Dear Dibo!!!
Thanks a lot for the pictures of Bulgarian panzermen. The image of Bulgarian Armored Troops Badge (1935) is also very interesting, I know several badges of Bulgarian Air Force of that period, but as for such badge of Armored Troops - had no information before.
And the Armored Forces of Bulgaria in the end of 1930s was indeed very small, had no armor suitable for modern warfare (only 14 Italian tankettes CV3/33 and 8 British Vickers Armstrong 6-ton light tanks Mk.E alternative B - was almost nothing......, thank you for info, Dibo). And Bulgarian Armored Battalion (Druzhina), which was formed 2 February 1939 from the first (CV3/33 tankettes, was formed in March 1935) and second (Mk.E light tanks, was formed in September 1936) armored companies, was used mainly for guarding the borders and training, though later elements of the Battalion took part in the occupation of South Dobrudja. The companies continued to be used as independent units.
A few words about Czechoslovakian LT vz. 35 in Bulgarian service since 1940. In June of 1939, General R. Rusev, who was in Berlin, introduced to the German Foreign Ministry and to the command of the German Wehrmacht the great needs of the Bulgarian Army. He insisted on the delivery of 26 light tanks (without specifying their type) and other military equipment, needed for the construction of the so-called Covering front along the Southern border (against the danger of Turkey). In the beginning of July 1939, the Bulgarian prime-minister Georgi Kioseivanov visited Berlin and insisted on the delivery of 30-40 Czech tanks, saying, that "the hopes of Bulgaria are in the strength of Germany". On 22.07.1939, the Fuhrer made a decision for the delivery of armament to the politically important countries, putting Bulgaria at first place with the most important of its requests, like the one for the 30-40 Czechoslovakian LT vz. 35 light tanks built by CKD. In the end of the 1939, with the war already going on, a contract was made between the Government of the Kingdom of Bulgaria and AKG "Ausfurgeselschaft für Kriegsgerat GmbH" - Berlin for the delivery of 36 military vehicles - trophies at lower prices.
Among those 36 LT vz. 35 10 were improved LT vz. 35 tanks built for Afghanistan (they were handed over to Bulgaria as T-11). T-11 was fitted with a modern Skoda 37 mm A-7 L/47.8 main gun, instead of the standard 37mm A-3 L/40 gun.
As for organization of Bulgarian Air Force - thanks...thanks...very-very much.....excellent...
Need some days to read and analyze!
The link about Bulgarian military aircrafts is also very interesting, but some information is on Bulgarian language, so I can understand not so many, despite that I know Cyrillic alphabet. I have some another links about Bulgarian aviation (even on Bulgarian also, as me seems), will give you them this week, need to find them. Of course, probably, you know these links.
For shure, I couldn`t find it!!! Thanks a lot, dear AJK!!!
