I.A.R. 80

[rogerdee]

i was looking at  a romanian airforce website which since my pc went loopy i lost the address  and on there were many accounts of attacks  against p51s  p38s and b24s as well as aganist russian  and german aircraft.

   i remeber in on attack a fight develpoed with p38s  as the americans were there useual self bleif of no one can stop us the attacked  and  lost i think 8 of there aircraft with more damaged for the lose of 1 romanian fighter with others damaged.
  if i find the account again i will post it.
 speed isnt everything especialy not in the MA

[Scherf]

Can't remember where I read it, however I thought the greatest single-day loss of P-38s was at the hands of IAR 80s - over Ploesti IIRC. I thought the site said 18 were lost, however I may be remembering the number which were claimed.

Again, I think the encounter was explained from the axis side. What role leadership, tactics, etc. played according to the Allied side wasn't laid out.

Found a link:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_200312/ai_n9310834

Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger. Haven't a clue re accuracy, information left out, etc.

[Masherbrum]

I'd just love to see this added.  I'm tired of more Spits, etc.  Let's get some fun planes in the MA.  IMO, this is one of them.

Karaya

[Treize69]

You never hear of the Allies "Having Fits" wit hthem because they were almost always misidentified by the Americans as "strangely painted early model Fw190s".

It was the IAR-81Cs of Grupul 6 Vanatoare (6th Fighter Group) that virtually wiped out the P-38Js of the 71st Fighter Squadron over the ARR airfield at Popesti-Leordeni on Black Sunday (the ones lost over the Oil Fields themselves fell mainly to the Bf109Gs of Grupul 7 and Grupul 9, alongside elements of Jg53 and Jg77). Lt H. Hatch, who was credited with "5 Fw190s" was the only pilot to return safely. Initially the combined German-Romanian forces claimed the destruction of 43 Lightnings that day (51 all together, including claims by Flak gunners) for an actual loss of about 25 lighnings to all causes- while the USAAF claimed 33 confirmed kills, 6 probables and 8 damaged, plus 10 locomotives destroyed- against actual losses of 14 German and Romanian aircraft, including all non-combat types reported lost on that day. The 5 kills Hatch alone was credited with was optimistic, as a total of 3 pilots were killed and one badly wounded in the whole furball, and fewer than 10 total aircraft were lost in the whole melee- including several low-alt collisions.

And I think 2xMk151/20s and 4x7.9mm MGs is pretty good for a close-in dogfighter, which is why I say the 81c would be the best version to model. It was the fastest, best armed, and best armored of the series, and was also the only version to be equipped to carry DTs.

[cashrc]

I would fly it. I usually fly the Zero, but I'd give it a shot...

How 'bout the ki-43, and the I-16?

[Krusty]

Treize, one correction: It had MG/FF. Yep, not MG151/20s.

And knowing the MG/FF it had 55/60RPG.

[Treize69]

I started out this reply just listing what my sources said about the changes to the different versions, but I'll just quote my source instead. I just got home from working 2 back-to-back 16 hour shifts and a 3 hour drive each way, soI apologize for bot the long post and the fact that I just copied and pasted it from another site.

Some of the info on here is different from other sources I have, but I have found these guys to generally be well researched and quite accurate, so Im going with what they have to say.

Quoted directly from IPMSStockholm.org's Modellers Guide to IAR Variants

IAR 80 - 1-20 Serie
Series production of the first batch had been initiated in autumn 1939, but due to various difficulties in organizing production, machine no.1 was not finished before spring 1941. After that, thins were going smoother, and plane no.20 was delivered in December 1941. Compared to the prototype, this series differed by the following:

IAR K-14 III C-36.HP engine was mounted with 1000 hp.
Shape of NACA ring was changed The engine propeller hub changed to a longer shape.
The armament was increased to 4 Browning FN,7,92 mm calibre machine guns, with ammunition supply of 2,400 rounds.
The 20 airplanes had been used for various tests, all at the factory.

Width: 10,520 mm, bearing surface: 16 sqm, length: 8,900 mm. Other dimensions remained unchanged. Weight was increased to 2,080 kg (empty) and 2,685 kg total, which lead to a decrease of power-to-weight ratio to 0.37 hp/kg and to increase of wing loading to 167.9 kg/sqm. Maximum speed was  514 km/h at 4,000 m, climb to 5,000 m altitude within 5 min 50 sec, action radius 730 km at 4,500 m, endurance 1 h and 50 minutes.

All aircraft of this series had their serial numbers painted in white on the fin and the name IAR 80 with black.

IAR 80 - 21-50 Serie
After solving the teething troubles and service evaluation of the first series machines, production continued with another 30 IAR 80. These aircraft were fitted with IAR K-14 IVC-32 engines of 1000 hp. Other parameters were identical to Serie 1-20.

IAR 80 - 51-75 Serie
This series included the modifications made to the airplane no. 50, except for the installation of two bomb racks under the wings which were tested on no. 50 but did not bring the expected results.

Length was increased to 8,970 mm, other geometric data remained unchanged. Weight increased to 2,095 kg empty and 2,720 kg total. Power-to-weight ratio decreased to 0,37 hp/kg, wing loading increased to 170 kg/sqm.

No.75 was taken off the production line and modified as the prototype for the dive bomber version.

IAR 80A - 76-90 Serie
While no. 75 was undergoing development tests, fifteen IAR 80As were manufactured with armament increased to six machine guns. However, no. 75 incorporated modified flaps which were adopted as standard starting from this series.

