Hello everybody,
I would like to drag under the spotlight a beautiful (in my opinion) yet overlooked WW II fighter coming from Romania. It's the IAR-80/81, a monoplane fighter developed during the late 30's and first flown in 1939.
It had a difficult upbringing, with poor parents that couldn't buy the plane what it wanted most: a good, competitive engine, and armament to match. Yet, the fighter was comparable in performance to most fighters of the time. Over time, it did receive some much needed upgrades, but they came too little, too late.
Still, the little fighter engaged american fighters and bobmbers - mainly P-38s and B-24s - and did it with good results.
HobbyBoss released a plastic kit in 1/48th scale for this fighter. While not being free of flaws, it's a good representation of the plane, and the mold is fresh, so the quality of the cast is good. You can check the kit review here:
https://youtu.be/HPTdqhcnd8Y
I hope I was able to introduce to you something interesting, and not mainstream.