Bulgarian Air Force
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Bulgaria
Air Force

Aircraft Types


Aero MB.200 Buhal 
Twelve Aero-built Bloch MB.200En-4 Buhal (= Owl) delivered from Czechoslovakia via Germany in 1939. Used by 5 Bomber Orliak Training Yato at Plovdiv in the night bomber role. Withdrawn from service in 1941.

Serial c/no. Prev. Identity Delivered Fate/Notes
1     1939  
2     1939  
3     1939  
4     1939  
5     1939  
6     1939  
7     1939  
8     1939  
9     1939  
10     1939  
11     1939  
12     1939  

References:

  • Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria Part III
  • Wings of Fame Vol.13


Aero A.304 Pelikan 
One A.304 twin-engined reconnaissance aircraft delivered in 1940. Used by ? unit for sea patrol over the Black Sea. Withdrawn from service in 1943. Pelikan = Pelican.

Serial c/no. Prev. Identity Delivered Fate/Notes
1     1940  

References:

  • Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria Part III
  • Wings of Fame Vol.13


Aero L-29 84 (red) at Dolny Dubnik.
(photo, Emil Dyulgerov)
Aero L-29 74 (red) at Kamenetz.
(photo, Emil Dyulgerov)

Aero L-29 Delfin * Retired *
Sixty-two L-29 delivered from manufacturer from 1964 onwards. Used by ? unit for the basic training role. Withdrawn from service in November 2002. Military type number 7209, and serialled in sequence 1/7209 to 109/7209. (Known c/n batches are: 491028-491033, 591472-591495, 691940-691945, 792446-792451, 892779-892790, 892876-892880, 892936-892942.)

Serial c/no. Prev. Identity Delivered Fate/Notes
11 491028   ? Bulg AF 1/7209. Preserved Plovdiv/Krumovo Oct 2004
25     ? preserved Ruse as '30' Sept 2002
29 691940   ? preserved Dolna Mitropolija Aug 2002
31? 691942   ? to N6171M Nov 1997
38     ? Shtraklevo Oct 1995
40     ? Preserved Cheshnegirovo Sept 2001
41     ? to USA by July 2003
49     ? last noted Jan 1996
52? 892790   ? Shtraklevo Oct 1995, to N6351Z Nov 1997
53 892876   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija, to N443KT Aug 2001
56? 892879   ? to N112AE Jan 2002
57     ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Sept 2002
62 892940   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Sept 1995
63 892941   ? preserved Vrazhdebna Sept 2002, Sofia Military History Museum May 2005
64 892942   ? preserved Burgas July 2003
65 094026   ?  
66 094027   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Jan 1996
67 094028   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Aug 2002
68 094029   ? last noted 1978
69 094030   ? Dolna Mitropolija Sept 1995
70 094031   ? last noted Sept 1982
71 094032   ? stored Kamenetz, Preserved Vraca Dec 2004
72 094033   ? last noted Sept 1982
73 094034   ? preserved Jambol town Sept 2002
74 094035   ? preserved Kamenetz Aug 2002
75 094144   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Feb 1997
76 094145   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Sept 1995
77 094146   ? to N777KD Aug 1998
78 094147   ? to USA, to N689 Jul 2004
79 094148   ? preserved Bezmer Sept 2002
80 094149   ? last noted Sept 2001
81 194231   ? last noted 1992
82 194232   ? last noted Feb 1997
83 194233   ? last noted Oct 1995
84 194234   ? preserved Dolny Dubnik
85 194235   ? preserved Graf Ignatievo Sept 2002
86 194236   ? to N129TX Apr 2000
87 194237   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Sept 1995
88 194238   ? GI Dolna Mitropolija Sept 1995
89 194239   ? at Lancaster MAP (TX) Mar 2003
90 194240   ? with 12 UA Sept 2002
91 194241   ? to Lancaster MAP (TX) Jul 2003
92 194242   ?  
93 194243   ? last noted Sept 2001
94 194244   ? last noted Jul 2001
95 294680   ?  
96 294681   ? last noted Oct 1995
97 294682   ? Rand, Sth Africa Sept 1982, to ZU-CYI Mar 2003
98 294683   ? Kamenetz, to N2998 Aug 2003
99 294684   ?  
100 294685   ? Kamenetz Sept 2001
101 294686   ? to N6235M Nov 1997
102 294687   ? to N400WP Feb 2003
103 294688   ? to N777ZE Dec 2002
104 294689   ? Lancaster MAP (TX) July 2003, to South Africa 2004
105 294891   ? Lancaster MAP (TX) July 2003, to South Africa 2004
106 294892   ? to Lancaster MAP (TX) Mar 2003, to N106AV June 2003
107 294893   ?  
108 294894   ? Kamenetz, to N24176 June 2003
109 294895   ?  
110 294896   ? Stored Kamenetz Apr 2003, to South Africa 2004?
111 294897   ? to N129U May 2004
112 294898   ? to Rand, Sth Africa Sept 2002, to ZU-CYH Mar 2003
113 294899   ? to N113SX May 2004
114 294900   ?  
115 294972   ? to N113AV Jan 2002
116 294973   ? last noted Jan 1996, to South Africa 2004
117 294974   ? to N20724 June 2002, stored Kamenetz Apr 2003
118 294975   ? to Lancaster MAP (TX) June 2003, to ZU-DHV Feb 2004
119 294976   ? Bulg AF 109/7209. to N61300 Nov 1997, stored Kamenetz Apr 2003

