The IAR 80 and the IAR 81 in ultimate detail, Wydawnictwo Stratus

Indeed, it has something for everyone, including engineers.
A book worth buying it.
A photo that is available in Google Images that shows what was left from number 411 after crash landing (with two Soviet soldiers examining it) could be a good addition for the second edition.
What I find interesting in that photo is the fact that the "skin" was ripped of from the first half of the plane, but the internal components are still there: the fuel tank, the engine, the structural network of tubes etc.
Honestly, from that photo I learned the location of the fuel tank. Interesting idea to have the fuel tank right above the center of pressure of the wing. This means that the resultant of the total weight of airplane does not change position versus the resultant of lift, while the tank is depleted of fuel. Also the engine protects it from frontal hits, and some components and structural parts give some protection against below hits. What I feel as a very big NO is the location right in front of the cockpit. When set on fire, could have become a flame thrower targeting the pilot seat.

Florin,
I obtained the photo of 411, at good resolution, from the owner (source is credited proprly) long before it was released on the internet. That is why, unlike Google Images, in the book you will find the name of the airman and his unit as well as the story. Soon after the plane crash-landed, the airfield was occupied by the Russians who vandalised it (souvenir hunters).

The fuel tank is usually placed on or around the centre of gravity on planes, usually near the wings, so that as the fuel is expended there is no major shift in the balance and no need to constantly trim the plane. Planes that have the fuel tank ahead of the pilot include the Spitfire, Hurricane, Me 262 (actually also had a fuel tank behind the pilot) and others. Is that "dangerous"? Years ago there was a discussion on another forum about the use of hydrazine on the F-16 EPU and how that is "dangerous if not handled right". The response from a pilot was "the F-16 can kill you in a thousand ways if not handled right, hydrazine us just one of them". The same applies here: leaking fuel is only one of the many ways a pilot is exposed to harm.

Believe it or not, gasoline is not that easy to ignite with bullets. Google "Mythbusters shooting fuel tanks". In air warfare they use "incendiary rounds", and when that hits it makes no difference where the tank is.

Radu

Does this mean Telford, Pennsylvania, USA ?

Florin

Does this mean Telford, Pennsylvania, USA ?

Florin

I mean the "original" Telford, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
Every year, on Rememberance weekend, Telford is home to the largest scale-model show in the world. Www.smwshow.com
People from all over the world come there. It is the place where "future projects" are discussed and agreed. One gets a chance to meet historians, veterans , researchers, designers, businessmen.
Radu

I mean the "original" Telford, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
Every year, on Rememberance weekend, Telford is home to the largest scale-model show in the world. Www.smwshow.com
People from all over the world come there. It is the place where "future projects" are discussed and agreed. One gets a chance to meet historians, veterans , researchers, designers, businessmen.
Radu

Telford, Pennsylvania is within my reach.
The "original" Telford isn't.
I am sorry to miss your book launching . . . and the chance to get the author's signature on the book.

This post has been edited by Florin on November 03, 2014 12:25 am

The design of fuel tank position ( upper in the front) is similar with other planes of the time ( 1938) like Hawker Hurricane. And because of that IAR pilots ( like Hurricane pilots) were face and hand burned when hit in the fuel tank.
The germans found the solution for Bf 109 of fuel tank position back under the seat. Also the polish designed the PZL fighters with the choice of fuel tank eject when set on fire.

The design of fuel tank position ( upper in the front) is similar with other planes of the time ( 1938) like Hawker Hurricane. And because of that IAR pilots ( like Hurricane pilots) were face and hand burned when hit in the fuel tank.
The germans found the solution for Bf 109 of fuel tank position back under the seat. Also the polish designed the PZL fighters with the choice of fuel tank eject when set on fire.

Thank you, it confirms my point.
The surrounding air flowing from front to rear is carrying the flames from tank (in front) to cockpit and pilot's seat (in the rear of the tank), like a real flame thrower.
This is not due to "Dupa război, multi viteji se-arată" / "After the war is over, many heroes suddenly appear" or related to Columbus' egg fable.
If I would have lived in those times, with what was known in those times, I would not have done that as designer.
Peacetime burn deaths among Romanian airplane pilots were happening at least from the 1920's.
When my grandfather was military aviation student in late 1920's, he lost two close friends at two weeks in between. According to his words, one of them was so burned that this body shrank to the size of a puppy. And those were the days of wood and canvas biplanes . . .
He was actually so marked by those deaths that he quit aviation and enlisted in a mountain unit.

