Romanian Air Force
From Scramble - The Aviation Magazine
| Romanian Air Force Statul Major al Fortelor Aeriene | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Description | ||
| Motto | Per Aspera Ad Astra | |
| Established | 30 April 1913 | |
| Scramble website | Scramble's OrBat page | |
| Scramble individual a/c | Scramble database | |
Contents |
History
1945-1989
The "Aeronautica Regala Romana" - Royal Romanian Aeronautics, shortly ARR had some 1300 aircraft in 1945, at the end of the war. According to the peace treaty's, this force was drastically downsized to 150 combat aircraft and 100 training and auxiliary aircraft. Most pilots who had fought on the Eastern front (against USSR 1941-1944) were fired. The final reorganization came in summer 1947, when most of the war-time personnel was sent home, along with a further reduction to 75 fighter planes while its name was changed to "People's Republic of Romania Air Force". Until the late 40's the only armed "interceptor" was the Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6, both German and Romanian made (at IAR Brasov). It was complemented by Lavochkin La-9 fighters and Ilyushin Il-10 ground attackers, along with large numbers of Avia B-33 (Czechoslovak licensed Il-10). Trainers were also supplied (Po-2 and Yak-11), the new air force being organized according to the Soviet doctrine.
The first jet fighters (Yak-23 and Yak-17UTI) arrived in crates by train in 3 shipments in the summer of 1951. The first Romanian pilot to fly solo in a jet was Major Aurel Raican, commander of the 172 Fighter Regiment, on June 26, 1951 on the Yak-23 at Ianca. The next type to be delivered was the MiG-15, 10 examples of which were flown in by Soviet pilots at Ianca AB in 1952. Starting in 1953, large deliveries of MiG-15bis and S-102 (Czechoslovak licensed MiG-15) were made.
It should be mentioned that in the early 50's the best equipped units and most air bases were concentrated in the south-west part of the country (Caransebes, Craiova, Deveselu, Timisoara), as a direct result of the tensions between Tito's Yugoslavia and Stalin. Also during that period there was a number of defections to Yugoslavia (2 Bf-109G-6 on July 5, 1952 and a Yak-23 on June 24, 1953). The 109s were never returned - both ended up in service of the Yugoslav AF. The Yak-23 was returned, after being test-flown by both the Yugoslavs and subsequently by the US, at Wright-Patterson AFB.
The first radar-equipped fighter was the MiG-17PF, 12 of which arrived in flight to the 206 Regiment at Otopeni in 1955, with its less complex variant MiG-17F coming more than a year later, in December 1956. 1955 also saw the delivery of the first 4 Il-28U bombers, the first twin-engined jets in Romanian service. The first supersonic fighters were the MiG-19P and PM, which were delivered in 1958. They were the first planes in Romanian service equipped with rockets and missiles (unguided S-5 on P and radar guided AA-1 Alkali on the PM). Consequently, in the following years, the pilots participated in live fire exercises in the USSR with their new equipment. The MiG-19 was unpopular among the pilots, being considered very unstable and hard to fly. Around half of the airframes were lost or damaged in accidents. The bases which had Farmers were Deveselu, Giarmata (Timisoara) and Borcea (named Cocargeaua at the time). The last MiG-19s were withdrawn from use in 1974, at Deveselu.
A helicopter squadron was established in 1956 on Pipera airfield (near Bucharest) within the frame of the 108th Transport Regiment, flying 4 Mi-4s. The first one (#127) arrived on June 10, the first flights being made on August 25. In 1962 Mi-4s numbers increased to 7 and the first 2 SM-2s joined the unit, which was moved in Sept 1965 to Alexeni, becoming the 94th Helicopter Regiment with two full Squadrons (one of Mi-4s and one of SM-1 and SM-2s). Also in 1965, following the country's title change from "Popular" to "Socialist", the "People's Republic of Romania Air Force" was renamed "Military Aviation".
