighters {Bf-109s and I.A.R. 80s} and navigational errors. The Ploesti raids of July 9 and 15, 1944 were met by about 25 I.A.R.80 sorties. After World War Two, the Russians shipped home the entire I.A.R. factory and all aircraft from Brasov, as "war reparations".


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## gekho (Apr 4, 2011)

When Operation Barbarossa started, the IAR 80 equipped Esc. 41, 59 and 60 of Grupul 8 Vanatoare, part of the Grupul Aerien de Lupta (GAL), that were tasked to support the Romanian 3rd and 4th Armies deployed at the southern flank of the Eastern Front. Grupul 8 was the only unit assigned a pure fighter role, while Grupul 5 and 'Grupul 7, equipped with German superior aircraft (Heinkel He 112s and Messerschmitt Bf 109s) were employed primarily as fighter-bombers and bomber escorts.

On 22 June 1941, during the first day of the offensive, the IAR 80 patrols had their baptism of fire, achieving a single aerial victory (claimed by Sublocotenent aviator Ioan Miháilescu of Esc 60 van, a future ace) during four separate air combats. However, at least four IARs force landed with battle damage, while another two suffered engine trouble. By the end of 1941, 20 IAR 80/81s had been lost in combat in accidents. During 1942 the Romanian aviation industry reached its highest output so that the Royal Romanian Air Force could be re-equipped as follows: Esc. 47, 48 and 52 (Grupul Vanatoare), Esc. 43, 44 and 50 (Grupul 3 Vanatorae) and Esc. 41, 42 and 60 (Grupul 8 Vanatoare) received the new IAR 80A. Esc. 53 also replaced its Hurricanes with the IAR 80A, while Grupul 6 Bopi re-equipped with the IAR 81.

In June 1942, the operational IAR fighter forces on the Eastern front, combined into the Flotilla 2 Vanatoare consisted of Grupul 8 Vanatoare, commanded by Cdr. Lt Col E. Pirvulescu, and included Escadrila 41, Escadrila 42 and Escadrila 60 with 12 IAR 80As each. Grupul 8 moved at the end of September, to Karpovka, joining Grupul 7, equipped with Bf 109s. On 12 and 13 December, Grupul 6 used its IAR 81s to support the German counterattack by the Panzergruppe Hoth of the Heeresgruppe Don, from Kotelnikovo towards Stalingrad. In the summer of 1943 the FARR's IAR-80s were transferred to Romania for air defense duties,where they were used in combat against the USAAF. USAAF attacks were directed at the oil refinery installation at Ploieşti, in particular. On 1 August 1943 the IAR 80 faced for the first time the B-24 Liberator. They were 178 B-24 from 9th USAAF, part of the Operation Tidal Wave. The IAR 80Bs of Escadrila 61 and 62 of Grupul 6 vânátoare, as well as IAR 80Cs from the newly formed Escadrila 45 of Grupul 4 vânátoare, together with the Bf 109Gs from Esc. 53 and Bf 110s from the Romanian night fighter squadron, dived on the low-flying, four engined bombers, belonging to five USAAF bomber groups (the 44th, 93rd, 98th, 376th and 389th). The Americans lost – in combat or on the way back – 51 bombers. Only 89 reached their bases, of which only 31 were serviceable for a mission the next day. The Romanians pilots claimed 25 certain and probable victories for just two losses, one IAR 80 B and one Bf 110C. According to Romanian statistics, IARs and Messerschmitts were confirmed as having shot down ten B-24s, with two probables.


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## gekho (Apr 4, 2011)

