Bulgarian Artillery in WW1

[MCP]

These are the fruits of my research about Bulgarian artillery weapons at the beginning of World War 1. I hope that may be interesting. Of course every addition/correction is welcomed.


Field Artillery

Gun model : Schneider-Canet 75mm QF M. 1904
Calibre : 75mm L/32
Weight : 383.7 kg
Weight without limber : 1016 kg
Weight in action : 1708 kg
Weight of limber : 710 kg
Weight of ammunition wagon : 1720 kg
Height of line of fire above the ground : 945 mm
Tube Lenght : 2.400 m
Shell Weight : 6.5 kg (bursting charge: 0.8 kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 6.5 kg (294 balls x 10 gr - bursting charge: 0.8 kg)
Shrapnel Fuze : time and percussion
H.E. Shell Weight: 6.5 kg (bursting charge: 0.58 kg Schneiderit)
H.E. Shell Fuze : time and percussion
Muzzle Velocity : 500 m/s (shrapnel)
Range : 5000m/5900m (afterwards increased to 8000 m )
Elevation : + 16° / - 5°
Traversing angle : 3° each side
Thickness of shield : 4 mm
Track : 1.45 m
Ammunition : gun limber - 38, wagon limber - 38, wagon body - 60
12 ammunition wagons for every battery
Remarks : Quick firing field gun, with hydro-pneumatic recoil system, eccentric screw breech mechanism, collimator with aiming circle, fitted for indipendent line of sight.


Gun model : Krupp 75mm QF M. 1904
Calibre : 75mm L/30
Weight : 348 kg
Weight of the carriage : 644 kg
Weight of the empty limber : 462 kg
Weight with limber : 1754 kg
Weight of ammunition wagon : 1731 kg
Tube Lenght : 2.250 m
Number of grooves : 28
Shell Weight : 6.35 kg (bursting charge: ? kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 6.35 kg (295 balls x 10 gr - bursting charge: 0.75 kg)
Muzzle Velocity : 500 m/s
Max. Range : 5000m/5900m [8000m]
Elevation : + 15° / - 5°
Traversing angle : 3° 30’ each side
Thickness of shield : 4 mm
Track : 1.48 m
Ammunition : gun limber - 41, wagon limber - 44, wagon body - 52 [These are the number for Turkish Army, in Bulgarian Army they may be different]
12 ammunition wagons for every battery
Remarks : Quick firing field gun, with hydro-spring recoil system, single-motion wedge breech mechanism, equipped with panorama sight, but not fitted for an indipendent line of sight. In 1912 Turkish Army had 162 batteries armed with Krupp 75mm guns M. 1904 and 1909 (156 field and 6 horse). 22 more batteries (10 field and 12 horse) armed with Krupp 75mm guns were ordered in 1912 and arrived during the war. Since also Romanian Army adopted these guns, Bulgarian Army may have captured some of them in 1916-18. There are little difference between the Turkish and the Romanian gun (see Romanian captured guns).

[MCP]

Slow firing field guns

Gun model : Krupp 87mm M. 1897
Calibre : 87mm L/24
Weight: 457 kg
Weight without limber : 1000 kg
Weight with limber : 1791 kg
Tube Lenght : 2.088 m
Shell Weight : 6.21 kg (bursting charge: 0.38 kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 7.1 kg (180 balls x ? gr - bursting charge: 0.38 kg)
Shrapnel Fuze : percussion
Case Shot Weight : 6.2 kg
Muzzle Velocity : 460 m/s (shrapnel)
Max. Range : 5200m/6100m
Elevation : + 20° / 0°
Track :
Ammunition : gun limber - 33, ammunition wagon - 87
8 ammunition wagons for every battery
Remarks : Slow firing field gun, cylindro-pneumatic wedge breech mechanism with an expanding steel obturation ring. The rapidity of fire is not very great.