MiG-21's saga with the Romanian Air Force started in February 1962 when the first squadron of 12 MiG-21F-13 were flown in by Soviet pilots to Deveselu. The next delivery was on August 15, 1963 when a second squadron entered service with the 57 Regiment at Mihail Kogalniceanu. Once with the MiG-21F-13 came the first IR guided missiles - the R-3S (AA-2 Atoll). Subsequent variants of the MiG-21 were delivered over the span of a decade (1965-1975), forming the backbone of the air force. Almost all fighter pilots from the 70's until today flew the MiG-21 at one point or the other in their career. Some of its variants were renamed in Romanian inventory, as follows: PF became RFM, PFM became RFMM, but it was also called SPS by the maintainers, R was dubbed C (initial letter of the word "cercetare" which means reconnaissance in Romanian - for the same reason Il-28Rs were named Il-28C). Unlike most of its fellow socialist countries, Romania never received the bis variant.
In the aftermath of Romania's non-participation and high-level protest against the intervention in Czechoslovkia, relations with the USSR became tense so a decision was made in August 1968 to insure a certain degree of self-sufficiency by reviveing the national aeronautic industry trough both license-manufacturing (western) aircraft and indigenous designs. The first result was the IAR-316B Alouette III, which was produced from 1971 to 1987 at Ghimbav, near Brasov, 125 of the 200+ helicopters entering service with the Air Force. Assimilation of the IAR-330H Puma license came as a natural development in 1974. Starting in 1976, re-engineering with Turmo IV C and replacement of the metal blades by composite ones gave a new variant, the IAR-330L, 104 examples joining service with the AF. The need for a heavier helicopter translated into the purchase of Mi-8T (general purpose) and PS (VIP transport) starting from 1968. In 1977 the An-2 entered service for light transport, liaison and paratroopers training.
The IAR-93 was developed in cooperation with Yugoslavia as a ground attack plane destined to replace MiG-15s and 17s, thus avoiding the purchase of MiG-23BN or Su-22. First flight for the Romanian side was made on October 31, 1974 at Bacau with Colonel Gheorghe Stanica at the controls. The first batch (IAR-93A pre-series 1) was delivered in 1979 and entered service in 1981 with the 67th Regiment at Craiova, where all IAR-93s, except the first prototype were manufactured. Pre-series 2 aircraft, with improved airframe and systems entered service in 1982. Also in 1982, deliveries of the IAR-93 MB started. This variant was the definitive IAR-93B but with the non-afterburning engines of the IAR-93A. The delay in the development of the afterburners meant that the first flight of a IAR-93B (#200) took place only on July 12, 1984, deliveries of IAR-93B starting in 1987. In 1989 the 49th Regiment at Ianca received 10 IAR-93MBs.
On January 23, 1979 two MiG-23UB arrived at Mihail Kogalniceanu, the first flights being made exactly one month later. 12 MiG-23MFs arrived on May 19. Timisoara received the same number of planes, further deliveries increasing the number of planes in both regiments (57th and 93rd), which remained its only operators. The MiG-23 brought BVR capability (R-23R/T - AA-7 Apex) and guided munitions (Kh-23 - AS-7 Kerry B) to the units. Unlike all other fighters in the inventory, no overhaul facility was put in place for the Floggers, which had to be refurbished at the TEREM facility in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The first MiG-29s arrived also at Mihail Kogalniceanu, in December 1989 (MiG-29A # 41, 46 and MiG-29UB # 15, 23), with flights starting only in April 1990.
The IAR-99 trainer is a completely indigenous project, its first prototype (S-001) took to the skies on December 21 1985 with Lt-Col. Vagner Stefanel at the controls, from Craiova. On 25 October 1988 the first example (#701) was delivered, entering service with the 20th School Regiment at Boboc.
A program which didn't make it past the prototype stage was the IAR-317 Airfox, a light anti-tank helicopter developed on the basis of the Alouette III, from which it took the engine, tail assembly and landing gear. The fuselage was narrow, with a tandem 2 man cockpit, its weaponry including 2 conformal pods for a 7.62 mm machine gun with 800 rounds, positioned on the lower sides of the nose, 4 hardpoints for various types of gun pods, rocket pods and small bombs. Above the hardpoints it had rails for a total of 6 Maliutka ATGMs (AT-3 Sagger). Only one prototype (serial 01 white) was built and first flown in 1984. In June 1985 it participated at Le Bourget Airshow as a static exhibit (together with IAR-330L Puma YR-SPZ and IAR-831 Pelican YR-IGA). Only the front part of the helicopter is still to be found in a hangar at IAR Brasov.
