WW2 Romanian Aircraft Colors

The aviation division of the Royal Romanian armed forces during the Second World War was officially known as the Aeronautica Regală Română, or the Romanian Royal Aeronautics, though it's commonly referred to in English records as the Royal Romanian Air Force (FARR), or simply the Romanian Air Force. It assisted ground forces, engaging in reconnaissance and launching air attacks among other tasks.

Brief History of the Royal Romanian Air Force

The establishment of the FARR dates back to January 1, 1924, succeeding the former Romanian Air Corps.

During World War II, the FARR confronted the Royal Hungarian Air Force prior to the Hungarian annexation of Northern Transylvania in 1940. Following Hungarian intrusions into Romanian airspace, the 51st Fighter Squadron of the 1st Fighter Flotilla, equipped with Heinkel He 112 aircraft, was deployed to Cluj on the Someșeni airfield to reinforce the 2nd Fighter Flotilla, which operated older PZL P.11 fighters. On August 28, 1940, a Heinkel piloted by Lieutenant Nicolae Polizu-Micșunești downed a Hungarian Caproni Ca.135 near Berveni.

Throughout the Second World War, the FARR collaborated with the Luftwaffe during the advance into Ukraine and Crimea, until the Battle of Stalingrad, when the Southern Luftwaffe Command was established in Bucharest. It also conducted reconnaissance and patrol missions over the Black Sea alongside Bulgarian units. The FARR was responsible for defending the Ploiești oil installations and Bucharest against Allied air raids, and safeguarding Axis convoys in the Black Sea. These units engaged the USAAF and RAF during their assaults on Romania.

The FARR operated aircraft from Germany and Italy, along with their own and other foreign planes, as well as captured enemy aircraft. Primary fighter aircraft models included the PZL P.24F, Hawker Hurricane, Heinkel He 112, Messerschmitt Bf 109E and G variants, Messerschmitt Bf 110, IAR 80, and IAR 81. Luftwaffe interceptor units were also stationed in the region.

Following the coup d'état on August 23, 1944, Romania switched sides, aligning with the Soviet Air Forces to combat German and Hungarian forces in Transylvania and Slovakia. In initial clashes with the Germans over Bucharest, the FARR claimed 22 German aircraft shot down, including three Me 323 Gigant, and destroyed five other aircraft on the ground while suffering losses of four Romanian aircraft in the air and 30 on the ground. Between September 4, 1944, and the war's end, they claimed 101 enemy aircraft in battle, at the cost of 30 of their own.

1st Air Corps

The 1st Air Corps was established on January 1, 1943, evolving from the Air Combat Group. It served as the primary Romanian air unit on the Eastern Front. After Romania switched sides in August 1944, the 1st Air Corps provided air support to the Romanian and Soviet armies in Transylvania, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia.

The Air Combat Group, formed in mid-June 1941, was the main FARR unit for Operation Barbarossa. Subordinate to the Air Combat Group were the 1st and 2nd Fighter Flotillas, the 1st and 2nd Bombardment Flotillas, and the 2nd Guard Aviation Flotilla. During the campaign, it operated approximately 253 combat aircraft.

Engaged in battles for Bessarabia and the Siege of Odesa, Air Combat Group pilots conducted over 800 missions, claiming over 250 aircraft in battle while losing 16 fighter aircraft. After the 1941 campaign, the group was disbanded and then reestablished under the command of General Ermil Gheorghiu. In October 1942, it was decided that the group would closely collaborate with Luftwaffe units of Luftflotte 4, escorting German bombers attacking Stalingrad.

Operating from airfields in Tatsinskaya and Morozovskaya, Air Combat Group units supported German and Romanian armies with bombing, reconnaissance, and fighter cover missions during the Battle of Stalingrad. Following the evacuation of Tatsinskaya, units moved back to Romania, redeploying to Novocherkassk in December 1942.

