Fighter Pilot

Born: 19 September 1906

Units:

• 1940 - 14 August 1941: 5th Fighter Group
• 15 -30 August 1941: 8th Fighter Group
• 31 August 1941 - 1942: 5th Fighter Group
• 1942 - 4 April 1944: 53rd Fighter Squadron
• 5 April - 31 August 1944: 7th Fighter Group

Combat missions: 165

Victories: 18 confirmed + 1 probable

Decorations:

• Mihai Viteazul Order with swords 3rd class
• Virtutea Aeronautica Order Knight class
• Eiserne Kreuz 1st class

War episode:

On 23 August 1941, 10 IAR-80s of the 8th Fighter Group, which were on a free-hunting mission, ran into 5 Soviet bombers escorted by 12 I-16s. They immediately dropped the bombs and returned towards Odessa. Four IARs went after them, while two interrupted the "link" with their escorts. The other four IAR-80s (commanded by Maga) attacked the Ratas from behind. Of. ec. cls. III Ioan Maga shot up the wingman of the Soviet leader and saw him crash and explode. Seeing what happened, the Soviet commander pulled up and attacked Maga from below at close distance. The Romanian also fired at him and, soon, the I-16s hit the ground in the vicinity of the other one. Those were kills 2 and 3 of Ioan Maga.

Died: 1980s

Of. echip. cls. III av. Ioan Maga (in the center) surrounded by pilots of the 7th Fighter Group in early 1944. To his right is cpt. av. Lucian Toma and the other pilot wearing the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st classes is adj. av. Tiberiu Vinca.