The American account of this battle conflicts significantly with the Romanian one. Fighter pilot Herbert "Stub" Hatch, who took part in the dogfight, wrote that his flight of 16 P-38s, the 71st Fighter Squadron, was challenged by a large formation of Romanian IAR 81C fighters that he misidentified as Focke-Wulf Fw 190s.[According to Hatch, the fight took place at and below 300 feet (100 m) in a narrow valley. Hatch saw two IAR 81Cs hit the ground after taking fire from his guns, and his fellow pilots confirmed three more kills from his guns, making Hatch an ace in a day. However, the outnumbered 71st Fighter Squadron took more damage than it dished out, losing nine aircraft. The Americans never again repeated the P-38 dive-bombing mission profile over Romania. But during 1944 USAAF aircraft appeared over Romania in more significant numbers. Many air combats occurred and by the time of their last encounter with the USAAF on 3 July 1944, pilots of Grupul 6 vanatoare had submitted 87 confirmed (and ten not confirmed) claims. But casualties among the Romanian fighter pilots quickly mounted too. The three IAR 80/81 groups (the 1st, 2nd and 6th) in a period of less than four months – known as the "American Campaign" – had at least 32 IAR pilots killed in action, including 11 aces. These losses exceeded the number of casualties suffered in the previous two and a half years of fighting against the Soviets. Because of these heavy losses, all IAR 80/81 units were withdrown from combat against Americans in July 1944 and IAR pilots started to convert to the more modern Bf 109G-6s.


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## muggs (Apr 4, 2011)

IAR 80 vid


_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JejJAuw89fM_


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## Wayne Little (Apr 4, 2011)

Excellent series of pics...


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## Bernhart (Apr 5, 2011)

interesting placement on the ariel


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## gekho (Apr 5, 2011)

The I.A.R.37 prototype was built to the design of engineers Grossu-Vizuru and Carp. Flown for the first time in 1937 by company pilot Max Manolescu, it was intended to meet an official requirement for a tactical bombing and reconnaissance aircraft. An unequal-span biplane, the I.A.R.37 had fixed main landing gear and was powered by an I.A.R. K.14 radial engine. Its three-man crew was accommodated beneath a continuous glazed canopy, the observer seated between pilot and gunner and provided with full dual controls, a Romanian-designed Estopey bomb-sight, radio and a camera. Defensive armament comprised four machine-guns and the offensive load 12 50kg bombs or six 100kg bombs on underwing racks. 

The I.A.R.37 entered production.in late 1938 and was built in small numbers before being succeeded in 1939 by the interim I.A.R.38, which differed mainly in its powerplant, and was soon displaced on the production line by the I.A.R.39. Of the total production of 325 I.A.R.37, 38 and 39 aircraft, over 200 were I.A.R.39s, 96 built under sub-contract by the S.E.T. company and over 100 by I.A.R. 

By the end of 1940 the I.A.R. biplanes were in large-scale service with Fortelor Aeriene Regal ale Romania (Royal Romanian Air Force) or FARR. They equipped a number of squadrons attached to the various army corps and by June 1941, when Romania supported the German offensive against the Soviet Union, the three reconnaissance flotile of the FARR had 18 eskadrile, 15 of which were equipped with I.A.R. biplanes. In July 1942 the air expeditionary force in the Soviet Union had been re-formed as Corpul I Aerian and had several groups equipped with the I.A.R.39. Eleven reconnaissance eskadrile were operating with the army co-operation flotile during the 1944 offensive in the Ukraine, most of them with I.A.R.39s on strength. Post-war the new Communist republic was declared at the end of 1947, and the reorganised air arm, known as the FR-RPR (Fortele Aeriene ale Republicii Populare Romania) had a small number of I.A.R.39s for training and liaison duties for several years. In 1940 three I.A.R.47 prototypes were under construction; intended to replace the I.A.R.39 in production, only one was completed and flight tested.


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## gekho (Apr 5, 2011)

This is all by the moment. I will post more pictures if I get more in a future.
I also would like to thank Muggs, who helped me with some great pictures and videos.


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## Gnomey (Apr 5, 2011)

Nice shots!


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## muggs (Apr 6, 2011)

If anyone is interested in a particular plane please let me know and if i have pics i'll post them, in the meantime i'll upload pics of planes who didn't appear in the topic yet.


*Bf 108*










*Bf 110*









*Blenheim Mk I*


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## Wayne Little (Apr 6, 2011)

Excellent stuff.....more 109's please!


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## muggs (Apr 7, 2011)

Unfortunately the one thing that characterizes in a bad way the ARR history is the lack of pictures ( mostly "disappeared" during the following communist era ) and the quality of most of those that are circulating now which is average at best.

More 109's !


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## Wayne Little (Apr 8, 2011)

Thanks mate!


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## Gnomey (Apr 8, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## Wayne Little (Apr 9, 2011)

ready for more....hopefully!?