Due to the economic downfall in the 80's an average pilot would get only 15-20 flight hours per year. The few fortunate ones from the fireing squads would get up to 100 hours/year (fireing squad = "grupa de tragere" in Romanian; each year a smal group of hand-picked pilots from one or two regiments were extensively trained to participate in the annual live fire exercises held in the USSR). This drastic deterioration of operational readiness (in all branches of the military), was brutally highlighted during the overthrow of the communist regime in December 1989. In the chaotic, fratricide fighting between 22 and 25 December, a number of helicopters were lost in friendly fire incidents (2 Pumas crashed, others, damaged, landed or crash-landed with wounded crews).
1990-2009
The period 1990-2004 is thoroughly described in Scramble's overview of the Romanian Air Force. One thing needs to be outlined: despite the tight budget, the funding was much better than in the period 1981-1989. It should be noted that in 1997 Aerostar Bacau assimilated the overhaul process of MiG-29s, a couple of airframes undergoing this process. Also in 1997 the first live AAM launches from MiG-29s occurred, over the Black Sea in the Capu Midia range.
In 2004 a C-130H (ex-Italian) was acquired and refurbished with the nav/com equipment upgraded in the USA. This C-130H, serialled 6191, arrived at Otopeni AB on 13 February 2007. 3 other C-130Bs will have the avionics upgraded to H standard at Romaero Bucharest, while #6150 received structural damage and is not going to fly again, being used as spare parts source.
In July 2005 Elbit was awarded a contract to upgrade 16 IAR-330 helicopters to IAR-330 M "Puma NATO" standard. They received the same avionics and warning/protection suite as the SOCAT, minus the weapons system. The electro-optical ball sensor in the nose was replaced by an advanced radar with terrain-following mode. In January 2007, the first 2 upgraded IAR-330 M Puma (# 34, 81) landed at Otopeni. Known serials of the upgraded helicopters are: 02, 11, 21, 34, 68, 71, 75, 77, 80, 81, 87, 92, 93, 97 and 106 - with 11, 75, 92 and 106 also equipped for medevac duties. It should be noted that serials 03 (crashed) and 40, despite their appearance, are not the M version, just VIP-modified L versions, with a simple weather radar mounted in the nose in a radome identical to the one on Puma M.
On 1 December 2005 the last 7 L-29 (nicknamed "Gentle Ben") were retired from service. Some examples were sold to civilian customers in the USA, most are in storage at Boboc and Ianca. More than half of the L-39s were also sold and registered to American customers. The type was retired sometimes between September 2007 and July 2008. Not so lucky, some of the unmodernized MiG-21s and IAR-93s stored at Craiova were already scrapped.
On 26 July 2007 the An-24 was officially retired from service, the last one (# 5024) making a low level pass over Otopeni AB.
In December 2006 the Alenia C-27J Spartan was chosen as replacement for the An-24/26 fleet, 7 examples being on order. The first should have been delivered in December 2008. It was seen for the first time in July 2009, being presented by Alenia at the open day event at Otopeni, notably lacking the self protection suite sensors. Two aircraft were finally delivered on 12 April 2010 and are currently used for training; they have not been officially accepted into service because they are not yet in the final configuration as per contract requirements (still lacking the self protection suite and possibly other items). A third aircraft should be delivered later in 2010, with two each slated to arrive in 2011 and 2012.
Foreign operations
This section deals with the deployments of the Romanian Air Force in real missions abroad. Therefore exercises, humanitarian aid delivery and good-will visits are not included.
Operation "Sirius" (Angola 1981-1982)
The first foreign deployment of the Air Force after WWII took place from February 1981 to December 1982 in Negoge, Angola, its objective being the training of Angolan AF personnel, under the command of Gen. Aurel Niculescu. 140 military and 10 civilians participated, along with 12 IAR-823 light training aircraft, 6 IAR-316B Alouette III light helicopters and 6 BN-2 Islander aircraft (all manufactured in Romania). A fatal crash occurred on July 6 1981, when a Romanian instructor and an Angolan trainee died on board an IAR-823.
Operation "Enduring Freedom" (Afghanistan 2002-present day)
The main Romanian Air Force asset deployed were the C-130s, used for ferrying Romanian troops and their supplies to and from the theater of operations. The first flight of a Romanian Hercules (# 6166) to Kabul took place on 28 January 2002. Sometimes An-26 were used for light loads.