On January 1, 1943, the group was reorganized as the 1st Air Corps. The corps continued retreating to Melitopol, Odesa, Tiraspol, and Mykolaiv, replenishing losses suffered at Stalingrad. Fighter units began transitioning to the Bf 109G, while bombardment units converted to Ju 88 bombers, and reconnaissance units switched to Ju 88D-1 aircraft. By June 1943, the corps became operational again, moving headquarters to Mariupol and flying combat missions on the southern Eastern Front.

Throughout the autumn and winter of 1943, bombardment units supported German and Romanian units on various fronts, while reconnaissance squadrons conducted extensive missions. By early 1944, the 1st Air Corps had weakened due to battle losses and was forced to retreat in the face of Soviet advances, eventually falling back to Bessarabia. Despite plans for further corps establishment, only the 3rd Air Corps was formed and replaced the exhausted 1st Corps on the frontline.

By August 23, both air corps were deployed within Romania to defend its territory. The 3rd Air Corps fought against German units in the Slobozia region, while the 1st Air Corps fought in the Buzău region. On October 25, 1944, the 3rd Air Corps merged with the 3rd Air Region, leaving the 1st Air Corps as the only major air unit on the front.

Transferred to the command of the Soviet 5th Air Army on September 9, the 1st Air Corps conducted missions in support of Romanian and Soviet armies. By October 25, it consisted of 14 squadrons with around 176 aircraft. In preparation for the final offensive in Czechoslovakia, Air Corps units were reinforced, and by May 18, 1945, after completing numerous missions, the 1st Air Corps contributed to the destruction of around 176 Axis aircraft.

During the summer of 1945, aircraft from the 1st Air Corps participated in air shows in Bratislava and Wiener Neustadt before returning to Romania between July and August.

Camouflage of Romanian Aviation in World War II

Prior to the outbreak of World War II, Romania procured aircraft from Germany, Poland, France, Canada, and Italy. Most imported aircraft retained their original camouflage.

For instance, German fighters such as the He 112 were either entirely gray or green, while Messerschmitt Bf-109E planes sported the original green German camouflage. However, later variants like the Messerschmitt Bf-109G featured the two-tone gray German camouflage introduced in 1941. Bombers like the He 111 and Junkers Ju 87 also retained their original green German camouflage.

Fighters and bombers acquired from Britain were painted in original MAP shades according to the Temperate Land Scheme introduced in 1938. Savoia 79 planes supplied from Italy were also painted in original Italian colors.

Aircraft of Polish manufacture also maintained their original Polish paint scheme. However, aircraft built in Romania (whether domestically designed or produced under license) were painted in the original Romanian camouflage scheme. Nonetheless, there was a nuance here; from 1939 to 1941, Romania procured paint from Britain, which closely matched British shades: Dark Earth, Dark Green, and Sky Blue. However, after Romania joined the Axis in World War II, importation became impossible, and Romania began purchasing paint from Herbig Haarhaus in Germany. The camouflage scheme also changed; the upper surfaces became solid green, while the lower surfaces, though still blue, had their shade altered.

It's worth noting the marking and identification of FARR aircraft. In the spring of 1941, like all Axis countries operating on the Eastern Front, Romanian aircraft received yellow wingtips, fuselage bands, and engine cowlings. Later, the upper part of the engine cowlings was painted in camouflage colors for better concealment. However, this did not apply to the IAR-80 and 81 fighters primarily engaged in intercepting Allied bombers.

In September 1944, after Romania switched sides to the Allies, the yellow identification markings were promptly removed, as were the Michael crosses. Tri-color cockades were introduced instead of Michael crosses, and instead of yellow markings, aircraft received similar white elements: engine cowlings, fuselage bands, and wingtips.

Color Standards of FARR Camouflage

As mentioned earlier, the Romanian Air Force operated a variety of aircraft types procured from different countries, each retaining its original paint scheme. German-supplied aircraft were painted according to RLM standards. English aircraft were painted in original MAP shades. Polish aircraft were painted in standard PWS and PZL colors, which differed slightly in shades from each other.

Regarding Romanian aircraft built in Brașov at the IAR factory, until 1941, they were painted in original English MAP shades. However, starting from 1941 until the end of World War II, they switched to the RLM export colors supplied from Germany.