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## muggs (Apr 11, 2011)

*Do 17*










*Fw 58*










*Fiesler Storch 156 *










*Hawker Hurricane MK I*














Enjoy !


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## Wayne Little (Apr 11, 2011)

Cool stuff, thanks for sharing them.....love the Hurricane pics...


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## Gnomey (Apr 11, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## bogol (Apr 15, 2011)

Found those forums looking for pics of romanian aircraft during ww2. Best collection i have found, by far! Those pics in Rumanian Airforce-Prime decade or Rumanian Aces of WWII pale in comparison to those! Thanks for posting


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 16, 2011)

Great pics!


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## muggs (Apr 19, 2011)

Glad you like them guys, and indeed this thread is probably the only place right now where one could see most of the aircrafts in one place. On with the updates !

*HE 111*













*HE 112*













*HS 129*


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## Wayne Little (Apr 19, 2011)

Sweet!


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## Gnomey (Apr 19, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 20, 2011)

Did not know they use the Hs 129,


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## muggs (Apr 20, 2011)

Yes, it was the only country besides Germany which used Hs 129's as far as i know.


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## muggs (May 17, 2011)

I will upload other pics these days, until then another video :


_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpyyCB56Qmc_


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## muggs (May 18, 2011)

*JU 88*

Not many clear pics of this one around...














*Savoia Marchetti 79*














*PZL P 37*


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## Gnomey (May 18, 2011)

Nice shots Muggs!


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## vikingBerserker (May 18, 2011)

Very cool!


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## muggs (Jun 9, 2011)

Glad you like them guys, here's another 2 color pics i really like.


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## Gnomey (Jun 9, 2011)

Cool shots 8)


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## vikingBerserker (Jun 11, 2011)

I agree


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## Wizzo (Jun 13, 2011)

Would anyone have a photo of Yellow 1, Ju 88 D-1. This is the one that was flown to Cyprus and is now in the USAF Museum?
Thanks.

Wizzo


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## muggs (Jun 14, 2011)

AFAIK there is no known photo from romanian sources at least, probably the only way such photo would surface is if photos from Cyprus would appear, i think it was repainted as soon as it arrived in US


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## Wizzo (Jun 14, 2011)

Thanks, the only thing from Cyprus is one that shows it with Brit markings although the number 1 can still be seen. The Americans added U.S. flags, etc., while still in Egypt, for the flight back to the States. At the USAF Museum, it is not incorrectly marked with the number 105 among other errors although I understand that it will be changed.


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## Wizzo (Jun 16, 2011)

Does anyone know if the pilot is still alive? Did he return to Romanian after the war or stay in the west?

Chuck


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## Wizzo (Jun 17, 2011)

The D-1 on the way to the States, This is from the 57th Fighter Group website.


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## Wayne Little (Jun 18, 2011)

cool!


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## muggs (Jul 19, 2011)

And back again with a couple of updates !

HE 111













HE 112


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## Wayne Little (Jul 19, 2011)

Another '13' for Jan! He will be happy...


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## parsifal (Jul 19, 2011)

any pics of the Po 633s operated by FARR


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## muggs (Jul 19, 2011)

They're pretty rare, and the quality is low-ish aswell



> Twenty Potez 633B2s were received in 1939 and were immediately impressed into service in the 2nd Bomber Group. At the beginning of the Operation Barbarossa, the group had 17 aircraft. Three were lost in the first day only. In July, after one month of operations the 75th Squadron transferred all its surviving Potez bombers to the 74th Squadron, which also had taken a lot of damage, and was reequipped with JRS-79Bs.
> 
> The 74th Bomber Squadron participated in the battle of Odessa and flew more missions than any other unit of the 2nd Bomber Flotilla. At the end of the 1941 campaign, there it had 5 available and 1 unavailable Potez 633B2. Seven aircraft of these type were lost and the rest were under repairs.
> 
> ...