This post has been edited by Florin on November 04, 2014 12:16 am

War planes are dangerous weapons. Knowing that your sword has a sharp edge that cuts everything, including you, makes you treat it with respect.
Radu

The book was launched in Telford last week-end and it went very well. I kept going back to the publisher's stand for restock. The book is a limited edition, so if it keeps going like this, soon it will be "hard to find".
The book is hardback, A4, 368 pages. It is available here: http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_p...products_id=471
Radu

Other's books aren't in limited editions, they are available in bookshops for years.

Good books are the one you can not find anymore in the bookshops.

There is a massive difference between a book that is "always in print" and a book that is "always on the shelf".
The book is going well. You better hurry if you want one.
Radu

Ordered off Radubstore. I hope it's not of nuisance, but Radub i forgot to add instructions about delivery, preferably between 10.30AM and 4 PM (i'm not there outside of these hours). I'm the guy from Pembrokeshire, if need more details i can send a PM. Is it possible to make some little note at your end, or do i need to do something from here? Also any idea how long it takes to arrive?

On another note, from the other topic should i understand you also sell mr. Antoniu's pictorial book? How much is that one, and also is that one going to have a preview made like the MMP folks do (did i mentioned it is a fantastic idea?) do on youtube, or is it possible to have a few screenshots/samples of what it contains, is it more historical or civilian or ARR orientated? I'm sure it's a very, very interesting book anyway, but unfortunately me at least i could never afford to buy every book i'd like, it's an effort as is... ( i also saw the new book from MMP about polish aircraft in Romania, would so want that one too but i need to rob a *** bank or something to get it)

Thank you very much.

Lancer21,
Thank you for your order. I will make a note on the label such as "please deliver between 10.30 AM and 4PM".

I only had a handful of copies of Dan Antoniu's book. They are all gone. I think that the best thing to do is to contact Mr. Antoniu at the address provided. I think that is the most affordable way to get it.

The YouTube presentation was created by MMP. MMP did not work with Dan Antoniu's on his other book (Illustrated History of Romanian Aeronautics), so that is why there is no video presentation for that. I will meet Mr. Antoniu in two weeks and I will suggest it to him. Dan Antoniu's "Illustrated History" book is a presentation of every aircraft used by Romania (military and civilian) from the beginning until 1945 - there are at least two photos for each aircraft, large photos, two per page. It is an "illustrated history", meaning that is closer to a photo album, but there is history in it too.

The book "Polish Aircraft in Romania" by Dan Antoniu looks fantastic, I am really looking forward to it. I translated it from Romanian into English and the publisher translated it later into Polish. There was a lot of work in that, a lot of communication/clarifications between the publisher and the author (through me as a translator), lots of late-night Skype chats, making it the most polished book I ever worked on - a real labour of love for everyone involved. The edition advertised in the video is going to be in Polish, as part of MMP/Stratus's fantastic multi-volume (five volumes so far, and growing) "Encyclopaedia of Polish Aircraft".

Radu

This post has been edited by Radub on November 13, 2014 09:10 pm

Many thanks for your reply and help Radub.

If possible and can afford anytime soon, yes i will get in touch with mr. Antoniu. Meanwhile, just as a rant, on the topic of aviation books, i guess many of us look with envy at the polish folks, they really did a great job to give the attention it deserves to the aviation history and achievements in their country. There is so much left to write about ARR though (or romanian aviation in general- as unfortunately in this day and age all that history is gone, we're left with just memories) hell i was fantasizing about possible books titles like:
"Romanian fighter colours 1916-1940"
"Romanian bomber and reconnaissance colours 1916-1945" (basically anything else except fighters)
"Romanian military aircraft prototypes and projects" (with nice, proper drawings like you did for IAR-80 and pictures- lots of them!- of things like IAR-15, IAR-16, IAR-31, IAR-47, IAR-95 and so on and so on)
...and the list can go on and on (the post war times are just as interesting, regardless of the political spectrum we were part of, the history of the MiGs and other mainly soviet aircraft in romanian service need be told too)

Anyway, dreams. I realize of course that demand makes possible or not such titles, and of course it's hard to image for me the amount of work and effort necessary for the authors to write such books. Well, if i ever win the lottery... i'll get in touch

Thanks again, and looking very forward to receive the book!

This post has been edited by lancer21 on November 13, 2014 10:09 pm

Those books may eventually be published. ;-) You can suggest them to Mr. Antoniu.
Radu