Bulgarian Panthers

Simon H · Post by **Simon H** » 25 Sep 2002 12:00

I think it is well known that the 1st Bulgarian Army used captured German vehicles supplied by the Soviets in April 1945 against their former owners. Among them were 15 Panthers.
However, when these became surplus to requirements they had their engines removed and were then buried along the Bulgaian/Turkish border as part of it's static defence. Note the whole tank was buried!!

My question is:
As far as we know these tanks are still there. Do any Turkish/Bulgaian posters to the forum know anything about them?

jesper · Post by **jesper** » 26 Sep 2002 13:04

Could easily very well still be there. Have seen on several occasion T34/85 driving around in Yugoslavia

Brannik · Post by **Brannik** » 26 Sep 2002 19:24

I am sure they are still there.Maybe we should organize an expedition and go dig them up

Regards

Sttig · Post by **Sttig** » 28 Sep 2002 16:39

Maybe someone has dug them out and sold them for scrap

I think the military museum in Sofia has one Panther.

jesper · Post by **jesper** » 01 Oct 2002 20:38

If you are in Plovdiv maybee we could ask you to check it out, by phone call, if they have a panther in Sofia and possibly as well the info on stationary panthers at the Turkish border ?

Brannik · Post by **Brannik** » 02 Oct 2002 01:42

I am almost certain that there is a Panther in Sofia.In the yard of the ex-Military Museum.In respect to the frontier Panthers,I doubt that anyone would know.The Army is in a bit of a chaos.
Regrads.

Kapitan Drago · Post by **Kapitan Drago** » 12 Oct 2002 06:18

What i know is that in the begining of 50s the PzIV ,Panthers ,StuGs and JagdPz IV L/70 are set as static fire points on the South and South East border. All these was taken out and scraped in 1975 and replaced with T-34/85 and Su-100 and 76mm armored ship guns. But some say there are some Panther left there. Who knows. In Bulgaria evrething is posible.
From soo many tanks used by the Bulg. army only six are in the military museum in Sofia-LT vz.35, Pz. Kpfz.38H,PzIV J(strange they never used J ,maybe just captured.),two litle difernd StuG 40 G ,Jagdpanzer IV 42 L/70. These stuped komunist dont care about German tanks ,they say these are fashist equipment.