In June 1941, when Romania entered the war, the ARR realized that it needed better strike and dive-bomber aircraft in order to support ground operations, like the Luftwaffe had done in the western campaign. The initial plan called for the IAR-38's and 39's to serve as light strike planes, whilst the real firepower would be assured by ordering some Ju-87 Stukas from Germany. Unfortunately, the Germans refused to supply any Stukas until 1943, so the ARR had to look elsewhere for a new dive-bomber. Encouraged by the success of the IAR-80 program, they asked the IAR factory to come up with a design of a ground-attack and dive-bomber plane, designated as IAR-81.

Since once again the airforce needed a new aircraft, and quick, the IAR engineers decided to adapt the IAR-80 for the dive-bomber role ( obviously a much more simple solution than designing a brand-new plane from scratch ). Few changes were made to the IAR-80 : a hinging bomb cradle was added under the centerline of the plane, giving the IAR-81 the possibility to carry a 225 kg ( 500 lb ) bomb. The cradle was necessary so that the bomb wouldn't tear the propeller apart when it was released ( many dive-bombers also used this principle ). Other modifications ( if any ) were minor. After the first 40 out of the initial 50 IAR-81's ordered had been manufactured, two racks were installed underneath each wing on later models, allowing to mount either one 50 kg (110 LB ) bomb or a 100 l drop tank in each rack.

Typical bombing run consisted of a shallow dive from 3000 m to 1000 m at a speed of 470 km/h for the main 225 kg bomb. The two smaller 50 kg bombs could be released in any way the pilot saw fit.

The IAR-81A version appeared the same way with the IAR-80B : two FN 13.2 mm heavy machine guns replaced two of the FN 7.92 mm machine guns, giving the IAR-81 some extra punch. By this stage of the war, the fighter and fighter-bomber were virtually identical, the only real difference being the centerline bomb rack of the IAR-81. For this reason, fuselages could be easily transformed from fighter to fighter-bomber or viceversa simply by removing or adding the bomb rack ( both planes were built on the same assembly line ).

The initial order called for 20 IAR-81A's, but after the Germans promised to deliver the Ju-87's it was canceled and the planes were delivered as IAR-80B fighters instead. Later on, in May 1943, ten more 81A's were built and sent to ground-attack squadrons to replace losses.

465 km/h (bomber)/505 km/h (fighter)

The peak of fighter development in Romania was reached with the IAR-81C. This time it was a pure fighter, since the long awaited Ju-87's and Henschel Hs-129's had finally arrived, and fighters were needed in evergreater numbers on the east and home fronts as well.

Previously, the IAR-81B had also been converted into a fighter since it had been rearmed with two 20 mm cannons and renamed IAR-80C in order to underline the fact that it was a fighter. Pilots demanded however that something be done about the ammunition supply, since 60 rounds were deemed to be not enough. To solve this problem, the guns were changed again, this time the superior Mauser MG 151/20 mm canons being chosen. Wings were slightly enlarged yet again, an the extra space was well used, allowing each gun to have a 175 rounds supply of ammunition, giving the IAR-81C equal or even superior firepower to any opponent.

The IAR works manufactured 100 planes by the end of 1942, and they were welcomed by pilots on the front. By February 1943, 35 more were completed and dispatched to squadrons in order to replace losses. Fifteen additional IAR-81C's were built in January 1944, in order to replace losses and keep the factory busy while production was switched to the Messerschmitt Bf-109G6. Until then, the IAR-81C's were used to replace losses of earlier models and the newly-raised 1st Fighter Group, as well as the 4th group which became another "bopi" unit. The 4th served in Crimeea from mid 1943 until May 1944, when the peninsula fell to the Soviets and the Romanian airmen and ground crews had to be evacuated, leaving their planes behind.

But the IAR-81C's toughest test would come in the summer of 1944, when the 6th and 2nd Fighter Groups faced the might of the 15th USAAF. On paper, the Romanian fighter seemed so outclassed by the American Lightnings and Mustangs that it shouldn't have had even the smallest chance of success. Still, from the 4th of April to the 28th of June 1944, the two groups claimed over 80 enemy B-17's and B-24's shot down as well a few P-38's. But these successes came at a very heavy price, as they lost over 20 precious pilots and 30 aircraft, most of them shot down by Mustangs and Lightnings. After Romania signed the cease-fire agreement with the allies on the 23rd of August, the 2nd group was brought back to strength by merging with the 4th and saw action in the west until the end of the war. The IAR-81C's were used for a short period as fighters but were switched to ground-attack duties soon, "specializing" in strafing enemy columns and trains.

505 km/h (fighter)