IAR 80
Industria Aeronautică Română · Romania · first flew 1939 · fighter
The IAR 80 was Romania's indigenous World War II fighter, a capable low-wing monoplane that compared favourably with contemporary European fighters at the time of its introduction. It was entirely designed and built in Romania, a notable achievement for a relatively small industrial nation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Romanian WWII radial-engine fighter
- Indigenous design competitive with early-war Western fighters
- Low-wing monoplane with large radial cowling
A conventional low-wing monoplane fighter with a large-diameter radial engine, broadly similar to the Hawker Hurricane in layout but with distinctly Romanian construction characteristics.
Specifications
- The IAR 80 has a length of 9 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 510 km/h (317 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1939, the IAR 80 entered service with the Royal Romanian Air Force in 1941 and flew on the Eastern Front alongside German forces. It performed creditably against Soviet opponents in the early war years but became increasingly outmatched as the war progressed and Soviet fighter technology advanced. Romania produced approximately 450 IAR 80 and related IAR 81 aircraft.
Variants
The IAR 80A, 80B, and 80C introduced progressively heavier armament; the IAR 81 was a fighter-bomber variant capable of carrying a bomb load. The IAR 81C carried 20 mm cannon.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Royal Romanian Air Force on the Eastern Front from 1941 to 1944; after Romania switched sides in August 1944, remaining aircraft flew briefly in defence of Romanian territory.
Related aircraft
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