Lt. Carol Anastasescu of Esc. 62 flew IAR 80-B No. 222, serving with Esc. 62 Vt. of the 6 Grupul on the day of the Ploesti raid.
Armed with a pair of 13.2mm heavy machine guns and four 7.92mm machine guns, Anastasescu's IAR 80-B aircraft and the two Romanian squadrons patrolling nearby were ordered to intercept the bombers attacking the refineries.
In the early fighting Anastasescu shot down a USAAF B-24D from the 93rd Group. On attacking a second bomber his fighter was hit by machine gun fire that started a fire in his cockpit. Rather than be burnt alive, Anastasescu decided to ram the bomber. He struck the bomber but miraculously survived the collision, after being thrown clear and landing in soft silage in a field 150 feet below.

FROM: Osprey Publishing's: Air Campaign- 'Ploesti 1943'

PRICE: £670.00 (Unframed)
IMAGE SIZE: Approx. H 34cm x W 51cm ( H 14 inches x W 20 inches)
MEDIUM: Watercolour and gouache