Royal Romanian Air Force

Royal Romanian Air Force
The Air Force branch of the Royal Romanian forces in World War II was officially named the (ARR), or the Romanian Royal Aeronautics, though it is more commonly referred to in English histories as the (Royal Romanian Air Force, FARR), or simply (Romanian Air Force). It provided support to land forces, carrying out reconnaissance and mounting air raids between other missions.
Insignia
The roundel of the ARR was based on the national cockade of Romania. During World War Two, from 1941 to 1944, the national cockade was reduced in size and placed in the center of a four-M cross, the seal of King Michael I of Romania. These crosses came in different types and sizes as there was no standard model. The markings were placed on the fuselage as well as on the upper and lower wings, and the national colours were painted on the tail. According to Axis regulations, the engine cowling, the under-surfaces of the wingtips and a vertical band on the fuselage ahead of the tail were painted in yellow. After Romania joined the Allies, the crosses were changed back to the tricolor roundels on the fuselage and wings, and the yellow markings were painted white as "Allied identification markings".
History
Before the war
The ARR was first established on 1 January 1924 from the previous Romanian Air Corps.
The Royal Romanian Air Force fought against the Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierö (Royal Hungarian Air Force) before the Hungarian annexation of Northern Transylvania in 1940. Following some Hungarian incursions into Romanian airspace, the 51st Fighter Squadron of 1st Fighter Flotilla equipped with Heinkel He 112 aircraft was brought to Cluj on the Someșeni airfield to supplement the 2nd Fighter Flotilla equipped with the older PZL P.11 fighters. On 28 August 1940, a Heinkel flown by Lieutenant Nicolae Polizu-Micșunești shot down a Hungarian Caproni Ca.135 near Săcueni.
World War II
During the Second World War, the ARR fought alongside the Luftwaffe during the advance into Ukraine and Crimea, until the Battle of Stalingrad, when the Southern Luftwaffe Command was installed in Bucharest. It also carried out some reconnaissance and patrol missions over the Black Sea alongside Bulgarian units. The ARR was tasked with the air defence of the Ploiești oil installations, and also Bucharest against Allied air raids, and to protect Axis convoys in the Black Sea. These units fought against the USAAF and RAF during their raids against Romania.
The ARR flew aircraft from Germany and Italy, with their own and other foreign aircraft, as well as captured enemy aircraft. The main models of fighter aircraft used include the PZL P.24F, Hawker Hurricane, Heinkel He 112, Messerschmitt 109E and G types, Messerschmitt 110 (for night defence), IAR 80 and IAR 81 were also used. Luftwaffe interceptor units were also deployed in the area.
1944–1945
After King Michael's Coup, Romania turned against the Axis. The ARR, now allied with the Soviet Air Forces fought against German and Hungarian forces in Transylvania and Slovakia. During initial combat with the Germans over Bucharest, the ARR claimed 22 German aircraft shot down, including three Me 323 Gigant, and a further five destroyed on the ground, while losses amounted to four Romanian aircraft in the air and 30 on the ground. Between 4 September 1944 and the end of the war, 101 enemy aircraft were claimed in battle to the loss of 30 aircraft. A Soviet Yak-3 which engaged two Romanian Bf 109s together with another Yak-3, was also shot down on 4 May 1945. The victory was not officially credited in Romanian documents.
Romanian Air Aces
Horia Agarici
Mihai (Leu) Romanescu
Constantin Cantacuzino
Cristea Chirvăsuță
Ioan Dicezare
Alexandru Șerbănescu
Dan Valentin Vizanty
Structure
Corpul 2° Aerian, Luftflotte 4, South Russia Front, Winter of 1943-44.
Corpul 1° Aerian, Cioara-Dolcesti, Romania August 1944; under orders of Luftwaffe, Luftflotte Kommando 4 with commands in Debrecen, Hungary.
Fighter units
1st Fighter Group
41st Fighter Squadron
42nd Fighter Squadron
2nd Fighter Group
45th Fighter Squadron
46th Fighter Squadron
5th Fighter Group
10th Fighter Squadron - 51st Fighter Squadron from October 1939
11th Fighter Squadron - 52nd Fighter Squadron from October 1939
6th Fighter Group
62nd Fighter Squadron
63rd Fighter Squadron
7th Fighter Group
53rd Fighter Squadron
57th Fighter Squadron
8th Fighter Group - from 1941 - 1943
59th Fighter Squadron
60th Fighter Squadron
9th Fighter Group
47th Fighter Squadron
48th Fighter Squadron
1st Night Fighter Squadron
Bomber units
1st Bomber Group
2nd Bomber Group
3rd Bomber/Dive Bomber Group
4th Bomber Group
5th Bomber Group
6th Bomber / Dive Bomber Group
8th Assault Group - formed from the 8th Fighter Group
41st Assault Squadron - ex-41st Fighter Squadron
42nd Assault Squadron - ex-42nd Fighter Squadron
60th Assault Squadron - ex-60th Fighter Squadron
18th Light Bomber Squadron
Reconnaissance Units
1st Long Range Recon Group
1st Long Range Recon Squadron
2nd Long Range Recon Squadron
3rd Long Range Recon Squadron
4th Long Range Recon Squadron
2nd Guard Aviation Flotilla
1st Guard Group
2nd Guard Group
Transport Units
Air Transport Group
105th Transport Squadron
106th Transport Squadron
107th Transport Squadron
108th Light Transport Squadron - known as ("White Squadron")
109th Glider Transport Squadron
Liaison Units
111th, 112th, 113th, 115th, 116th Liaison Squadrons
Aircraft companies
Arsenalul Aeronautic, 1919-1939, Bucharest
Astra Aircraft Factory, 1923-1925, Arad
Societatea Pentru Exploatări Tehnice (SET), 1923-1946, Bucharest
Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR), 1925-1947 (re-established in 1968), Brașov
Întreprinderea de Construcții Aeronautice Românești (ICAR), 1932-1951, Bucharest
Aircraft constructed under foreign license or assembled
Messerschmitt Bf 109G (62 109Ga-6 converted from Ga-4 kits, 49 109Ga-2 and 13 109Ga-4 assembled by IAR between 1943 and 1948)
SM.79B (36 IAR JRS-79B and 31 JRS-79B1 built by IAR)
Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (80 ordered from ICAR)
PZL P.24E (50 examples built by IAR)
PZL P.11f (80 examples built by IAR)
Potez 25 (built under license by IAR)
Enemy aircraft interned or captured
As a result of the Soviet Invasion of Poland, a large number of Polish Air Force aircraft were interned in Romania. Also, some Soviet aircraft were captured during World War II, as well as a few American B-24 Liberator bombers.
Aircraft of RRAF
Aircraft manufactured in Romania from 1924 until the end of World War II
All of the aircraft listed below were completed before the end of World War II. Prototypes are omitted from the list. Unless specified otherwise, all aircraft machine guns have the caliber of 7.92 mm:
Aircraft Markings
Notes
References
Bibliography
Further reading
External links
Official site of the Romanian Air Force
Romanian Air Force
Military history of Romania during World War II