Hobby Master Archive

In December 1939 Romania ordered 50 Bf-109Es, 11 delivered in 1940 and the remaining 39 arriving one year later. These aircraft equipped the new Grupul 7 Vanatoare in time for them to take part in operation Barbarossa. But by mid 1941 the group had lost aircraft and was withdrawn to be replenished with 15 used German Bf-109E-7s. The unit returned to the front in time for the Battle of Stalingrad. Grupul 7 had 8 aircraft captured by the Soviets including Bf-109E3 No. 9 “Hai Fetito” flown by Lt. loan Di Cesare who is credited with 16 victories.