Questions and Answers

[Von_Luger]

Can Anyone give me a link to an Encyclopedia about the bulgarian armed forces from 1930 to 1945?

[dibo]

There is no such thing existing even in Bulgarian language.

P.S. But if you can formulate a specific question I can try to help you.

[Von_Luger]

I mean could someone give me blueprints of bulgarian equipment during ww2 and interwar period.Pictures and drawings are also accepted.Even pictures and info about the unit's name will be of help.

[mafioso]

Hi Von_Luger,
I accidentally found an information about the Bulgarian uniforms during the WW2. It's from the forums of the National Association "Tradition", so I have to thank to Sturmpionier for this text. I hope it will help you, by that, what are you doing. So, here it is:

"During World War 2 the Bulgarian army weared mainly the M1936 feld infantry uniform, which was accepted on 8th November 1936, when the famous General Lukov was the cheff of the staff. Therefore this type of uniform was known as "General Lukov style uniform".
The colour of the M1936 winter feld uniform was khaki (light yellow- brown). The soldier's winter uniform was made of wool and considered kepi with a lion badge-cockade and a triangular bulgarian national flag insignia on its right side, tunic with 4 pockets, red stabs (red was the branch colour of the infantry), triangular cuffs and 6 buttons, breeches with red piping and a leather belt.
The officer's uniform were the same as the soldier's one. The only difference were the German style tabs (red for the infantry) and the material, which was made from gabardin, instead wool. The soldier's and officer's greatcoat was woolen, gray, double brasted, with 6 black-green buttons, and red stabs (standart Bulgarian).
The summer M1936 feld uniform was much more simple. It considered Green (Russian/Soviet) stylle of blouse, called "ginastyorka" with 4 big and 2 small green buttons. The "gimnastyorka's" didn't have stabs and pockets. The kepi was green with a national Bulgarian insignia and a lion, like on the winter uniform. The breeches were also from the winter uniform.
The boots of the M1936 uniform were long and black.
Every Bulgarian soldier had aslo a steel helmet. It was mainly the Bulgarian M36 model (type A, B or C) and the German WW1 M16 helmet."

The drawing below (by Alexander Vuchkov) shows a Bulgarian General in a feld infantry M1936 uniform.



And here some of the Bulgarian helmets during the period 1936 - 1951:

• Bulgarian M36/A Steel Helmet
  This is the Model 36/A steel helmet with a rolled edge; two vent holes and six rivets. This model was the first type of the Model 36 produced and was manufactured in Brno, Czechoslovakia. This helmet features the tri-color transfer of Bulgaria.
  

• Bulgarian M36/C steel helmet
  This is the Model 36/C steel helmet with unrolled edge and small crest on dome. This is one of three patterns of helmets produced for the Bulgarian army before World War II. This particular model was German produced and remained in use until the 1970s.
  

• Bulgarian M36/C "Short Visor" Steel Helmet
  This is the Model 36/C steel helmet with unrolled edge and small crest on dome. This is a variation of the M-36/C with a shorter visor than the standard version.
  

• Bulgarian Model 1938 "Luftschutz" steel helmet
  Produced in Germany for the air defense, this helmet design is often called the “Gladiator” style. These helmets were supplied to Bulgaria for air and civil defense use. This example features a decal of the Kingdom of Bulgaria.
  

• Bulgarian Model 1951 steel helmet
  This model features a shape and liner that are almost identical to the Italian Model 1933 helmet, except that it features higher quality steel and leather. This helmets remained in use until the 1990s.
  

Unfortunately I couldn't find the M36/B type. If somebody has a picture or something like that, please post it.