Gun model : Krupp 87mm M. 1886
Max. Range : 4000/5700 m


Gun model : Krupp 75mm M. 1886
Calibre : 75mm L/27
Weight : 390 kg
Weight without limber : 850 kg
Weight with limber : 1500 kg
Tube Lenght : 2.025 m
Shell Weight : 4.3 kg (bursting charge: 0.38 kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 4.3 kg (170 balls x ? gr - bursting charge: 0.38 kg)
Shrapnel Fuze : percussion
Case Shot Weight : 4.9 kg (165 ball x 20 gr)
Muzzle Velocity : 460 m/s
Max. Range : 2600/5900 m
Elevation :
Ammunition : gun limber - 39, ammunition wagon - 110
6 ammunition wagons for every battery
Track : 1.45 m
Remarks : Slow firing field gun, cylindro-pneumatic wedge breech mechanism with an expanding steel obturation ring. The rapidity of fire is not very great.

[Гост]

Pictures number 4, 5 and 8 probably do not show a Bulgarian soldiers. The hats and the shoes are certainly not Bulgarian.

[MCP]

Yes, pictures of Krupp 75mm are showing Turkish guns. These guns were captured by Turkish Army in Balkan War.

[Гост]

I see. The Turkish uniform is from WWI or later (?)
Is there any information when and how these guns have been captured? From the Bulgarians?

[MCP]

Sorry, my previous post is not correct.
Krupp 75mm Field Gun were capture FROM the Turks BY Bulgarian Army.
According with British War Office (Military Notes on the Balkan States compiled by the General Staff, August 1915), Bulgarian Army captured :
144 Field Guns (Krupp 75mm QF)
130 Field Guns (Krupp 87mm)
11 Mountain Guns (Krupp 75mm QF)
6 Field Howitzers (Krupp 120mm)
14 Heavy Howitzer (Krupp 150mm QF)
War Office booklet said that all these artillery pieces are quick-firing, but I think that this is not correct, since Turkish Army had not 87mm or 120mm quik-firing guns/howitzers.
In 1912 Odrin fortress had too 18 heavy guns (Krupp 105mm QF) and in 1915 Bulgarian Army had 12 Krupp 105mm QF heavy guns. I'm not sure, but it is likely that they too were captured from the Turks.

[Гост]

You certainly have more data, than I do.

[MCP]

Fortress and Heavy Artillery

Gun model : Gruson 57mm L/25 M. 1893
Calibre : 57mm L/25
Weight : 155 kg
Weight including breech mechanism: 172 kg
Weight with armour housing : 2550 kg
Tube Lenght : 1.425 m
Shell Weight : 2,7 kg (bursting charge: 0.23 kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 2,7 kg (bursting charge: 0.23 kg)
Case shot Weight : 3.8 kg (bursting charge: 0.20 kg)
Muzzle Velocity : 330 m/s
Max. Range : 5500 m
Elevation : + 10° / - 10°
Remarks : Quick firing gun in a mobile armour housing of Gruson design; in 1913 four these guns were captured by Serbian near Belogradzhik. Everywhere I found that this guns was M. 1900 or M. 00, but since it seems that Bulgarian Army bought it in 1893, I think there was a mistake in western sources.


Gun model : Krupp 105mm QF L/30 M. 1904
Calibre : 105,2mm L/30
Weight in action : 1345 kg
Tube Lenght : 3.155 m
Shell Weight : 17,8 kg
Shrapnel Weight : 17,8 kg (680 balls)
Muzzle Velocity : 560 m/s [Shrapnel : 583 m/s]
Max. Range : 12700 m
Elevation : + 50° / -5°
Traversing angle : 3° 56’ each side
Ammunition :
Remarks: Quick firing heavy gun with hydraulic recoil system, running-out springs, single-motion wedge breech mechanism, no shield, equipped with telescopic and dial sights, but not fitted for an indipendent line of sight. If they were captured in Odrin, they of a different pattern, see Turkish Heavy guns).