Operation "Iraqi Freedom" (Iraq 2003-2009)
Apart from the C-130s and An-26, used in the same role as in Afghanistan, the Romanian Air Force deployed a number of Shadow 600 reconnaissance UAVs in support of coalition forces. The drones were based on an airfield in eastern Iraq since summer 2003. They flew 3000 hours in 800 sorties, three being lost because of the difficult operating evironment.
Mission "Althea" (Bosnia-Hertzegovina 2005-2006)
Between 4 January 2005 and 5 January 2006, 4 Puma SOCAT and 42 people were detached to Banja Luka, their mission consisting of transport, aerial reconnaissance, SAR and MEDEVAC duties. Detachment Alpha came home on 11 July 2005, after being replaced by detachment Bravo, both detachments having the same number of personnel. The 4 helicopters (# 38, 61, 62, 79) remained in place for the whole year.
"Baltica '07" (Lithuania 2007)
It was Romania's turn to provide air defence for Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia from 01 August until 01 November 2007. For this 4 MiG-21 LanceR C (# 6105, 6203, 6499, 6518) and 67 personnel from 711st Squadron based at Campia Turzii were deployed at Zokinai AB/ Siauliai IAP, in Lithuania. The leader of the detachment was Cpt-cdr Laurentiu Chirita.
Aircraft Types
Current types
Note: The figures between (...) indicate the total number of airframes acquired, not the number of airframes currently operational !
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Combat/training aircraft:
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Transport aircraft:
Reconnaissance aircraft:
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Helicopters:
Training aircraft:
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Future types
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Types operated in the past
Note: The figures between (...) indicate the total number of airframes acquired.
Weapons Types
Current types
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Air to Air missiles:
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Air to Ground, guided:
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Air to Ground, unguided:
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Types used in the past
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Air to Air missiles and rockets:
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Air to Ground, guided:
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Air to Ground, unguided:
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Paint schemes, serials, roundels
Paint schemes/camouflage
The combat and training jet aircraft, starting from Yak-17UTI/23 up to the MiG-21 MF/UM, including the Il-28 and L-29/39 were bare metal/aluminium overall. In the second half of the 80's most Fishbeds were painted in two shades of light gray, as follows: The MiG-21 PFM, as well as some MiG-21 US and most L-29 had a whiter gray (light gull gray for modellers), while on the MiG-17, MiG-21 PF, M, MF, U, UM, R and L-39 it was darker (light ghost gray). L-29s had parts of the airframe painted red (nose, wingtips, tail tip, stabilizer tips and a vertical band around the aft fuselage). L-39s had the same parts painted yelow, minus the fuselage band. Both had the upper nose painted black to avoid sun glare.
MiG-23s were light gray overall on delivery, most of them being camouflaged in the second half of the 80's: those from the 57th Reg. at Mihail Kogalniceanu in green with dark yellow/light tan stripes/spots on the upper surface and sides, wile those from the 93rd Reg. at Giarmata had basically two types of camo - either a two-tone dark green/brown or a four-tone dark/light green, brown and tan. The underside was light gray or light blue. IAR-93/99s were originally camouflaged with green and dark yellow (mustard) in a 1:1 ratio. Some IAR-93s received later a camouflage consisting of dark green/brown/sand stripes. MiG-29s had the typical Soviet/Russian camouflage: light green and light gray on top, light gray underside.
During the 60's and 70's the helicopters (Mi-4/8, SM-1/2, IAR-316/330) had a dark green camouflage with light blue underside. Mi-8s received in the 80's the typical Warsaw Pact green/sand camo, while in the 90's some received an attractive four-tone camouflage (light/dark brown/green). Alouettes and Pumas had large spots of sand and brown applied over the green background in the late 70's-early 80's. The underside color ranged from light grey to light blue. During the second half of the 90's some Pumas and Alouettes received a dark grey camo overall (the exception is Puma #51, which is in light grey overall).
Puma SOCAT received a typical wraparound camouflage consisting of 2 shades of green and dark yellow. Classic Pumas overhauled in the early-mid 2000's received the SOCAT camouflage, while all Alouette III still in service (used for school duties) received during the same period a similar paint scheme to the SOCAT - minus the belly, which remained in light blue. The 16 IAR-330s upgraded to Puma NATO standard will also have the SOCAT camouflage.
