BIGpanzer wrote:Thanks for the clarifications, dibo!
Just several addition questions:
1. What was the most widely used rifle (Mannlicher M95 or M38-M39), LMG (Madsen or Steyr Solothurn) and HMG (Maxim, Schwarzlose or Vickers) in Bulgarian Army of late 1930s.
2. Bulgarian Army had 1 motorized field artillery regiment in 1939. What trucks or tractors did it use? Probably, Pavesi-Fiat tractors and Mercedes-Benz L-2000/L-3000 trucks, am I right?
3. What were the gun models of field artillery in late 1930s (the same 75mm and 77mm guns, as served during WWI or not)? What was the equipment of heavy artillery (WWI-period 120mm light and 150mm heavy howitzers...)?
Thanks in advance, BIGpanzer
1. Manlicher M95. The overall quantity of M38 and M39 supplies was 73 000. LMG - At that time my guess is Bren (in 1939), then Steyr, then Madsen, but I'm not sure. HMG - maybe Shwarzlose.
2. Yes Pavese P.C. 26 (delivered in 1930), 30 (delivered in 1935), 30A (50 delivered in 1938) - these were the only tractors available until 1940, although I have heard that limited amounts of Mac Cormicks (M.I.s 12, 14, 30, 35) and Allis Chalmers WKO were delivered in mid-30s. As for the trucks - I don't know, but I guess you are partly right.
3. AFAIK 75mm "Krupp" and "Schneider" from WW1, 75mm "Skoda" mountain guns from WW1, 75mm modern "Bofors", 105mm "Krupp" and "Skoda" from WW1, 75mm modern "Krupp" and "Rheinmetals".
Here is a snippet of info you may found interesting - I have posted this on a Yahoo group two years ago.
It appears M1895/34 was a carbine. M1895 were both rifles and carbines.
Quote from Petrov, Ljudmil The Military Economy of Bulgaria 1919-1945, Sofia 1999, Pp.42-43 (Translation is mine)
...In early 1934 a new gunpowder installation is bought from the Danish company "Nielsen & Winter", and in the next year it is installed. From the next 1936 the new installation is already operational in the Gunpowder&Explosives Department in the State Military Factory in Kazanlak (nowadays "Arsenal" - Dibo). That creates the possibility to produce new types of ammo for small arms in the State Military Factory. The ballistic potentialities of the sharp-edged "S" bullet, of the tracers, armor-piercing and incendiary bullets are explored in specialised publication in the military periodicals [Sirakov, Assen, Special bullets for the Infantry - "Syvremenna Pekhota" ("Modern Infantry") 1932-1933 - Vol 3 Pp. 159-163; Rangelov, Simeon, Sharp-edged bullets for infantry weapons - "Artilerijski pregled" ("Artillery review") 1940, Vol.2, Pp. 152-161]. The Authors are leading specialists in the field of military weapons. And in 1935 the new sharp-edged "S" bullet for 8mm infantry cartridge is introduced, that has improved ballistic stability, increased initial speed and range and thus the the ballistic qualities of the existing rifles are considerably improved. This however reqired the reachambering of all the cartridge chambers of the rifles and carbines Manlicher M1895 and all the machine-guns barrels with a calibre of 8mm. The muzzle sights of all carbines are remodelled, especially the carbines made by cutting the barrels of the 8mm Manlicher Rifles. The rechambering is made by a special weaponry brigade in the field, and the remodelling of the sights is carried out in the State Military Factory. These modifications are the reasons for the change of the name of the weapon to be changed and the carbine is remnamed to 8mm Magazine chambered carbine "Manlicher" M1895/34. It has better ballistic qualities compared with the original 8mm Manlicher carbine M1895.