Text : worldwar2.ro

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## muggs (Jul 21, 2011)

A nice 360 view of the aviation museum in Bucharest, unfortunately one of the WW2 sections cannot be seen

First click once on the instructions in the middle to make them disappear, then if you click on the green dots 3 5 you can pan around the IAR 80 replica 

Muzeul Aviatiei - tur virtual


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## Gnomey (Jul 21, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## Wayne Little (Jul 22, 2011)




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## Jan den Das (Aug 10, 2011)

Very interresting materials.
Is there any one who has information/drawings/colors/construction details/drawings etc. of the aeroplanes of the former S.E.T. factory?
Thanks
Jjr


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## muggs (Aug 10, 2011)

I doubt that you will anything centralized online with these resources, if you want something specific best bet would be to ask here : WorldWar2.ro Forum -> ARR - Romanian Royal Aeronautics

There are already some threads discussing various SET planes there, for instance : WorldWar2.ro Forum -> S.E.T. 7


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## muggs (Sep 26, 2011)

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6kCsCuu1tc_

Better quality vid under description in yt


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## Pompiliu92 (Jan 7, 2012)

Un video extraordinar, felicitari.


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## Wurger (Jan 7, 2012)

Welcome mate,

This is an international forum and the English is the basic language here. I would suggest using that for better communication and understanding. 
If you would like to talk to your fellow countrymen using your national language please go to the section titled the Multilingual Corner.

The link below....

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/multilingual-corner/


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## Pompiliu92 (Jan 7, 2012)

Ups , please excuse me I was taken away by the wave, I was very impressed with the video, that I forgot to post in English


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## Wurger (Jan 7, 2012)

It's OK. Just somebody could take it offensive. But I understand you. The view of the flying ( digital though ) PZL P-23B is very enjoyable to me as well.


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## Pompiliu92 (Feb 5, 2012)

Muggs have you ran out of pictures?


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## ovichelu (Feb 8, 2012)




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## ovichelu (Feb 8, 2012)




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## muggs (Feb 8, 2012)

Just got a bit lazy, will catch up


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## ovichelu (Feb 8, 2012)

..


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## SamPZLP.7 (Mar 22, 2012)

More P.23 Photos.


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## Wurger (Mar 22, 2012)




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## Wayne Little (Mar 23, 2012)




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## muggs (Mar 28, 2012)

Here is an album which i constantly update with ebay stuff, most of the pics are obscured by various "protections" unfortunately.

Royal Romanian Air Force | Facebook


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## muggs (Jul 2, 2012)

And back again with some updates, i was thinking on running a "special" this time with crashes / accidents. Part One :


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## Wayne Little (Jul 2, 2012)

Excellent, nice pics Muggs...


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## muggs (Jul 3, 2012)

I'm glad you like them Wayne ! Part two :


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## Wayne Little (Jul 3, 2012)

Beauty!  the camo on that first one is real cool, don't like the way the pilot parked it though...


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## muggs (Jul 4, 2012)

Yeah indeed 

It's one of the romanian built G-6's with the pro-allied markings after 23rd august 1944


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## Wayne Little (Jul 4, 2012)




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## parsifal (Jul 7, 2012)

what fantastic collection guys. great work


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## muggs (Aug 11, 2012)

Sad news today for the romanian aeronautics, Gral. Ioan di Cezare one of the very few WW2 pilots that were still alive passed away at the age of 96.

I'll add some pictures with him and his famous mounts that had the "Hai Fetito!" slogan on them. More info : WorldWar2.ro - cpt. av. (r) Ioan Dicezare


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## Wayne Little (Aug 11, 2012)

Sad to hear...


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## Rogi (Aug 11, 2012)

That really sucks, thanks for the update on the news Muggs


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## muggs (Oct 18, 2012)

Recently never before seen pictures of this specific Me 109 G-2 appeared on a german forum, a big surprise after all these years. The writing on the cowling is "Domnita" which means Little Lady.
This "White 18" was part of Grupul 7 Vanatoare attached to Udet Jagdgeschwader.

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## Wayne Little (Oct 18, 2012)

Excellent!!! haven't seen them before!


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 18, 2012)

Very cool!


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## muggs (Dec 2, 2012)

A big hug between two Fleet F-10G trainers


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## Rogi (Dec 3, 2012)

Great pics Muggs


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## Lucky13 (Dec 4, 2012)

Love the pics, love them 13's! Keep them coming guys!


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## Wayne Little (Dec 8, 2012)

Ooops....thats a cool pic!


