Bulgarian Artillery

[dibo]

Btw, there is one more issue – during 1930s Bulgaria acquired some Rheinmetall 105mm L/30 gun-howitzers (forerunner of leFH-18). These were more a light howitzers than “guns”, of course, but - because their rather long L/30 barrels - another confusion might emerged.

So, 105mm “long guns” in Bulgarian use (before the supply of “Krupp L/56” and “Skoda L/42” guns) were:
1st option - German Kanone 04 (L/30) & Kanone 14 (L/35) long guns, with possible few ex-Turkish Krupp commercial L/30 guns. (I would go for this one )
2nd option – newly acquired 105mm (L/30) Rheinmetall gun-howitzers and still viable 10-cm Kanone 14 (L/35) long guns, with all old (and rather obsolete) 105mm L/30 long guns discarded in 1919, to comply with Allied disarmament comission demands.

You mean this howitzer as 2nd option?:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 0&t=141889

[The Edge]

Yes - as said, I'm strongly for "1st option" because there is something fishy with these Rheinmetall guns.
(First of all, I suspect rather their late arrival to Bulgaria)

Btw, I'm longing to visit this Sophia museum - maybe this summer I might get a chance to reach it.
(If I found there a "10-cm Kanone 04" - well, problem solved! )

[adolpheit]

At the beginning of August 1918 the German Army left to the Bulgarian artillery 12 - 105mm L/35 Krupp K 14 from three batteries operating in Macedonia (2., 3., 4 R.FußAR. 16). The crews went back to the Western Front where the batteries were re-armed with new guns. The Krupp long guns were assigned to 1st, 2nd and 3rd battery of 2nd heavy artillery regiment. Previously, at the end of 1917 6th battery of 3rd heavy artillery regiment had been rearmed with 2 - 105mm L/35 Krupp K 14. I don't know wether other guns of the same kind were assigned to the 1st and 4th heavy artillery regiment.

BTW in August 1918 other Germany heavy batteries ceded their guns to the Bulgarian artillery.
s.15cm KnBt. 20 with 2 - 150mm L/40 Krupp to 18th battery/2nd Heavy art. rgt.
s.15cm KnBt. 24 with 2 - 150mm L/40 Krupp to 12th battery/3rd Heavy art. rgt.
s.15cm KnBt. 16 with 2 - 150mm L/40 Krupp to Burgas coast artillery (2nd battery of Northern coast artillery group)

? Bt./FußAR. 5 with 4 - 150mm L/14 FH13 to 4th, 10th and 16th battery/2nd Heavy art. rgt.
? Abt./FußAR. 9 with 4 - 150mm L/14 FH13 to 14th battery/2nd Heavy art. rgt.
an unidentified battery with 4 - 150mm L/17 lange FH13 to 3rd battery/3rd Heavy art. rgt.

I don't know the composition of 1st and 4th Heavy art. rgts., where other ex-German heavy guns might be assigned.

According with Wrisber during the WW1 Germany delivered 13 heavy artillery batteries to the Bulgarian Army. I don't know wether this figure included also the guns ceded by the German batteries at the front, or only the guns shipped directly from Germany.

If you are interested in Bulgarian artillery, you may see: http://www.bulgarianartillery.it

Best, Marco

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found this image on Ebay. 5cm Pak 38 bulgarian AT gun

Regards Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found this wonderful image on LIFE archives. According to photocaption Wehrmacht troops in Bulgaria (March 1941) but I think bulgarian troops with 10.5cm Rh L30 guns:

Regards Sturm78

[carius]

Bulgarian soldiers 100%!!!Thank you Sturm for this unique picture !!!

Best regards
George

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found these two images on Ebay:

Bulgarian artillery in 1945, in action against their former germans allies:

Can somebody identify the gun of the first image?
In the second image a 10.5cm leFH18-40 ex-german howitzer

Regards Sturm78

[Manuferey]

Hi Sturm78,

The feature near the tip of the barrel makes me think of a 75 mm Schneider. But the barrel elevation is quite high compared to the pictures I've seen of these Schneider guns.

Emmanuel

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found this image on Ebay.
According to photocaption bulgarian cannon (75mm Skoda M1915) in position near Drava river in 1945. I guess Yugoslavia, no??

Regards Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Three images from Ebay:

Sturm78

[AVV]

Hello!

Three images from Ebay:

Central photo - is the soldier kissing the shell? Some sort of prejudice?

Best regards, Aleks

[dibo]

Hello!

Three images from Ebay:

Central photo - is the soldier kissing the shell? Some sort of prejudice?

Best regards, Aleks

Yes, probably for luck

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I found this interesting image on Ebay. I think a rare variant of the 15cm sFH18 german howitzer
in Bulgarian service.
Any additional information and/or image of this gun will be greatly appreciated


See also viewtopic.php?f=70&t=144738&start=15

Regards Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I have not been able so far to find any information about this rare bulgarian howitzer.
Any additional information and/or image will be greatly appreciate.


On the other hand, two new images from Ebay: 10cm K14 gun and 15cm Skoda M14 howitzer (I think)

Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Another image from Ebay. I think the gun is a very rare 10.5cm Rh L30 (mot. version)

Sturm78