Serials
Serials for all combat aircraft and jet trainers were worn on both sides of the front fuselage/nose, from the Yak-23 to the MiG-23, trough L-29/39s and IAR-93/99s. MiG-29s had them on the sides of the intakes.
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One digit serials
Two digit serials
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Three digit serials
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Four digit serials
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Serials were red outlined in white for aluminium/light gray aircraft and white outlined in red for the aircraft with dark paint scheme (camouflaged MiG-23s and IAR-93/99s). A few camouflaged MiG-23s from Giarmata were the exceptions, having serials red outlined in white or only the white outline. Il-28/H-5s also had the serial, besides the nose positioning, on the tail. On delivery, the Yak-23/-17UTI had blue serials without the white outline.
All helicopters had white serials (2-3 digits), placed on both sides of the tail boom.
MiG-21s upgraded to the LanceR standard kept their serials, but these are much smaller, written in black and worn in 8 places: upper side of the nose, base of the tail and topside/underside of the aillerons. Puma SOCAT, as well as Pumas and Alouettes overhauled after the mid 90's have black serials. IAR-99s which have the new black/green paint scheme wear the 3 digit white serial on the rear fuselage (regardless if Standard or Soim variant).
Transport aircraft (An-24/26/30, C-130) had black serials from delivery, in 4 positions - nose and tail. An-2 and IAR-823 had white serials on the rear fuselage.
Roundels
All jets and helicopters had the old star-shaped roundel from delivery until the mid 80's. On aircraft it was typically worn in 6 places: on the sides of the tail, on the sides of the rear fuselage and under the wings. MiG-23s, L-39s and IAR-93s were the exceptions, they had the star roundel in the same places as the present-day roundel, which was (re)introduced from 1984 and is also worn in 6 positions: on the tail and both on top and under the wings. Most helicopters have the roundels in 3 places: both sides of the rear fuselage and on the belly, while Pumas also wear a fourth roundel on top of the main rotor fairing (visible only from above).
Unique airplanes
- MiG-21PFM #8006 Nicknamed "parrot", it was used to test the paintscheme of the future LanceR A/B, it received its camo in 1995.
- MiG-21PFM #8102 The only PFM with 4 wing pylons, the modification was made at Bacau in the 80's.
- MiG-29C #53 The only "fatback" Fulcrum operated by a East-European country (outside the fromer USSR). It was acquired in 1992 from Moldova, where it had the number 01 white.
Units
Current units
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71st Air Base (Campia Turzii) Position: 46°30'N 23°53'E Altitude: 320 meters above the sea level 4 Squadrons: 711 Sqn. (air to air) MiG-21 LanceR C 712 Sqn. (air to ground) MiG-21 LanceR A 713 Sqn. IAR-330L/M Puma 714 Sqn. IAR-330L Puma detached at Timisoara
Position: 46°31'N 26°54'E Altitude: 180 meters above the sea level 3 Squadrons: 951 Sqn. MiG-21 LanceR A 205 Sqn. MiG-21 LanceR B 953 Sqn. IAR-330L Puma
Position: 44°33'N 26°05'E Altitude: 90 meters above the sea level 5 Squadrons: 901 Sqn. Strategic Transport C-130B/H Hercules 902 Sqn. Tactical Transport/ Photo An-26/30, C-27J 903 Sqn. Transport Helicopters IAR-330L/M Puma 904 Sqn. Attack Helicopters IAR-330 Puma SOCAT 905 Sqn. Attack Helicopters IAR-330 Puma SOCAT |
86th Air Base (Fetesti) Position: 44°23'N 27°43'E Altitude: 50 meters above the sea level 3 Squadrons: 861 Sqn. MiG-21 LanceR C 862 Sqn. MiG-21 LanceR A 863 Sqn. IAR-330L Puma detached at Mihail Kogalniceanu
Position: 45°13'N 26°57'E Altitude: 115 meters above the sea level 4 Squadrons: 201 Sqn. Yakovlev Yak-52 202 Sqn. Antonov An-2 203 Sqn. IAR-99 Standard 204 Sqn. IAR-99 C Soim 206 Sqn. IAR-316B Alouette III |
Disbanded units
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19th Liaison School Group (Focsani)
Position: 45°40'N 27°11'E Altitude: 45 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2002 Last operated type: Yakovlev Yak-52
