Alexandru "Alecu" Șerbănescu (17 May 1912 in Colonești, Olt County – 18 August 1944 in Rușavăț, Buzău County) was a leading Romanian fighter pilot and flying ace in World War II. At the end of Romania's campaign on the side of the Axis, Șerbănescu was the country's leading ace, dying only 5 days before the country changed sides. He was credited with 47 aircraft confirmed destroyed (3 American) and 8 probables (1 American). In the spring of 1942 he was assigned as a pilot to the 7th Fighter Group, which fought with the German forces against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front, including at the Battle of Stalingrad. He flew mostly IAR-80 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. Early life Alexandru Şerbănescu was born on 17 May 1912 in Colonești, Olt County. He graduated as an infantry Sublocotenent in 1933 and joined a mountain warfare unit at Brașov. He joined the aerial observers' school in 1939 and the pilots' school in 1940, obtaining his combat pilot brevet on 31 October. He flew on various fighters: PZL P.11, IAR 80 and then Bf 109E. Eastern front The 7th Fighter Group was detached in 1942 to the Stalingrad front. Șerbănescu distinguished himself in the fierce battles during the retreat from the airfields around Stalingrad. When the Red Army broke the German and Romanian defenses in November 1942 and approached the Romanian airfield where the 7th Fighter Group was stationed, Șerbănescu successfully organized the defense of the airbase against the Soviet forces, helped by his infantry experience. He had at his disposal only two anti-aircraft guns (one Rheinmetall 37mm and one 75mm Vickers-Reșița gun), the 20mm guns on the Bf 109Es and a company of ill-equipped and trained soldiers. The Romanians' camouflaged positions and well-led defense stopped the Soviet tanks attacking the airfield for two days. The Bf 109's 20 mm guns were used as antitank weapons on the ground (by lifting the airplane's tail on barrels), this being a unique case of airplane-tank duel. On November 23, 1942, the Romanian troops evacuated eight Bf 109E (another 3 were lost while they tried to take off under fire). Each airplane carried two or three people in the cockpit. After this, what remained of Șerbănescu's unit was stationed on the Morozovskaya airfield and was soon withdrawn to Romania for rest and recuperation. Using his ground combat experience, Şerbănescu organised his troops to repulse the