IAR 80/81 technical question

Hi all!

I am rather new around here,so please bear with me on this one,as I have no idea if this is the right forum to post my question.However,if my posting is OTT,please disregard it and do accept my sincere apologies!

I am a hard game player since the CFS 1(Europe Series)appeared in 2000 or so,usually playing online.My logged combat missions as a fighter pilot,both on Eastern and Western front reaches 900,not to mention those of free flight online with my wingman,or offline combat sorties.

I usually fly the regular/official planes assigned to the unit I am with,observing the historica accuracy.Currently,I ride my trusty old Bf-109 "Emil",after a short spell as Stuka diver assigned to a shock unit near Odessa.My score board shows 11 confimed kills,4 probable and 3 of joint attacks.,since I started the campaign in 1939,attacking the Dirschau bridge in Poland.

Right then...my question:how accurate would be the existence of a IAR fighter in Russia,in the winter of 1941,in Crimeea/Kerch/Eupatoria region?The reason I am askign is because a good friend of mine just finished a much improved version of the romanian IAR 80 and 81,and sent it to me to try it.I never flew romanian machines,although I wanted to.But being assigned to a virtual Geschwader,what with rules and regulations,one cannot fly whatever machine he'd like...:-))

I wish to give this IAR a go,after all,I am romanian...however,I took it yesterday on a simple combat sortie and find it mostly slow and unbecoming.The rate of climbing was completely unsatisfactory,and turning inside a Polikarpov or a little I 16 was a nightmare.The vulnerability of the machine is extremely high,since a couple of a Shvak cannon from a IL2 smoked me to the ground.Btw,the cannon on IAR was czech (Skoda)or of polish design?I encountered several PZL11 in combat during the Poland campaign,and these little planes gave good,at least as they received.Is there some analogy with these PZL's?The drag and engine capabilities of this IAR are somewhat similar to those of the single seat Fokker flew by teh Dutch/Belgian pilots in 1940.

The reason I am troubling you guys with this is because I wish to learn the good/bad points of this romanian aircraft.I want to fly one in combat,but seems that I am missing something here,since in 2 sorties,I have been downed twice,not even being able to respond to attacks.

I am interested in blind spots,beside the ones already known for any fighter planes,i.e. under your nose,wings and your low six tail,what was the regular crossing point of machine guns,and indeed any advice you guys could give here. Climb,turning and dive,thrust-to-weight ratio,really anything is very helpful for me right now.

Seeing you are an excellent and by the looks of it,very skilled in technicalities of WWII planes,probably some of you can be of help here!I really wish to smoke some tovarisch a**es and do this from a romanian aircraft!Put it as my humble homage to the romanian WWII pilots!

I have to stop here,otherwise I risk being kicked out by one of the admins:-))

Nice talking to you,guys!Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Best regards,

Julian,aka"RIEDEL"
Jagdgeschwader 51
Fl.Fdwbl

[img=http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8574/image1un0.th.jpg]

The answer is no. All I.A.R. 80s (and a handful of I.A.R. 81s) were fighting arond Odessa in Sept.-Oct. 1941. Then they were retreated to the homeland.
I leave the rest of your questions to our sizeable flight sim' group.

My question to you: which Luftwaffe unit are you actually referring to when mentioning 'Stuka diver assigned to a shock unit near Odessa'?

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on August 18, 2007 07:56 am

Good day,General Denes

Thank you for your input and swift reply!Regarding your inquiry as to the unit I was assigned for short time near Odessa in late 1941,here you have the answer:

We started the Eastern Campaign being stationed at Stara Wie,Eastern Poland,around the 22nd of July,1941.After combat sorties near Brest,Minsk,Stary Bychow and South Orsho,we currently are stationed at Chaplinka.

Because of unavailability of pilots for Stab St.G 77,stationed at Biala Podlaska,I was assigned by my group to this unit,flying JU87(the darn crate).I had only 3 sorties with this unit,and before my return to Chaplinka,I had also one combat sortie flying BF110,from Woskrenych base,with the II St.G77 unit.

It may be possible that a few IAR's were still operating in october1941 in that area?I just want to have a chat with my Geschwader CO to see if I can be given a IAR,for a few sorties with my unit,on the South Eastern front.Without solid proof that our romanian fighters were still there at the time,I am afraid I shall have to restrain my IAR flights to non-combat training or offline combat.This would a pity,since I guess IAR can deliver almost as any WWII aircraft.

Could you tell me something about the way our pilots felt this plane,please?Did they found it to be less responsive than,say BF109 or other types?What was their impression of combat behaviour?Sorry to bother you with these questions,but it looks to me you are the holder of deepest knowledge of aviation I have ever encountered!!!

By the way,where or how can one purchase your book that I have read about somewhere on this forum,please?I would be thrilled to have it!

Thank you anyway and have a good day!

With consideration,

Julian,aka "RIEDEL"
JG51

The report of the Luftwaffe major that tested the IAR-80 in March 1941:

Take off 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.

See details over the use of IAR-80s on the website:
http://www.worldwar2.ro/arr/?article=749
http://www.worldwar2.ro/arr/?article=446

You can also check this older discussion: http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=2621

All the details of the ARR's activity in this time period (Aug.-Oct. 1941) will be included in the second volume of the book, 'Barbarossa to Odessa', I am currently working on at full steam.

Gen. Dénes

General Denes,I was under the impression you already published volume I of your book...this is the one I meant to buy.Can you please tell me how can get it,and obviously means of payment would be in order.Nevertheless,let me know when second volume issues,so I place my purchase on that one too.Thank you also for your valuable input,I am sure we will have lots of chats in here.It has been my pleasure to make your acquaintance,Gen.Denes!

Victor,the link you suggested has been most helpful indeed!It describes lots of info on various types of the IAR,and the technical report from the German Luftwaffe pilots are most helpful!

Well,hope to see you around,I gotago just now...in about one hour time,I'll take off for a sortie with my mates.If lucky,perhaps I'll get a straggled Ivan to down tonite:-))

Take care for now,God Bless!

With regards,

Julian,aka "RIEDEL"
JG 51,still under Herr Molders command

Hello Tanase - for the simming part you may also want to visit our virtual squadron forum: http://www.d13-th.ro/forum (we do not fly CFS but computer flight-sims are not so far apart).

Julian, if you're interested in my book, I still have a couple of copies available, at publisher's price. For the details, please contact me directly: denesbernad[AT]hotmail.com

The 2nd volume will be released at the end of this year.

Gen. Dénes