THE BULGARIAN AIR FORCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R012700120005-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: November 25, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/30 :CIA-RDP83-004158012700120005-2
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE kGENCY
' 50X1-HUM
=? ~ CLASS f F 1 CATI bN SFCR~:T~CC3NTROL~.--U, S. Q~'FIC77AL~ ONLY`
SECURITY INFORMATION
~NF~R~II~kT1~H RE~"~D~T ~~PO~T
CQ N0.
COUNTRY BuYgaria
SUBJECT The BnJ.~arian Aar Farce
D
PLACE
ACQUIRED
OF~ THE UNITED- STATESr WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 1Br SECTIONS 79j
AND 794r OF THE U.S. CDDEr AS AMf NOED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR RE4E-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUI'HDRILED PERSDN IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE, REPRO9UCT 19N OF.,THIS FORM I3 PROHIBITED.
General
3.
?e~ded in acsao~danae with the plan for building-up-the armed fc)raes of all
satellite gauntries.
Dated in Se~fia~ At: present, this-pcasitiQn 3s held by Lieutenant G1.
Zatcharo Zakha~^~.evg aided by nne Mayor General who 3.s chief- of sf and an-
o`er A'~j~? Ge~x..l is in charge of services and supply. The Air Force. Com-
zrtter~ as are the ~,x?my Commanders and the C?mnnander in Chief cif the Navy, 3.a
ai:rectly subc~rdina~te to the Chief of the General Staff .
i'k),s Bu1.g~^3~n peace tx?e+~ty ~.imits the ~u~;gax?i~ .fir Fo~?ce t~ 9~ p~,nes, w~-t~r
a ~ianum of ?7C~ atm-bat pledneea and a total parsQnxxel of no znox?e than S~~AG
~nei~. However, with the aid of the soviets, thes? 1'#mitation~ have been ex~
NC}; OF ~PAG~S
N0.OF ENCLS. ~~i
(LISTEQ BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT N0.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
The headquarters e~~ the Cor~rt>,der in Chief of the BulSariaxi Air Forge is ~.o~=~ ~.
The Bul~;ari~,n military Air Force, patterned after a Soviet tactical air army,
now ingludes at least l+00 planes and a tvt~rl. of approximately S,0?O men. (A
Soviet taetiaal air army ~ngludes: 1Q air divisions, 3C air regiments, and
9Q air equadrgns, comprising a total organic fares of 1,050 line planes and
21b reserve planes).
Cc~o~itign of FQ ae
4. The Bulgarian Air Force ire divided into "Avid-biviziya" (,fir Aivisiona) which
are commanded by colonels or lieutenant aolanele, with 130 line-.,and re?erve
planes. ~e.ch ~'Avio-Diviziya," is composed of three "Aviv.-Polk'" or regi~erit~,
which, in turn, are composed of three "Avis-Escadrille," qr squadrons.
CLASSIFICATION ~CFtET/CONTROL--U, S. OFFICIALS ONLY
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~a The individual commands and them subordinate units are located as follows:
ao The 1 Fighter Air Div:~.sion, in Dabrich, composed as follows:
(1) The 22 Fighter Regiment, in Dabrich;
(~) The ?5 Fighter Regiment, in Dabrich; and
(3) The ~7 Fighter Regiment, 3.ri Dabrich;
b, The 2 Light Night Bomber Air Division, in Stara Zagora, composed of the
~~. Fighter Regiment and two other unidentified regiments in. Stara Zagora;
co The 3 Bomber Ai~^ Division, iri Balchik, composed of the 4~ Fighter Regiment
and two other unidentified regiments in Balchik;
d, The ~. Fighter Air Division, :%n Sofia, composed as follows;
(~.) The 11 Fighter Regiments in Sofia;
(2) The 18 Fighter Regiment, in Sofia (with one squadron in Sarafovo); and
(;3 ) Ttae i6 'transport Regiment, in Sof ia;
e~ The ~ Pursuit Air Di?vision~ in PlovdivA composed as follows:
(1) The 17 P?r;~^sui.t Regiment9 in Kr?aznavo;
(~ ) The ~O Pur?suita Regiment, in I~rumovo 9 and
(3 ) The 2~ F'va:?suit Regiment, in Plovdiv;
fo. The 8 Naval C~ammand~ in Varna9 composed as follows:
(l) A hyd~?~aplane unitw in Varna; and
(2) A hydroplane unit, irx Bu?~?gas;
g~ The.9 Light Night Bomber Air Division, in Yambal, composed of three un~-
identified. regiments irx Yambol; and
ho The lO Fighter Air Di?~isian, in Graf Ignatiev, which includes the 21
Fighter Regiment o
6o Ir: addition to the divisional forces listed above, the Bulgarian Air Force
includes the following autonamc~us regiments and units:
The 2~ Reconnaissance Regiment, located in Garna Oryakhovitsa;
'bo A Parachute Regiments composed of one group based in Sofia and one based
in Stara Zagora (which are in the process of being transformed into a
Division);,
~;a An. airborne di?~isi.on, not at full strength, located in the vicinity of
Sofia,
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-3m
de A reednnaissance unit9 located irl Vxa~hdebna; and
e? A fighter training squadrons located in Levski?