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## muggs (Dec 13, 2012)

Two new pictures of Me 109 E-3 No. 48 "Don Pedro" abandoned on an airfield near Stalingrad










The unit of which this specific A/C was part was encircled by a russian tank unit, this is an excerpt of what followed :



> When Soviets broke the German and Romanian defense in November 1942 and appeared near the Karpovka airfield, where the 7th FG was stationed, Şerbănescu organized very well the defense of the airbase. His infantry experience was in that case very useful. Şerbănescu had only limited resources: FLAK guns, aircraft guns and a company of soldiers. The Romanian camouflaged positions and well leaded defense stopped Russian tank attacks on the airfield during next the 2 days! Using the Bf 109's 20 mm guns like antitank weapons on the ground was a unique case of airplane-tank duel (the airplane’s tail was lifted on barrels)! On 23 November 1942 the Romanians evacuated 16 Bf 109E (3 of them were lost because they had to take off under fire and were hit). Each airplane carried two or three people. Şerbănescu had two mechanics as passengers.


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## Wayne Little (Dec 13, 2012)

Excellent pics!


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## Capt. Vick (Dec 13, 2012)

Wicked interesting! Thanks for posting!


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## Gnomey (Dec 13, 2012)

Good stuff!


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## Rogi (Dec 13, 2012)

Wow, Muggs your the man ! Great find


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## muggs (Dec 15, 2012)

Hehe i'm glad you like them guys !


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## AARP Hurricane (Dec 15, 2012)

Go on Facebook, go to search and type in ARR Pics........... hundreds of Romanian WW2 aircraft!

Regards

Chris


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## Lucky13 (Dec 15, 2012)

Great stuff!


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## muggs (Dec 20, 2012)

Me-109 White 7 in flight over Ukraine in 1943


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## Grampa (Dec 20, 2012)

Does that plane carring something under its belly?


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## mike siggins (Dec 22, 2012)

no fw 190s


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## Wayne Little (Dec 23, 2012)

Very Cool!


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## Rogi (Dec 23, 2012)

Ohh the one im thinking of moddeling


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## muggs (Dec 25, 2012)

Two Stukas for today, the famous "Hai Noroc" no. 861 and another one nicknamed "Mâţ" which means little kitty


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## Rogi (Dec 25, 2012)

Muggs every time you post a photo you remind me of the huge stash of Yugo. Photos I've got in my pile that I should start putting up


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## Wayne Little (Dec 26, 2012)

Pics continue to to be GREAT! 

Snap to it Igor... get cracking and posting them pics...


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## muggs (Dec 26, 2012)

Yeah Rogi i would love to see them too


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## Lucky13 (Dec 26, 2012)

Aye! Come on Rogi, get cracking!!


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## ReccePhreak (Aug 28, 2015)

muggs said:


> They're pretty rare, and the quality is low-ish aswell
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have looked all through this post, and can't find the answer to my question. I want to build my Azur 1/48 Potez 633B.2 in Romanian markings, but with the recon camera installed. I can only find one photo of a Romanian Potez 633B.2 recce version, but it doesn't help me as to where the camera was installed.




Does anybody have any firm info as to where the camera (or even just the camera window) was installed?

Regards,
Larry Engesath


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## Capt. Vick (Aug 28, 2015)

I may be able to help. I believe I have the Mushroom Models Books on this family of aircraft. It should help.


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## Wurger (Aug 29, 2015)

ReccePhreak said:


> I have looked all through this post, and can't find the answer to my question. I want to build my Azur 1/48 Potez 633B.2 in Romanian markings, but with the recon camera installed.
> Does anybody have any firm info as to where the camera (or even just the camera window) was installed?
> 
> Regards,
> Larry Engesath



If the B.2 variant it means it was the bomber but not the recce plane. The scaut plane was marked with A letter. So it would be the Potez 637 A3 with an observer carried in glazed gondola under fuselage or Potez 63.11 A3 with an observer in glazed nose using the F-20 or F-30 cameras


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## Wurger (Aug 29, 2015)

The glazed gondola of the Potez 637 A3....

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## fubar57 (Aug 29, 2015)

This is from a French site. It says that the aircraft is a Potez 637 A3. Nicely done Wojtek.







Geo


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## Wurger (Aug 29, 2015)

A nice shot Geo.


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## Capt. Vick (Aug 29, 2015)

Let's me off the hook.


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