Romanian aeronautics history represented guidance and brought essential contribution to scientific and technical thinking of mankind. The Romanian inventors and pioneers of aviation were of great importance in a key area of human civilization that was just at the beginning.

The creative genius of Romanians was stated by key achievements in science and art of flight, aircraft construction, as they have been involved in many areas including designing and building of some types of missiles - plus multistage, making reactive or vertical flight, solving the field pulling propeller, design of aircraft wing "delta" or some other unconventional aircrafts.

Traian Vuia is one of the many Romanian world renowned inventors, like Gregory Brişcu, Henri Coanda, George Arion, Tache Brumărescu, Hermann Oberth, Nicholas Vaideanu, Basil Dimitrescu and many others who have remained in the history of aviation because of their inventive spirit to achieve outstanding performance.

Between 1906-1915, Romanian scientists have solved the problem of

mechanical flight (Traian Vuia), they invented the jet airplane (Henri Coanda), they have designed and built the first airplane with vertical take-off in the world

that flew on 27 May 1911 (Tache Brumărescu – the first helicopter) and Prof. Dr. Vasile Dimitrescu made the first two projects of the invisible plane.

Military aviators celebrated Romanian Aviation and Air Force, with the Feast of Saint Elijah Tishbite, patron and protector of Romanian airmen. On this occasion, at Monument Square in Bucharest Air Aviators, there is a military and religious ceremony every year, which is held in memory of all air heroes, military or civilian.

In all garrisons where airships deployed aviation there are organized demonstrations and exhibitions to honor the heroes of air.

Romanian Air Force has a long tradition, the first flight was made by Aurel Vlaicu in 1910, when the famous pilot and first mission met with the military. In 1912 in Romania there was the first military pilot school that opened its doors on the Cotroceni Hill and that was led by Major John Macri.

Pilots and air observers have historically participated in major events involving our country. Thus, they performed reconnaissance missions and ground connection for

the benefit of our troops in war theater from Bulgaria.

Also, anti-aircraft artillery and fighter aircrafts fought heroically to defend the national territory during the bombings that took place on the southern territory of Romania between 1943-1944. Romanian Air Force made a decisive leap during the years 1950-1960 by introducing reactive endowment aviation, helicopters and surface-to-air missiles, and the establishment on 25 July 1955, of the third basic weapons : radiological ones.

Between 1916-1917, Romania acquired from France and Britain 322 Nieuport fighter types 11, 12, 17, 19, 21, 23 and 28, for easy recognition and bomber Farman type 40 and 46; Sopwith Strutter, Caudron G.4 - Bimota for distant recognition and Breguet-Michelin for bombing and shelling. Twelve machines were equipped with this type of board Hotchkiss guns of 37 mm, and two Nieuport Type 11 squadrons were equipped, in addition to board machine guns, and missile-type rockets "La Prieur" in order to fight against captive balloons .

Romanian Air Force was founded in 1910 thanks to the civil society with the Ministry of War and the first military aircraft was designed and constructed by the Romanian engineer and aviator Aurel Vlaicu, who worked at Army Arsenal and flew it on 17 June 1910.

Romanian Air Force has seen an important development in 1913, having supplied 34 military aircrafts, of which 16 were from Bristol-Coanda type. This plane was designed by Romanian engineer Henri Coanda in 1912 as chief engineer and technical director in factories from Bristol, England.

Romanian Aviation Corps was in office 44 aircrafts, 97 pilots and 84 air observers. Each of the four Romanian army received an air group. Airmen were sent to early reconnaissance missions and bombing campaigns on the northwestern edge of Transylvania.

On 16 September 1916, the crew consisting of a pilot Lieutenant John Colet and Sergeant observer, on board a Gruia F.40, shot down in a dogfight held near the city Slobozia in southern Romania, the first German plane.

Romanian Air Force aircraft, equipped with 10 local construction "A. Vlaicu. 1 made under Chitila license, and piloted by Nieuport, Morane-Saulnier and Bleriot, participated in military maneuvers undertaken between 1911-1912, when Romanian pilots made long distance air raids on time, about 150-180 km between cities Turnu Severin and Bucharest, Bucharest and Constanta, Bucharest and Iasi

Romanian Air Force has been participating in military personnel deployed abroad in the last 20 years, the efforts have been made by Romania in peacekeeping operations, operations support stabilization and reconstruction in conflict zones.

Romanian military aviators provide daily air connection for other types of forces bringing soldiers in the theater of operations in Afghanistan and in Western Balkans.

http://m.hotnews.ro/stire/12838618

http://www.roaf.ro/ro/istorie1.php

http://www.wikipedia.ro

http://www.aviatia.roman.ro