Romanian aces of WWI

[Florin]

[quote]The problem of a downed enemy airplane crashing in enemy territory was also present in W.W. 2: how do you confirm the 'kill' independently? I am sure if the winner would have had a chance to photograph the wreck....[/quote]

I use the occasion to remind that the British were more scrupulous than the Americans in counting their "kills".
The RAF planes had a little recording camcorder, and only if the "kill" was recorded as movie it was confirmed.
For the Americans was common practice to overstate their efficiency, for various reasons. As an example, if a German came closer to a 4 bombers formation, and each of the bomber crews fired at it, then each bomber crew claimed the "kill". Another was to boost the morale especially in the US, were people were pretty upset by the high numbers of American planes shot-down. So they were fed with inflated German loss numbers, which lead to claims in the American and British newspapers, especially starting with 1944, that the Luftwaffe ceased to exist as an operational force. Well, the truth was known by the Allied pilots, who encountered the Germans up to May 1945.
A funny thing happened at the end of 1943 in Italy. Based of recent impressive losses of Luftwaffe, which made it look as knocked-out, an American general told to reporters that he will consider the idea of any future actions of Luftwaffe as a personal insult.
The answer was in the next night... 16 American vessels were sunk in the Italian harbour by a massive aerial attack. The worst thing was a ship carrying poisoning gas, who started to spill around. The poisoning gas was on hand to retaliate if the Germans would use theirs.

[quote] ........ Between 27 July - 28 October, Romanian AA artillery scored, according to Austrian archives, 11 victories...[/quote]

One of the few types of AA canons was "Burileanu AA gun". It was an AA canon designed and developed to production by Burileanu, a Romanian artillery officer. The canon used rubber recoil dampers, and had a fast reload.
I guess actually the model was developed from some existing French or British AA type, but this is a guess and I cannot offer more.

[dragos]

[quote]One the few types of AA canons was "Burileanu AA gun". It was an AA canon designed and developed to production by Burileanu, a Romanian artillery officer. The canon used rubber recoil dampers, and had a fast reload.
I guess actually the model was developed from some existing French or British AA type, but this is a guess and I cannot offer more.[/quote]

In 1916, the Air Defense Corps had six 75 mm batteries, one 57 mm battery, eight machinegun sections, 12 searchlights and 22 observation posts.

Beside Lt-Col. Stefan Burileanu, other officers that contributed to the development of Romanian artillery during WW1 were Lt-Col. Gabriel Negrei and Col. Gheorghe Bungescu.

[dragos]

continuing the list of victories in 1917

On 7 August 1917, sublocotenent Egon Nasta (N.11 Squadron) ignited a German balloon, above the village of Vanatori.

On 9 August 1917, locotenent de marina aviator Gheorghe Mihailescu (N.1 Squadron) engaged a dogfight with an Austrian fighter OFAG.C.II (no.5263), which landed in flames in no man's land.

On 13 August 1917, plutonier Ioan Georgescu (N.1 Squadron), escorting Farman 40 no.3237, fought with two German Fokkers, shooting down one of them.

On 19 August 1917, the plane of plutonier pilot Iliescu and locotenent observator Gafencu (F.7 Squadron), in reconnaissance mission, was attacked by enemy plane. The enemy plane was shot down in flames.

On 20 August 1917, the plane of submaistru de marina pilot Dumitru Rosetti and sublocotenent Constantin Gonta (F.2 Squadron), scored a victory against enemy aircraft.

On 21 August 1917, plutonier Marin Popescu, sublocotenent observator Barzon and locotenent Gheorghe Mihailescu scored one victory each.

On 22 August 1917, the crew of plutonier pilot Theodor Iliescu and sublocotenent observator Ioan Chiritescu (F.4 Squadron), in reconnaissance mission, was attacked by German plane. The German plane crashed north of Panciu.

On 26 August 1917, the crew of sublocotenent observator Dumitru Darian and plutonier pilot Dumitru Naidinescu (F.6 Squadron), in reconnaissance mission at Oituz, was attacked by a Hansa Brandemburg. The Austrian plane crashed in flames.

On 11, 18 and 23 November 1917, pilot Carol Paukert, sublocotenent Dumitrescu, plutonier Andrei Sisu and sublocotenent Egon Nasta scored one victory each.

[Carol I]

QUOTE

On 26 September 1917, sublocotenent Marcel Dragusanu scored two victories. On 7 November 1917, plutonier pilot Ioan Muntenescu scored three victories.

Do you have a reference for this? I have seen an article in an old issue of Modelism which stated that by scoring two victories on 25 October 1917, Ioan Muntenescu was the only Romanian pilot with two victories in the same encounter. It seems that Marcel Dragusanu should also be added to the list.

Furthermore, if Ioan Muntenescu scored two victories on 25 October 1917 and three on 7 November 1917, then Dumitru Badulescu is not the only WWI Romanian ace.

[petru]

QUOTE

On 11, 18 and 23 November 1917, pilot Carol Paukert, sublocotenent Dumitrescu, plutonier Andrei Sisu and sublocotenent Egon Nasta scored one victory each.

The armistice started on 22 November 1917, around 16.00 hours (I think). Was the last plane shot down after the armistice?

[Carol I]

QUOTE

The armistice started on 22 November 1917, around 16.00 hours (I think).

What armistice was that of 22 November 1917? I have a reference to an armistice treaty signed at Focsani on 9 December 1917.

[petru]

Probably is the same, but they are recorded on different calendars.

[Carol I]

QUOTE

Probably is the same, but they are recorded on different calendars.

Between 22 November and 9 December there are 17 days, while the 20th century difference between the Julian and the Gregorian calendars was only 13 days. There are 4 extra/missing days.

[petru]

I dind't check any documents. Juste here:

http://sepwww.stanford.edu/sep/nick/k/ftm/...m/missir_12.pdf

MIght be wrong though.

[Carol I]

It could be that a frontline truce has started on 22 November/5 December and that the armistice treaty was signed 4 days later, on 26 November/9 December 1917.

Is there any official confirmation of this chronology of events?

[dragos]

QUOTE

QUOTE On 26 September 1917, sublocotenent Marcel Dragusanu scored two victories. On 7 November 1917, plutonier pilot Ioan Muntenescu scored three victories. Do you have a reference for this? I have seen an article in an old issue of Modelism which stated that by scoring two victories on 25 October 1917, Ioan Muntenescu was the only Romanian pilot with two victories in the same encounter.

The source is Revista de Istorie Militara 3(43)/1997

[Victor]

And the author is?

[dragos]

QUOTE

And the author is?

The article is "Aeronautica Romana in campania din vara anului 1917" by Valeriu Avram.

[Carol I]

QUOTE

And the author is?

Interestingly enough, the article in Modelism also had Valeriu Avram as an author, beside Serban Ionescu.

I wonder if the article in Revista de Istorie Militara is not some sort of update of the old information in Modelism regarding Ioan Muntenescu. Could it be that 7 November 1917 is the date when Muntenescu's victories of 25 October were officially recorded? Could it also be that 25 October and 7 November are in fact one and the same date, the former according to the Julian calendar and the latter according to the Gregorian calendar? And, could it be that by 25 October/7 November, Muntenescu has scored three victories in total?

[dragos]

I will post an excerpt from the article later, so that everybody can judge.
See that victories were counted for shooting down baloons, too.