?~? The main plants for assembling and repairing planes are as follows:
Zavod ~1~, in Kazanluk;
b ? Zavod #1~., e%n Lovech;
~? Zavod ~l,~s in Karlovo;
d.? Assembly and Repair Plants in Plovdiv;
e? .Assembly and Repair Plants in Bazhurishte (N/.2l~5 E2311);
.f? Assembly and Repair Plantq in Yambolo
Personnel and S~hc~a~.s
8? Certain categaries of specialists in the Bulgarian Air Force serve for a four-
year period; nan~specialist recruits serve a two-year enlistment.
9o Bulgarian Air Farce schools are located as follows:
~ ? D41na Nlit~?opoliya y the Air Academy; r
b? Telish: (1) An Instrument Flying School; (2) A Fighter Training School;
{;3) A B?mbardier Twining Scho~+l; and (1,.} A Noncommissioned, Officers and
F'~.ight ,Personnel School;
c, Sofia a Racl.:iocomm~txnicatians School;
d~ Sc'fia (Bo~hur~.s~a.~te)~, a School for Drivers and a School for Pilots;
e? Srsfia (Vrazhdebna) o (1) A School for Plane-e,ssembly Specialists and far
Pars.ahutists; and (2} ,~ School for Civilian Pilots;
f? Balchik~ a Bombardier School;
Dobricrie a Fighter Training Sa;hool;
h? Gorna (~?yalchavitsa9 a Fighter Training Schaal;
:ia Karlovae a Fighter Training School;
~a Graf Ignatieve a Ci~rilian Pilots School;
k? Lovech~ prc~babl~rq a Technical School for Air Reserve Officers;
1? Atana~avog probably9 a Pilots School; .
m? Krumova~ a.section of a Pilots School;
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n, Varna a Pilafs School and a Parachutists School, directed by Soviet
officers;
cr, Kal4fer (N~.237 E2.~59) 9 a Glider School9 anal
pp Sta~?a Zagoraa probably a Pilots Schaolo
Air lane es
~.Oo Of the l~00 planes assigned to the Bulgarian Military Air Force9 approximately
~50~ which same from the Soviet Unian~ are relatively new models and are con~-
sidered to be ira food combat condition. The remainder are of various makes
and o~^igins and them ci~ndition cannot be ascertained, The planes turned over
to Bulgaria by the Soviet Union are as follows:
apYp~AgK~~-g piston engine fighters9 ].OO;
bo .~-~F7~i1?'l~ ~et fi~htP..r w~7'9 l~;
co YAK?~.~ ~et fighters, 15;
do YAK~~~''~et f:ighters~ 3O;
ea MIG ~~ het fighters 10;
fo IL?2 Stormovik pursuit planesp $0;
g~ PE~-2~ di?~e bambers~ 115;
bo PE~2 planesg modified fQr transports 10;
i a TU2 tn~?pedt~ bombers 9 1~;;
~, IL?lO Sta~?movik planes9 modified for recoxir3aissance, 30;
ko U/TLm10 Stoa~mo~+~ik p`lanesA modified far reconna3.5sanee training, 30;
I.~ An unspecified number of LI~2 bombers (Dakota, C-t~?7) and
m, An unspecified number of reconnaissance and transport hydroplanesaZ
11~ The airplanes used for training are of the following types:
a, Zlin C~-2;
b o A.~?ado 96;
co PO ~y biplane,
d o YAK ~,$; and
e, YAK~11~
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SECRET/CpNTRQL--U. S. OFFICIALS OI~TLY
12, The het fighters recentlg turned over by the .Soviet Uriian to Bulgaria were as-
signed to 1 Air Division and are located in the Dobrich area.
13. The fc-11+~wing sketch shows the wing, fuselage, and tail markings of .planes in
the Bulgarian Air Farce.