Gun model : Krupp 120mm L/25 M. 1887
Calibre : 120mm L/25
Weight : 1360 kg.
Weight with breech mechanism : 1440 kg.
Weight in action : 2900 kg
Weight of the platform : 1870 kg
Tube Lenght: 2.925 m
Shell Weight : 20 kg
Muzzle Velocity : 460 m/s
Max. Range : 7850 m
Elevation : + 30 / - 12
Ammunition :
Remarks : Slow firing heavy gun


Gun model : Schneider-Canet 120mm L/28 M.1895
Calibre : 120mm L/28
Weight : 1140 kg
Weight with breech mechanism : 1180 kg
Weight in action : 2570 kg
Weight of the platform : 1870 kg
Tube Lenght : 3.360 m
Shell Weight : 20 kg. (bursting charge: 1.35 kg black powder)
Shrapnel Weight : 20 kg (369 balls x ? gr - bursting charge: 0.28 kg Schneiderit)
Muzzle Velocity : 480 m/s
Max. Range : 7850 m
Elevation : + 28 / - 12
Remarks : Slow firing heavy gun.


Gun model : Krupp 120mm L/30 M. 1895
Calibre: 120mm L/30
Weight : 1700 kg.
Weight with breech mechanism : 1800 kg.
Weight in action : 3560 kg
Weight of the platform : 2400 kg
Tube Lenght : 3.600 m
Shell Weight : 20 kg [Shell and Steel Shell]
Shrapnel Weight : 20 kg
Muzzle Velocity :
Max. Range :
Elevation : + 35 / - 5
Ammunition :
Remarks : Slow firing heavy gun


Gun model : Krupp 150mm L/30 M. 1895
Calibre : 150mm L/30
Weight : 3370 kg.
Weight including breech mechanism : 3530 kg.
Weight in action : 5900 kg
Weight of the platform : 3200 kg
Tube Lenght : 4.470 m
Shell Weight : 40 kg [Shell]
Shrapnel Weight : 40 kg
Muzzle Velocity : 495 m/s
Max. Range : 8200/10000 m
Elevation : + 35° / - 5
Ammunition :
Remarks : Slow firing heavy gun

[Николай]

You certainly have more data, than I do.

He certainly does. MCP is an old friend of mine whom I have known for almost three years and I was always amazed how much he knows about the Bulgarian military history. And he has been collecting all this information piece by piece over a long period of time just out of enthusiasm and interest towards our country. I have learned a great deal from him. Thank you, my friend! And do stay in touch!
Yours sincerely
Nikolay :nworthy:

[Гост]

That is really great! Congratulationes and go ahead.

[MCP]

Mountain Artillery

Gun model : Schneider-Canet 75mm QF M. 1907
Calibre : 75mm L/16
Weight : 120 kg
Weight without limber : 506 kg
Weight of the shield : 76 kg
Tube Lenght : 1.200 m
Shell Weight : 5.1 kg (bursting charge: 0.1 kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 5.1 kg (200 balls x ? gr - bursting charge: 0.1 kg)
Shrapnel Fuze : time and percussion
Muzzle Velocity : 330 m/sec (shrapnel)
Max. Range : 5050/5200 m
Elevation : + 30° / - 10°
Traversing angle : 4° 30’
Thickness of shield: 4 mm
Track : 0.93 m
Ammunition : 128 (16 boxes, with 8 rounds each, each ammunition pack animal carrying 2 boxes - each ammunition box with 8 rounds weights 52.3 kg)
Transport : 5 load: 1 - gun; 1 - carriage and axle; 1 - shield and fittings; 1 - cradle, 1 - trail and wheels
Remarks : Quick firing mountain gun, with hydro-pneumatic recoil system, eccentric screw breech mechanism, not fitted for an indipendent line of sight.


Gun model : Krupp 75mm QF M. 1904
Calibre : 75mm L /14
Weight : 104 kg
Weight without limber : 384 kg
Weight of the shield : 26 kg [it seems not correct]
Tube Lenght : 1.050 m
Shell Weight : 5.1 kg (bursting charge: 0.16 kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 5.1 kg (200 balls x ? gr - bursting charge: 0.16 kg)
Shrapnel Fuze : time and percussion
Muzzle Velocity : 330 m/sec
Max. Range : 5000/5000 m
Elevation : + 25° / - 10°
Traversing angle : 2° each side
Thickness of shield: 4 mm
Track : 0.74 m
Ammunition : 128 (16 boxes, with 8 rounds each, each ammunition pack animal carrying 2 boxes - each ammunition box with 8 rounds weights 52.3 kg)
Transport : 4 loads: 1 - gun; 2 - carriage, recoil tubes, shield; 1 - cradle, wheels, shaft
Remarks : Quick firing mountain gun with hydro-spring recoil system, single-motion wedge breech mechanism.