IAR -80A planes had curiously the old  "IAR 80” designation painted on the fin. In fact, it would seem that until 1943, these aircraft were described in official documents as “IAR 80 with 6 machine guns”. The name of   IAR 80A was assigned later to avoid confusion with the 1 -75 series aircraft.

IAR 81 - 91-105 Serie
Following successful tests of aircraft no.75, production of the dive-bomber variant commenced.

IAR-81 was the BoPi (dive bomber) variant of the IAR 80. In fact it was rather a fighter-bomber able to take a fighter role after dropping its bomb load.

For bombing missions, 225 kg (500 lb) American bombs were used from existing stocks. Later on, these were replaced by 225 kg IAR model bombs.

IAR 80A - 106-130 Serie
These series machines were identical to those from the 76 -90 series, except for the lateral reinforcement belts on the fuselage.

IAR 80M
Airframe no. 111 was kept in the factory and used as a test bed for various modifications, being renamed IAR -80M.

During 1942, this aircraft was finally fitted with a Junkers Jumo 211D engine of 1,200 hp. In this configuration, it was flown with eng. Alexandru “Dudu” Frim at the controls. Strong vibrations were experienced in the cockpit, making continued flight impossible. Flying qualities were also found vastly inferior to the series aircraft.

No. 111 was afterwards re-fitted with l.A.R. K 14-1 000 A engine.


IAR 80A - 131-150 Serie
Compared to preceding series, following modifications were made:

Internal reinforcement of the fuselage
Thickness of armoured glass windscreen was increased
Weights reached 2,125 kg empty and 2,750 kg total, with power-to-weight ratio of 0.37 hp/kg. Wing loading 171.8 kg/sqm. Other data are were identical to 76- 90 Serie.

IAR 81 - 151-175 Serie
In this series, modifications introduced in series 131-150 were incorporated in dive bomber production. Other attributes were Identical to 91 -105 Serie.

IAR 80A - 176-180 Serie
Planes of this production batch were identical to 131 -150 Serie. No. 176 was used as prototype with four 7,92 mm machine guns and two 13,2 mm calibre machine guns.

IAR 80B - 181-200 Serie
This series includes the modifications tested on aircraft no. 111.  Armament was increased with two 13.2mm (.50 cal) FN machine guns with 300 rounds of ammunition. Ammunition for the remaining four 7.92 guns was also increased to 1,600 rounds. The weapons were operated electrically and independently using two buttons installed on the joystick. Armour plating of the pilot seat was also improved.

This type was also equipped with updated radio gear.

IAR 80B - 201-211 Serie
Aircraft of this batch were identical to 181 -200 series airframes, except for two modifications:

starting with plane no.202, a second exhaust pipe was added on the port side of the cowling, symmetrically to the "old" pipe at starboard side
Two 100 litre underwing drop tanks could be carried

IAR 80A - 212-230 Serie
Externally these aircraft were Identical to 201 -211 series airframes. However, this batch was initially intended as dive bombers so the fuselages were additionally reinforced, resulting in the empty weight of 2.190 kg and 3,020 total with external fuel tanks.

Ammunition load of 13.2 mm guns was also increased to 350 bullets.

IAR 81 - 231-240 Serie
The operational need for BoPi aircraft lead to the new series of IAR-81 aircraft. Compared with the 151-175 series  they had two additional racks for 50 kg bombs installed under the wings, which could also accept two drop tanks of 100 litre each.

This series carried the designation "IAR81" painted on the fin.

IAR 80C - 241-250 Serie
This is a final major production variant with increased armament and other modifications dictated by the operational use of  the type. Initially designed as BoPi variant, this batch has been issued as fighters in order to reinforce the defences against American heavy bombers.

There has been confusion in various publications about type designation of this series. Planned as BoPi variant,  these aircraft were referred to as “IAR-81B" in some official documents. However, study of different photos shows that the designation painted on the fin was “IAR 80C”.

Armament was increased again, this time with two ICARIA (licence-built Oerlikon) 20 mm calibre cannon replacing the 13.2 mm guns with 120 rounds per gun. The four 7.92 mm Brownings were retained, with 1,600 rounds of ammunition.

Drop tanks could be carried.

IAR 80C - 251-290 Serie
These aircraft were identical to 241 250 Series except for cannon armament, which was replaced with German Mauser MG 151s .

IAR 80A - 291-300 Serie
These aircraft were laid down as the BoPi variant of the 212-230 series.

The airframe modifications from IAR 80C were included, but machine gun armament was retained. Additional 225 kg bomb rack was added under the fuselage, differentiating this series from earlier production machines.

IAR 81C - 301-461 Serie
The last production series was also the biggest one. It started during 1943 as dive bombers, eventually ending up  as fighters.

IAR 80DC
After the war, surviving IAR 80/81s continued in service until 1949. A few aircraft with the fewest hours were converted in to two-seat trainers, between 1950-1951, by inserting an additional cockpit between the engine and the original cockpit in place of a fuel tank. This conversion was designated IAR 80DC.

All remaining aircraft were scrapped in November-December 1955. No original IAR 80/81 aircraft survive to this day.

[Skilless]

Any photos of the duel cockpit model?

[Treize69]

Not a photo, first pic I could find was a painting.



Still looking for a good pic.

[Skilless]

Thanx Treize