Bulgarian Armor

[CB1]

Hi,

In Bíró/Éder/Sárhidai: A Magyar Királyi Honvédség külföldi gyártású páncélos harcjármûvei 1920-1945 (Foreign Armored Vehicles of the Royal Hungarian Army 1920-45) there is a short paragrah about Bulgaria.

The country obtained her tanks from Germany and was served from the “beutel” stock. Bulgaria had a mix of Lt. vz. 35, Pz.38(t), R 35, H 39 etc., which numbered between 100-150. Then in 1943-44 55 StuGs and 97 Pz.IVs were sent by Germany and they were formed into three regiments.

Can anyone shed some light on the background of this deal (when was it done, when did the vehicles arrive, why was it important to substantially enhance Bulgarian armored forces at that time)?

Thanks,
Krisz

[KACKO]

Hello Krisz,

First request was given to Germans during visit of Bulgarian Minister of War to Fuhrer headquarter between December 30th 1942 January 11th 1943.
Request was basically accepted and plans "Barbara" "Plan 43" and "Plan 44" are approved.

- tanks Pz IV G and H Bulgarian army received in May, July (probably version G deliveries May 5th 3 tanks, 11 tanks between May 24 and 31 and 15 between July 11 - 20) altogether Bulgarians got 97 Pz IVs.
- In May 1943 Bulgarian army received 40 BMW R-75 with sidecar
- In June 1943 Bulgarian army received 20 Sdkfz 222 and 223

Source: Kaloyan Matev Armored vehicles 1935-45 (Equipment and Armor in the Bulgarian army).


- In the period April - December 1943 Bulgarian army received 55 StuG 40 Ausf G

[CB1]

Hi Peter,

Thanks a lot. Erm... I hate to admit my ignorance but what are plans "Barbara", "43" and "44"?

Bye,
Krisz

[zmija]

About Skoda Tanks
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/articles/skoda.htm

[Alex Yeliseenko]

Hi Peter,

Thanks a lot. Erm... I hate to admit my ignorance but what are plans "Barbara", "43" and "44"?

Bye,
Krisz

The German plans of deliveries AFV to Bulgaria.

Regards.

Alex.

[KACKO]

About Skoda Tanks
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/articles/skoda.htm

Of course I forgot deliveries Pzkpf-38(t). These vehicles were ordered as a training vehicles. Right?

[CB1]

Hi,

Thank you, Gentlemen. Now, if I understand the article correctly, armored force was used as deterrent against Turkey. So the Czech and French vehicles were sent in 1940-41 and the Bulgarian tankers used them happily until the end of 1942 when the Bulgarian MoD requested some more modern equipment (Pz.IV. and StuG). The reason may be that it was getting hard to maintain the show of force with obsolescent and worn down vehicles.

Then the Germans accepted plans "Barbara", "43" and "44" and shipped some 150 vehicles starting from APR43. I know I am a pain in the...head... but does anyone know when these plans were formulated/approved in Germany?

Thanks again,
Krisz

[KACKO]

I think also around 10 Pzkpfw-38 G (already used by Germans) were send in 1943 for training purposes.

[KASHANKA]

Just to paint the full picture - Bulgaria had some (albeit it was a small force indeed) tanks before the war.
They had 14 L3/35 tankettes and 8 Vickers 6-ton tanks.
In 1940 Bulgaria received 36 LT-35 skoda tanks.

[Maquet-Hist]

hi

is there photos of the stug bulgarian ?
wich units used them ?
where ?
thanks

[KACKO]

hi

is there photos of the stug bulgarian ?
wich units used them ?
where ?
thanks

1st and 2nd assaul gun battalion. They fought alongside Soviets in Yugoslavia and Hungary.
There is plenty of photos. A lot of them in book by Kaloyan Matev: Armored vehicles 1939-45 (Equipment and armor in the Bulgarian Army).

[Maquet-Hist]

hi

is there photos of the stug bulgarian ?
wich units used them ?
where ?
thanks

1st and 2nd assaul gun battalion. They fought alongside Soviets in Yugoslavia and Hungary.
There is plenty of photos. A lot of them in book by Kaloyan Matev: Armored vehicles 1939-45 (Equipment and armor in the Bulgarian Army).

thanks a lot
where can i buy this book ?

[KACKO]

hi

is there photos of the stug bulgarian ?
wich units used them ?
where ?
thanks

1st and 2nd assaul gun battalion. They fought alongside Soviets in Yugoslavia and Hungary.
There is plenty of photos. A lot of them in book by Kaloyan Matev: Armored vehicles 1939-45 (Equipment and armor in the Bulgarian Army).

thanks a lot
where can i buy this book ?

I got mine on e-bay some time ago.

[Marcus]

Illustrations on marking and camouflage from Bison decals (you can download a higher resolution version there):

[Marcus]

An article on the Employment of Armored Fighting Vehicles by Bulgaria.

/Marcus