Gun model : Krupp 75mm M. 1886
Calibre : 75mm L/13
Weight : 102 kg
Weight in action : 265 kg
Barrel lenght : 1.050 m
Shell weight : 4.3 kg
Shrapnel weight : 4.3 kg (225 balls)
fuze : percussion
Muzzle velocity : 294 m/s
Max. range : 2200 m / 3600 m
Elevation : + 12° / -17°
Track : 0.83 m
Transport : 3 loads: 1 - gun; 1 - trail; 1 - wheels
Ammunition : 138
Remarks : Slow firing mountain gun.


Gun model : Schneider-Creusot 75mm M. 1897
Calibre : 75mm L/19.3
Weight : 105 kg
Weight of the carriage : 255 kg
Weight in action : 360 kg
Barrel lenght : 1.447 m
Shell weight : 6.5 kg
Shrapnel weight : 6.5 kg
Case shot weight : 6.5 kg
Muzzle velocity : 300 m/s
Max. range : 4100 m
Elevation : + 18° / -12°
Transport : 4 loads
Ammunition : 138
Remarks : Slow firing mountain gun.

[MCP]

Howitzers

Gun model : Krupp 150mm QF M. 1902
German designation : 15cm sFH 02
Calibre : 149,7mm L/12
Weight : 1075 kg
Weight of the carriage: 1115 kg
Weight in action : 2035 kg
Tube Lenght: 1.770 m
Shell Weight : 42 kg
Muzzle Velocità : 325 m/s
Max. Range : 7450 m
Elevation : + 42° / - 4°
Ammunition : wagon - 36
Remarks : Quick firing heavy howitzer with hydraulic recoil system, running-out springs, single-motion wedge breech mechanism, not shielded, equipped with dial sights, but not fitted for an indipendent line of sight. About this howitzer see also Turkish Heavy howitzers.


Gun model : Schneider-Creusot 120mm QF M. 1909
Calibre : 120mm L/14.5
Weight : 510 kg
Weight including breech mechanism : 540 kg
Weight in action : 1450 kg
Tube Lenght : 1.740 m
Shell Weight : 21 kg (bursting charge: 4 kg Trotyl)
Shrapnel Weight : 21 kg (588 balls x 16 g)
Muzzle Velocity : 330 m/s
Max. Range : 6700 m (afterwards increased to 8000 m )
Elevation : + 45° / - 5°
Traversing angle : 5°
Thickness of shield: ? mm
Ammunition : gun limber - 18, wagon - 45
12 ammunition wagons for every battery
Remarks : Quick firing field howitzer, with hydro-pneumatic recoil system, eccentric screw breech mechanism, equipped with panorama sight, but not fitted for an indipendent line of sight.



Gun model : Krupp 120mm mod. 1891
Calibre: 120mm L/11.6
Weight : 415 kg.
Weight with breech mechanism : 450 kg.
Weight in action : 1115 kg
Tube Lenght : 1.392 m
Shell Weight : 20 kg
Shrapnel Weight : 20 kg
Muzzle Velocity : 268 m/s
Max. Range : 5200/5500 m
Elevation : + 45° / - 5°
Remarks : Slow firing howitzer


Gun model : Schneider-Canet 150mm M. 1897/05
Calibre : 150mm L/12
Weight : 722 kg
Weight with breech mechanism : 777 kg
Weight in action : 1965 kg
Weight of the limber : 641 kg
Tube Lenght : 1.810 m
Shell Weight : 40 kg (bursting charge: 2.8 kg)
Shrapnel Weight : 40 kg
Dynamite Shell Weight : 40 kg
Muzzle Velocity : 360 m/sec
Max. Range : 7800 m
Elevation : + 45° / - 5°
Track : 1.30 m
Wheels diameter : 1.27 m
Ammunition : gun limber - 5, wagon - 25
12 ammunition wagons for every battery
Remarks : Heavy howitzer à tir accéléré, i.e. old guns modernized in 1905 (see Henry BARBY, Brégalnitsa, Paris, Bernard Grasset 1914, page 309): some sources speak of them as “not quick firing” and others as “quick firing” howitzer; with hydro-pneumatic recoil system, eccentric screw breech mechanism, equipped with panorama sight, but not fitted for an indipendent line of sight. I am not sure wether this howitzer had a shield. The original model had no shield, but since the Austro-Hungarian Feldbuch Die Bulgarische Armee September 1915 says that it had "Schutzschilde", it may have been added when the howitzer was upgraded in 1905.