References:

  • European Air Forces Directory 2003/04 (Mach III)
  • European Air Forces Directory 2005/06 (Mach III)


Aero L-39 211 at Kamenets.
(photo, Emil Dyulgerov)
Aero L-39 147 also at Kamenets.
(photo, Emil Dyulgerov)

Aero L-39ZA Albatros * Current *
Thirty-six L-39ZA ordered from manufacturer and delivered between 1986 and 1990. Used by 12 UA at Kamenets, 22 SA at Bezmer/Yambol and 3 IA at Graf Ignatievo for the advanced pilot training and light attack roles. Between 1995 and 2000 a number of L-39s were detached to fighter bases to operate alongside the fighters. These bases included Cheshengirovo, Dobrich and Ravents. Six were sold to Cambodia in 1997 and six more sold in the USA in 2001.

Serial c/no. Prev. Identity Delivered Fate/Notes
101 734101   1987 with 12 UA
103 734103   1987 with 12 UA
105 734105   1987 to USA 2001, to N139ZA May 2002
107 734107   1987 to N107ZA Oct 2001
109 734109   1987 to USA 2001, to N109ZA May 2002
111 734111   1987 with 12 UA
137 035137   1990 with 12 UA
139 035139   1990 with 12 UA
141 035141   1990 with 12 UA
143 035143   1990 with 22 SA
145 035145   1990 with 3 IA
147 035147   1990 with 12 UA
201 035201   1990 with 12 UA
202 035202   1990 with 12 UA
203 035203   1990 with 12 UA
205 035205   1990 with 12 UA
206 035206   1990 with 3 IA
207 035207   1990 with 3 IA
209 035209   1990 with 12 UA
210 035210   1990 with 22 SA
211 035211   1990 with 12 UA
213 035213   1990 with 22 SA
214 035214   1990 with 12 UA
215 035215   1990 with 12 UA
827 633827   1986 with 12 UA
829 633829   1986 with 12 UA
831 633831   1986 with 12 UA
833 633833   1986 with 12 UA
835 633835   1986 with 12 UA
837 633837   1986 sold to USA 2001, to N837ZA June 2003
907 633907   1986 with 12 UA
909 633909   1986 sold to USA 2001, to N909ZA May 2002
911 633911   1986 sold to USA 2001, to N1205W May 2003
913 633913   1986 sold to USA 2001, to N202XX Aug 2004
915 633915   1986 with 12 UA
917 633917   1986 w/o 2 Oct 1990 in crash at Kamenets

References:

  • European Air Forces Directory 2003/04 (Mach III)
  • European Air Forces Directory 2005/06 (Mach III)
  • arrow-aviation.nl


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First Created: 12 January 2002 - Last Revised: 5 August 2005
Copyright © 2002 John Hayles.     e-mail: john@aeroflight.co.uk