The I.A.R. 37/38/39 family of biplanes

Would someone know which weapons (and how much ammo) as well as how much fuel the IAR 37/38/39 carried? Many thanks!

Cheers

HANS

For the IAR 39, the main fuel tank had a volume of 539 liters. There was the possibility to add another two auxilliary fuel tanks: one of 123 liters and one of 130 liters.

The two forward firing MGs were Browning 7.92 mm with 240 cartridges. The rear firing MG was a Rheinmetall 7.92 mm.

Thanks!

>he two forward firing MGs were Browning 7.92 mm with 240 cartridges.

240 rpg, I assume?

>The rear firing MG was a Rheinmetall 7.92 mm.[/quote]

How much ammo for this?

Could it carry bombs, and if so, which?

Did the Browning and Rheinmetall (MG15?) get "md. 19xx"-type designations?

Cheers

HANS

I just found a source which claims the IAR 37 had four MGs; does that mean it carried twin MGs in the back? Which type? Thanks!

Cheers

HANS

QUOTE

240 rpg, I assume?

Yes.

QUOTE

Could it carry bombs, and if so, which?

12 kg bombs.

What was the performance of the IAR 39 refitted with IAR K-14 1000 A engine?
Trought thw war, were other up-grades on this plane?

How effective was 12 Kg. bombs? Anyone had some information about this weapons?

Iama

Read here: http://www.worldwar2.ro/arr/iar39.htm

Ok, but at your link is this:

IAR-39
Maximum speed at 3200 m 330 km/h
Engine IAR 14K II c32 870 HP

IAR-39A
Maximum speed at 3200 m 336 km/h
Engine IAR 14K IV c32 1025 HP

and, Victor, 155 HP for only 6 km / h more? I think heavyness of the engine is quite the same, or little different, between 14 K c32 and 1000 A - because 1000 A was the engine with 1025 HP - the same from / by (*) IAR 80 / 81 from 50-75 serie (if i remember well, or maybe from 21-50).

Again, between 39 and 39 A at your link is no difference at weight:

39

Weight (empty) 2177 kg
Weight (bomber) 3085 kg
Weight (recon) 3007 kg

39A

Weight (empty) 2177 kg
Weight (bomber) 3085 kg
Weight (recon) 3007 kg

So, is not an increase of weight - a motivation for just 6 km / h more.

Iama

I read in an old Modelism about 50 Kg.'s bombs launchers from under the wings. Whas a succesfful "add-on"? They were used in combination with 225 kg.'s bomb in ground attack missions, or just separate?

Iama

PS - IAR 37/'8/'9 (? what variant ?) were used for trainings of the pilots in dive bombardaments, in schools.

Hi Denes!

You're right; I red the OoB from June 1941 and the IAR 37 (unlike the 38 and 39 models) was use for bombing missions, in dedicate bombing squadron(s). Hence in was considered a (light) bomber. Were his specifications (maximum bomb load, defensive weapons) in any way different than those of the later models? I checked on the site in the "Aircraft" section but apparently there's no difference.

If I'm right the model for that plane was the Frech Potez XXV, which was used as a light bomber in the late '20s - early '30's.

Very nice, dear colleagues . Apparently the people who are worthy of an answer are carefully chosen, isn’t it Mr. Denes..? Thanks anyway for not kicking me out of here

I am sorry, Mr. Agarici, but I didn't get the point.
Apparently, you confirmed what I wrote earlier regarding the I.A.R. 37.

The defensive weapons used by the type in 1942 were one forward and two rearward firing 7,92 mm cal. machine guns (initially, there were 4 MGs, two in the front and two at the rear).
The bomb load was 12 x 50 kg bombs.

However, I believe this topic was discussed earlier, in another thread.

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on March 12, 2005 03:52 pm

Hello again

You’re right Denes, I confirmed what you have said earlier about the IAR 37 being used as a bomber in 1941.. But my point was: since by that time IAR 38 and 39 were also available (but as I know they were only used as observation planes) were there any reason for preferring IAR 37 for the bomber squadrons? And I’m thinking at better defensive armament or heavier bomb load… because according to this site there's no difference between IAR 37 and its successor models.

The other two questions:
- If it is true that IAR 37 was developed from Potez XXV?
- Was Potez XXV a bomber or an observation plane?

As for my previous post, I was joking. I know that your time, as everybody else's, is limited.

1, Yes, it is. This was a logical step, however; as the I.A.R. Brasov manufactured the Potez 25 previously, thus the French design and experience was used for the new indigenous type.

2, Actually, both. There was the A2 observation/short-range reconnaissance and the B2 bomber sub-type. However, a large part of the Rumanian-made Potez 25s had multiple usage, both reconnaissance and bomber. The complete type thus was Potez 25.14R2 A2/B2.

As for why was the I.A.R. 37 chosen as light bomber, it's probably because it had greater payload than the '38 and '39.
According to the specs. sheet, it was able to carry a total of 12 x 50 kg bombs, while her two younger sisters only 24 x 12 kg bombs (personally I am still perplexed as how coudl this wooden biplane carry 600 kg bombs, when the twin-engine all metal Henschel Hs 129 for example carried only max. 450 kg bombs and the much larger Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik only 400 kg...)

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on March 12, 2005 09:49 pm

Below is a photo with a I.A.R. 39' crew. You can see the the rear firing MG -Rheinmetall 7.92 mm

Attached Image