The IAR.80 and IAR.81

Aviation Guide No 3

Possibly one of the most significant aircraft of WW2, but it is virtually forgotten. The reason is that during the war it fought the Russians (as well as the Americans and then later the Germans) – when the war ended and Romania was under the Russian sphere of influence, the pilots, engineers, mechanics that worked on this aircraft were hunted down and many of them ended up in the Russian Gulags. As a result, Romanians were afraid to talk about it. As Romania was stuck behind the Iron Curtain, the western researchers had no access to info.

This combination of factors led to the aircraft nearly being forgotten. Performance-wise, it was in the same class as a Bf 109E or Hurricane, with enough punch and oompf, and could face-off P38s, even Mustangs, and was extremely lethal against the B24 Liberators that came to Ploiesti. It also scored plenty of kills against the Russians. There is a long list of aces who gained this title while flying the IAR.80.

Variants of IAR-80/81
Structures and systems
Camouflage and Markings
IAR80/81 in Scale
Conclusion, Bibliography and Sources
Colours and markings
Colour side elevations
Scale plans
128 pages, colour