The IAR 80 Plane of the Month

The IAR 80 was a Romanian World War II low-wing, monoplane, all-metal monocoque fighter and ground-attack aircraft. When it first flew, in 1939, it was comparable to contemporary designs such as the German Messerschmitt Bf 109B, the British Hawker Hurricane Mk.I, and the American Curtiss P-40B/Tomahawk Mk.I and superior to the Dutch Fokker D.XXI and Polish PZL P.24. Production problems and lack of available armament delayed entry of the IAR 80 into service until 1941. It remained in front-line use until 1944.

General characteristics

Crew: one, pilot

Length: 8.97 m (29 ft 5 in)

Wingspan: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)

Height: 3.535 m (11 ft 7 in)

Wing area: 17 m² (183 ft²)

Empty weight: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 2980 kg (6,570 lb)

Powerplant: 1 × IAR K14-1000A air-cooled 14-cylinder double-row radial, 764 kW (1,025 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 560 km/h (300 knots, 347 mph) at 7,000 m (at 22,965 ft) fully loaded with bomb attached

Range: 730 km (394 nm, 454 mi) on internal fuel only; 1330 km (718 nm, 826 mi) with extra fuel tanks

Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,800 ft)

Wing loading: 132.35 kg/m² (27.1 lb/ft²)

Armament

Guns: 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and 4 × 7.92 mm FN machine guns mounted in the inner portion of the wing

Bombs: one 225 kg (500 lb) bomb under the fuselage