Position: 45°09'N 26°48'E Altitude: 90 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2002 Last operated types: Antonov An-2 IAR-316B Alouette III
Position: 45°09'N 27°25'E Reserve (grass) airstrip at Viziru Altitude: 35 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2001 Last operated type: IAR-99 Standard
Position: 44°21'N 28°29'E Altitude: 95 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: April 2004 Last operated types: MiG-21 Lancer A/B IAR-330 Puma MiG-29 (until August 2002) MiG-23 (until August 1998)
Position: 45°47'N 24°06'E Altitude: 435 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2003 Last operated types: IAR-330 Puma IAR-316B Alouette III
Position: 43°59'N 28°36'E Altitude: 45 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2001 Last operated types: IAR-330 Puma IAR-316B Alouette III
Position: 45°51'N 27°24'E Altitude: 60 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 01 May 2001 Last operated type: IAR-316B Alouette III
Position: 44°38'N 25°36'E Altitude: 145 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 31 August 2004 Last operated types: IAR-330 Puma IAR-330 Puma SOCAT
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67th Fighter-Bomber Group (Craiova) Position: 44°18'N 23°53'E Altitude: 190 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2002 Last operated types: IAR-99 Standard IAR-93 (until April 1998)
Position: 45°25'N 22°14'E Altitude: 245 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: December 2001 Last operated type: IAR-330 Puma
Position: 44°04'N 24°24'E Altitude: 85 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2002 Last operated types: MiG-21 M/MF/UM MiG-21 PFM/US (until 1999)
Position: 45°48'N 21°19'E Altitude: 105 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 31 August 2004 Last operated types: MiG-21 Lancer A/B MiG-23 (until September 2001) MiG-21R (until 1998)
Position: 44°42'N 26°43'E Altitude: 55 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2001 Last operated type: Mil Mi-8T
Position: 44°22'N 24°59'E Altitude: 152 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 1959 Last operated types: Avia S-102, CS-102
Position: 46°46'N 23°41'E Altitude: 310 meters above the sea level Date disbanded: 2001 Last operated type: IAR-316B Alouette III |
Images
 MiG-21UM 6946 landing at Fetesti in the late 80's - this plane crashed on 20 April 1989 killing pilot and writer Doru Davidovici |
 Yak-52 of the 19th Group from Focsani during the flight display at ROIAS 2001 - 25 august at Mihail Kogalniceanu |
 Low speed, high alpha pass of a MiG-29 from the 57th Group at ROIAS 2001, pilot Cmdr. Valer "Muri" Muresan |
 L-29 of the 20th Group from Boboc lands at Fetesti after the flight display at ROIAS 2001 airshow |
 MiG-23MF of the 93rd Group from Timisoara on the ramp at Fetesti, prepared for a sortie at ROIAS, 26 August 2001 |
 MiG-21MF-75 LanceR C 6807 at Belgian Kleine Brogel on 20 July 2005 |
 An-26 810 provided support for MiG-21s at the Kleine Brogel spotters day in 2005 |
 MiG-21 LanceR A, C and B line-up at Fetesti AB on 1 December 2006, prior to the National Day flypast |
More information
- Romanian Naval Aviation, an article about the recent re-establishment of the naval air arm and the Puma Naval helicopter
- Romanian Military Aircraft Roundels, an article on the markings of Romanian Military Aircraft.
- IAR-99, an article about the Romanian made jet trainer.
- IAR-823, an article about the Romanian made basic trainer.
- IAR-822, article about the Romanian built agricultural plane who's trainer version briefly served with the Air Force
External links
- Romanian Air Force - Official site
- Romanian Air Force in the 1989 Revolution
- mig-21.de - details about Fishbeds in Romanian service
- ejection-history Detailed list of Romanian AF accidents after WW2 (jets, helicopters and prop driven)
- pilotmig.com
- Romanian Cold War Defections
Sources
- Top Gun special Romania magazine ISSN 1454-0436
- Romanian Air Force article by Paul van der Linden in Scramble 307
- Observatorul Militar - official Romanian Armed Forces magazine
- Orizont Aviatic magazine
- http://www.paulnann.com - one of the sources for the image gallery