For additional pictures of these howitzers, see Bulgarian Howitzers - new pictures.

[MCP]

Artillery shipped by Germany during WW1

How many guns did Germany give tu Bulgarian army during WW1? This is the question. I was not able to find an answer in western sources and I hoped that Bulgarian sources can solve this problem. Unfortunately I was disillusioned by dibo, who said that "although it is relatively well known what was the inventory of the Bulgarian army in 1915, so far I have not been able to locate much info on what was available as quantities of military hardware throughout the years up to 1918."
However I can make some suppositions. In October 1915 Bulgarian Army had more or less 1000 guns (Iliya Iliyev- Momchil Yonov: 931; dibo: 1031; Stilyan Noykov: 1211). In September 1918 it had 1395 guns (British Official History : 1597 - 202 German guns). I think that Germany gave to Bulgarian Army not less than 400 guns. For a comparison: during WW1 Germany gave to Turkey 559 guns, 1570 light and 30 heavy machine guns (Erickson) and gave to Bulgaria 3600 machine guns. So it is not unlikely that Bulgaria received 400/500 guns.
Usually Germany did not give to his allies the most modern weapons it had. Moreover Germany usually did not give the heaviest guns. In Macedonia there were a little number of heavy guns, but they were under the direct control of German Army.

[dibo]

Here is what I have:

10.09.1915 - 1231 pcs. or 1211 guns, incl. 418 not QF.

Field Guns

75mm QF - 288-428 pcs.;
87mm - 222 pcs.;
120mm QF howitzers - 34 pcs.;
120 mm howirzers - 30 pcs.;

Mountain Arty
75mm QF - 103;
75mm - 42;

Fortress, Siege and Coastal Arty
150mm QF Howitzers -14;
150mm howitzers -12;
150mm guns - 10;
120mm guns - 22;
150mm guns - 9;
105mm QF guns - 12;
87mm guns - 78;
75mm guns - 76;
57mm Gruson guns - 26;
75mm QF anti-air guns - 2;
24 pounders - 16;
9 pounders - 48;
old mortar guns -12;
100mm QF Schneider - 4;
65mm QF Schneider ("Nadejda") - 2;
47mm QF Schneider ("Nadejda") - 2;
47mm QF on torpedo boats - 12;
76.2mm Armstrong - 1.
240mm QF coast arty guns - 2.


1916 - ? 150mm howitzers Krupp mod. 1913 delivered;
1917 - ? 75 mm Skoda mountain guns, 105mm Krupp howitzers and 150mm Skoda guns delivered;
Many guns captured - in Tutrakan in 1916 for example - 150 pcs.

The army started the war with 243 batteries. During the war another 77 were formed - 50 with up to 105mm; 18 with 120-150mm; 4 with 170-250mm, 1 53mm, etc. 142 batteries were rearmed with QF guns - 50 105 mm howitzers batteries, 9 150mm howitzers batteries, 5 105mm gun batteries, 28 75mm field gun batteries, etc.

[MCP]

dibo you are terrific! :nworthy:

A little question. In various western sources (Manuel LON, Bulgaria en la guerra Europea, Madrid 1920, passim - who speaks of 16 howitzers of this pattern; Philip J. HAYTHORNWAIYTE, The World War One Sourcebook, London, Arms & Armour 1992, page 156, and another source that I don't remember now) Bulgaria had also some 105mm Schneider Field Howitzer. But I don't know that there were a 105mm Schneider howitzer in pre-war (I know only a 105mm Schneider M. 1909 quick firing mountain howitzer). Do anybody know anything about this question?