Jan J. Safarik: Air Aces Home Page

During the summer and fall of 1917, Romanian pilots scored 42 victories. Between 20 July - 29 October, the French pilots on Moldavian front scored 11 victories. Between 27 July - 28 October, Romanian AA artillery scored, according to Austrian archives, 11 victories.

On 7 August 1917, plutonier pilot t.r. Marin Popescu, of the N.11 Squadron, attacked together with the French pilot James Texier a German Fokker, which crashed in flames. In the afternoon, the same Marin Popescu shot down a German "Draken" (balloon). He was decorated with Virtutea Militara de razboi, cls a II-a, on 12 January 1918.
On 7 August 1917, sublocotenent Egon Nasta (N.11 Squadron) ignited a German balloon, above the village of Vanatori.
On 9 August 1917, locotenent de marina aviator Gheorghe Mihailescu (N.1 Squadron) engaged a dogfight with an Austrian fighter OFAG.C.II (no.5263), which landed in flames in no man's land.
On 9 August 1917, the plane of plutonier pilot Nae Cicei and sublocotenent Gheorghe Stalpeanu (F.6 Squadron) was attacked by four enemy fighters Hansa Brandemburg. The Romanian crew managed to damage one plane and shot down another.
On 13 August 1917, plutonier Ioan Georgescu (N.1 Squadron), escorting Farman 40 no.3237, fought with two German Fokkers, shooting down one of them.
On 19 August 1917, the plane of plutonier pilot Iliescu and locotenent observator Gafencu (F.7 Squadron), in reconnaissance mission, was attacked by enemy plane. The enemy plane was shot down in flames.
On 20 August 1917, the plane of submaistru de marina pilot Dumitru Rosetti and sublocotenent Constantin Gonta (F.2 Squadron), scored a victory against enemy aircraft.
On 21 August 1917, plutonier Marin Popescu, sublocotenent observator Barzon and locotenent Gheorghe Mihailescu scored one victory each.
On 22 August 1917, the crew of plutonier pilot Theodor Iliescu and sublocotenent observator Ioan Chiritescu (F.4 Squadron), in reconnaissance mission, was attacked by German plane. The German plane crashed north of Panciu.
On 26 August 1917, the crew of sublocotenent observator Dumitru Darian and plutonier pilot Dumitru Naidinescu (F.6 Squadron), in reconnaissance mission at Oituz, was attacked by a Hansa Brandemburg. The Austrian plane crashed in flames.
On 13 September 1917, a dogfight took place between the plane of sergent pilot Nicolae Manescu, of the N.1 Squadron, and an Austrian Hansa Brandemburg (no. 6730). The Austrian plane was shot down at Campulung Moldovenesc. It was the plane of Captain Otto Jindra, an ace with 9 victories. Otto Jindra was severly wounded and unable to fly.
On 26 September 1917, sublocotenent Marcel Dragusanu scored two victories.
On 7 November 1917, plutonier pilot Ioan Muntenescu scored three victories.
On 11, 18 and 23 November 1917, pilot Carol Paukert, sublocotenent Dumitrescu, plutonier Andrei Sisu and sublocotenent Egon Nasta scored one victory each.

Romanian airmen that were awarded the Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class during WW1:

lt. Ioan Penes (pilot), awarded by Royal Decree No. 385/29 April 1917, had taken part in 12 air combats by that date and in several bombing missions. On 24 March 1917 he was wounded, but he carried on his long range recon mission.
lt. Petre Ioanin (pilot), awarded by Royal Decree No. 570/12 June 1917, on 9 May 1917, while on a recon mission, he was attacked by an enemy Brandenburg airplane with two MGs, which he shot down in the Romanian lines at Cotofenesti.
slt. Dumitru Darian (observer), awarded by Royal Decree No. 570/12 June 1917, he was attacked by an enemy Brandenburg airplane with two MGs, which he shot down in the Romanian lines at Cotofenesti.
slt. Ermil Gheorghiu, awarded by Royal Decree No. 570/12 June 1917, on 30 April 1917, during a photo recon mission, he was gravely wounded after splinters hit him in the liver, but he carried on his mission. (he is the gen. Ermil Gheorghiu that commanded the 1st Air Corps during WW2 and was awarded the RK)
lt. av. Vasile Craiu (pilot), awarded by Royal Decree No. 626/23 June 1917, on 15 June 1917 he protected a Romanian airplane that was directing the artillery fire from the attack of three enemy aircraft. He was wounded, but managed to bring his aircraft back to the Romanian lines.
slt. Egon Nasta (pilot), awarded by Royal Decree No. 16/2 January 1918, had taken part in 30 air combats and in many recon missions. On 17 November 1917 he shot down an enemy aircraft at Racoasa.
slt. av. Gheorghe Stalpeanu (pilot), awarded by Royal Decree No. 677/23 March 1918, had distinguished himself on 13 August 1917 when, during a recon mission, was attacked by 3 enemy aircraft and he shot down one of them and the other two retreated quickly.
cpt. obs. Grigore Gafencu (obsever), awarded by Royal Decree No. 830/9 April 1918, executed several recon missions at Namoloasa and Marasesti, where between 3 and 6 August 1917 he distinguished himself. He engaged an enemy aircraft and shot it down. (he occupied important offices in the Foreign Affairs Ministry during the inter-war era)
slt. Marcel Dragusanu (pilot), awarded by Royal Decree No. 830/9 April 1918, on 13 September 1917 he shot down an enemy aircraft and on 5 October he attacked another enemy airplane and forced it to retreat back to its lines.
slt. Paul Mogaldea (pilot), awarded by Royal Decree No. 830/9 April 1918, distinguished himself on 25 october 1917, when over Marasti he engaged three enemy aircraft and shot down one of them.

Nieuport 11 B.B. nr. 1543, pilot Lt. Vasile Craciu.

Nieuport 11, N.3 Squadron, September 1917.

ROMANIA

World War I