IBG – 72570 – I.A.R. 81C Great Air Battles of 1944

Description:

Second release in the IBG series devoted to IAR 80 Romanian WWII fighter aircraft, this time for a late war model, IAR 81C, the last production variant of the aircraft.

The 81C received new guns, Mauser MG 151/20, from German surplus, as they were replaced by newer models in 1944. The 81c had a weapons configuration of 2 x 7.92mm machine guns + 2 x 20mm Mauser MG 151/20 guns. Some older airframes upgraded to this configuration, under IAR 80M or IAR 81M designation.

This release include 4 markings, dated 1944, a year were the Romanian Air Force and the IAR 80s had to face the USAAF, including B-17 and B-24 bombers, P-38s and P-51s. The IAR 80s losses mounted, but their performance was always good, keeping a positive ratio of kills/losses during the USAAF campaign.

By the end of 1944 the IAR 80s were replaced in favor of Bf 109Gs.