IAR-80DC Romanian Air Force

[Pete in a shed]

Hello All, here is my latest from the shed.

I’ve always liked the look of this aircraft so decided to make one and plumped for the trainer version made by Amodel because of the unusual cockpit layout. These training aircraft were used by the Romanian Air Force until the early 1950’s. The Trainer was made by removing the fuel tank in front of the cockpit in the single seater version and building a second cockpit in this position.

The Amodel kit has lots of detail with all parts requiring cleaning up before use. Two colour options were given, all green or camo. It’s finished in my usual Xtra Colour enamels, Flory wash and Xtracolour varnish with a little Tamiya weathering powder. I Thoroughly enjoyed making it, hope you like it too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking

Pete

[ModelingEdmontonian]

Love it! What year would this version be? Postwar?

[Pete in a shed]

1 minute ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

Love it! What year would this version be? Postwar?

Thanks. Its quoted as being from 1950 in the painting scheme. The write up in the plans only mentions the wartime use of the A/B/C version. I cant say for sure but I think the two seater was post war only.

[stevehnz]

Great job on that Pete, the camo looks really good on it & the base sets it off a treat.

Steve.

[k5054nz]

I'd not really paid much attention to this type until recently, when I learned of a project to build a flying replica. This is a fascinating build and it looks excellent! Bravo!

[Pedro1]

Like it a lot Pete, great model of a kit one rarely sees built.

 

Peter

[busnproplinerfan]

Romanian stuff is quite overlooked, they had some neat planes and ideas. The model looks great, what scale?

[GiampieroSilvestri]

Beautiful IAR 80DC!

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

[VMA131Marine]

Wow! Very nicely done!

[S. Uehlinger]

Great Looking Model!   The IAR was an Indiginous Romanian design.    The traditional Romanian cockade dates this either pre-1941 or 1944 and onward.  When Romania was forced to fall in with the axis, they adopted the yellow "Cross of St Michael" as their aircraft insignia.    After they switched sides in 1944, they reverted to the traditional Roundel.....

 

My wife is Moldovan and thus I know my Romanian WW2 history!

[Bertie McBoatface]

That's a new aircraft to me. And very nicely done too.

[ForestFan]

Very nice and unusual. First one of these variants I’ve ever seen built! You’ve done a great job

[Troy Smith]

22 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

Love it! What year would this version be? Postwar?

Yes, postwar.   I have a weighty tome on the IAR80 that I can't remember where I put, somewhere safe as it needs some glue on the spine.

this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vanator-Romanian-I-R-80-R-81/dp/8363678406

Yikes on the price now! ...  mine was pretty cheap which was why I bought it... 

22 hours ago, Pete in a shed said:

Thanks. Its quoted as being from 1950 in the painting scheme. The write up in the plans only mentions the wartime use of the A/B/C version. I cant say for sure but I think the two seater was post war only.

My only surprise is the camo,  as this was only on the early IAR80's,  later they switched to overall upper green, and they were conversion, rather than a new build.

1950 maybe a but late, as the Romanian's switched to a red star based insignia 

 

a quick google suggest the red star one came in in 1947

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/user/insignia/national-markings-romanian-air-force.htm

"1947-1985
During the communist era, the main marking consisted of a red star with the old roundel in the centre. It was displayed on the fuselage sides and above and below each wing, and also on the fin on aircraft."

 

One detail I'd not picked up on until recently, is that the fuselage is based on the Polish PZL 24 fighter, which was operated and built under licence in Romania

https://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2005/03/stuff_eng_iar80.htm

"For shortening the development time, IAR designers used some elements of the PZL P. 24E then in license production in Romania, namely the rear fuselage from frame 5 towards the tail, but stretching it by increasing the distance between frames. The fin and the stabilizer of the PZL design were improved structurally. The other elements were reworked."

 

It's an oldish article, but has names i recognise so I think still decent guide. 

 

Enough of my witter, 

A very neat build both in construction and paint, well displayed.... 

 

Now where did I put that book..... 

 

[Pete in a shed]

10 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Romanian stuff is quite overlooked, they had some neat planes and ideas. The model looks great, what scale?

Thanks

Its 1/72. Amodel do about 4 different versions and one with Sova-M. Lots to choose from if you fancy making one.

[Troy Smith]

10 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Romanian stuff is quite overlooked, they had some neat planes

There is potential for quite a diverse WW2 era collection,  the IAR 80, but also Polish, PZL 11, PZL24F, PZL37 and PZL 23,  British Hurricane and Blenheim, French Potez 63,  captured MiG-3, German Bf108, Bf 109 E and G (they also licence built the G, as the G6a ) , He112, Bf110F, a couple of captured Fw190 when the switched sides in 1944, Ju88 (the one is NASM in the US is ex Romanian IIRC) He-111, Hs129...

This is from memory....   some searching will bring up more...   

 

If you can find a  copy for not silly money, this is a great reference

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Romanian-Fighter-Colours-1941-1945-Morusanu/dp/8389450909

 

hope note too much thread clutter @Pete in a shed ....  guess who got carried away with research on this.... 

[Pete in a shed]

21 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

My only surprise is the camo,  as this was only on the early IAR80's,  later they switched to overall upper green, and they were conversion, rather than a new build.

1950 maybe a but late, as the Romanian's switched to a red star based insignia

Hello Troy. Thanks for the info it was very interesting, especially the Polish PZL connection. 

With regard to colours maybe there are a couple of terminological in exactitudes in the plan, the number is also the same on each scheme.

 

[Natter]

An A-Model kit 'with all parts requiring cleaning up before use'? Not much of a surprise there. What a result though, a great looking model of a really unusual aircraft.