Romanian Forces

Romanian Bristol Blenheim Mk. I

J.-L. Roba Collection

Romania ordered 40 Bristol Blenheims in 1939, but only 37 made it to Romania, the rest being lost on the way. They equipped 4 long range reconnaissance squadrons (1st-4th) and played an important role in providing information on the movement of forces on the USSR, Hungarian and Bulgarian borders. In 1941, the 2nd Long Range Recon Squadron was disbanded and its Blenheims given to the other three squadrons. These units carried out some of the first missions of Operation Barbarossa, but also suffered some heavy losses: four airplanes in one day! This included the first loss of ARR in WWII. Until the end of the 1941 campaign another six Blenheims were destroyed. Info from here: http://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?article=415 Credit: J.-L. Roba Collection/ Batailles Aeriennes