IAR 80 / 81

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAR_80

The IAR 80 was a Romanian World War II low-wing monoplane, all-metal monocoque
fighter and ground-attack aircraft. When it first flew, in 1939, it was
comparable to contemporary designs being deployed by the airforces of the most
advanced military powers. Production problems and lack of available armament
delayed entry of the IAR 80 into service until 1941. It remained in frontline
use until May 1945.

The semi-monocoque tail was copied directly from the P.24. The fuselage from the
engine back to the cockpit was new, consisting of a welded steel tube frame
covered with duralumin sheeting. The wings were mounted low and were of the same
design as those used on the early IAR 24, which had competed with the P.24.

According to one source, the wing profile was taken directly from the Italian
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bomber, in service with the FARR at the time, as the
design team lacked the time for wing section studies. As a result, the profile
was less favorable for higher speeds, but gave the aircraft more
maneuverability. This is highly unlikely as the contract for the SM.79B licence
was signed on October 1, 1938, roughly one year after the I.A.R. 80 prototype
was completed.

The cockpit's interior, instruments, and gunsight were imported from foreign
suppliers. This effort to aggregate a fighter from various sources was a result
of the last-minute demands for a frontline fighter.

A Luftwaffe major who tested it in March 1941 had this to say about the IAR 80:

"Takeoff and landing are very good. It's 20–30 km/h slower than the Bf-109E. The
climb to 5,000 meters is equivalent. In a dogfight, the turns are also
equivalent, although the long nose reduces the visibility. In a dive it's
outclassed by the Bf-109E, because it lacks an automated propeller pitch
regulator. It's a fighter adequate to modern needs."

After World War II, the Soviets shipped home the entire I.A.R. factory and all
aircraft from Brasov, as war reparations.


Role
Fighter aircraft

Manufacturer
Industria Aeronautica Româna (IAR)

First flight
12 April 1939

Introduction
February 1941

Retired
1949
1952 (IAR-80DC)

Primary user
Royal Romanian Air Force

Produced
1940–1944

Number built
346 units produced up to 30 September 1944
(170 IAR 80; 176 IAR 81)

Developed from
PZL P.24

On 10 June 1944, IAR 80s took part in a major air battle when the USAAF attacked
Ploiesti with 36 P-38 Lightnings of the 82nd Fighter Group carrying one bomb
each, escorted by 39 Lightnings of the 1st and 82 FGs. The IAR 81Cs from Grupul
6, as well as the German fighters from I./JG 53 and 2./JG 77, intercepted the
large American formation. Romanian pilot Dan Vizanty, commander of Grupul 6,
recalled later:

"Our Lightning attack came as a complete surprise to the Americans. Our attack
was so quick that not one of the 100 (sic) American aircraft managed to fire a
single shot at our aircraft parked on the ground. Everything happened between
ground level and about 2,000 meters (6,600 feet), and was total confusion. I was
excited and proud of my "mills", the IAR 80s, which, thanks to their
extraordinary agility, remained victorious in the air. I saw their crazy dives,
quick rolls, reverse turns and inverted flying, always with just brief burst of
fire to save ammunition. It was an incredible sight, but also a drama for the
Lightning pilots, who, at this low altitude, were inferior to the ever-present,
nimble IAR 80s".

The USAAF lost 22 or 23 P-38s on that day. Romanians claimed 24 victories,
suffering three losses. The Americans claimed 23 victories.

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 lost 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 unconfirmed claims. 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 heavy losses, all IAR 80/81 units
were withdrawn from combat against Americans in July 1944 and IAR pilots started
to convert to the more modern Bf 109G-6s.

Specifications (IAR.81C)

General characteristics
Crew: one, pilot
Length: 8.97 m (29 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
Height: 3.535 m (11 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 17 m² (183 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,980 kg (6,570 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × IAR K14-1000A air-cooled 14-cylinder double-row radial, 764 kW
(1,025 hp)

Performance
Maximum speed: 560 km/h (300 knots, 347 mph) at 7,000 m (at 22,965 ft) fully
loaded with bomb attached
Range: 730 km (394 nm, 454 mi) on internal fuel only; 1,330 km (718 nm, 826 mi)
with extra fuel tanks
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,800 ft)
Wing loading: 132.35 kg/m² (27.1 lb/ft²)

Armament

Guns: 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and 4 × 7.92 mm FN machine guns mounted in the
inner portion of the wing
Bombs: one 225 kg (500 lb) bomb under the fuselage



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