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Airplane Characteristics
14. The following is a list of Bulgarian Air Force planes and their characteristics:
ao YAK-9, fighter, lc~w-wind monoplane of wraod and metal eonstructian, liquid-
coc~led with radiator under the fuselage; inline ].,200 horsepower engine; 50X1-H U M
maximum speed, 56O km/hr; armament, one 20 mm. ar one 37 mm. cannon firing
through the propeller hub and one 120?7 mm. machine gun;
b. FE-2 (PB-100), dive b6mber and reconnaissance plane; low wing monoplane of
metal ecnstruction; quite vulnerable because of its gas tanks which are lo-
cated throughout the fuselage; twin liquid-cooled 1,300 hcraepawer engines;
maximum speed, 540 km/hr; rangee 1,900 kilometers; armament twe, fixed 12,7
mm. machine ~un.s and four mobile 7462 mm, machine guns;
50X1-HUM
~. TU-2, twin-engine dive bomber of metal constriction; twin 1,850 horsepower
radial air-c?oled engines; maximum speed, 575 km/hr; range, 2,500 kilo-
' meters with-1,500 kilograms of bombs; armament, two 2O mm. cannon and fotvc
i2a~ mmo machine guns strategically located for offense and defense;
50X1-HUM
IL-2 (Stormovik), single engine, twin-place fighter, of metal construction
and with armored cockpit; 1,300 horsepower inline engine; maximum speed,
43O loo/hr; range, 1,100 kilometers; eeiling~ 8,00 meters; armament, two
20 run. cannon and two 12,"7 mm machine grans, or two 32 mm. cannon and tiro 7.(a2
machine guns; 50X1-HUM
ep LI-2 (TS-g4), twin-engine transport and bombing plane built along the lines
Qf thQ - ~.s a~.~.eget~.ly bei~.~ r?placed by the TL ~2
plane; snd 50X1-H U M
fo IL-l0 Stormovik (IL-2 type plane modified for reconnaissance); 1,SOO hoa^se-
power inline engine; maximum speed, 450 km/hr; increased range; armament,
two 32 mmo cannon and one 7x62 mm. ms.chine gun in the rear position,
Bul avian Airfields
15o The following is a list of Bulgarian airfields:
a. Balchik Military Airport (N4326 E2g11), 2,000 x 1,50? meters, located on
the Black Sea Coast southwest of the city of Balchik, has hangars and a
concrete runway;
b. Burgas (Sarafavo) Military and Civilian Airport (N4235 E2732), 1,400 x
1800? meters; in the process of being enlarged to 3,00? x 3,000 meters,
located approximately eight kilometers north-northeast of .Burgas, between
the lake and the highway8 has nine hangars and a radio and meteorological
station;
c. Burgas (Atanasoro?cr) Auxiliary Airfield, 2,000 x 1,500 meters, located ap-
p~?oximately seven kilometers north-northwest of Burgas;
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d. Do1na Mitropoliya Military Airport (N1~327 E2430), 1,600 x 1,200 meters, lo-
cated approxitnataly eight kilometers northwest mf Pleven9 has a concrete
runway, four large hangars9 various buildings housing commands and sexvicss,
and the Air Academy;
eo Dospat Auxiliary Military Airport (NL,139 E2~,0>~), 2,300 x 1,x.00 meterse lo-
cated ~.mmediatel~ south of the Dospat Rivera has Wing hangars and various
~"acilitie s;
f a Elkhovo Airport (NL~2Oa~ E2~C), recently reactivated;
go Gonna C~ys,khc~ritsa Military and Civ~.liah Airport (N~.3O~ E~SL,.3), 1,000 x
~.~OOO metersp I,o~a,ted sdiat?1y southwest of Doha-Oryakhovitsa and south
ci" the Yr~nt~a River ix~ ane cf its 'bends' has ~ concrete rux~wayA five large-~
sire hangars and var~.ou~ service and headquarters buildings;
Graf Igr~atie~ M~.litary Airport (Nt+21g E2~r3) ; 2, 40O ~ 1, >~Q? mater?~ located
approaci~ately 20 1s~.1AS~eters north of Plovdiv, approximately five kilometers
r~arth~-n~orthweat of the tc of f~raf Ig~iatie~rs has ?ix hangars end a c?norete
;?~~ray;
ig Yambol Milite~x?~? Airport (Pt423? E2629), 1350 ~ fa~Q Mersa located three
kilamgters west v~' Ye~bal iz~ th? Ttu~deha~ ~tivax plain along floe Yambol~fic~r~
Ze.gdrs, railway ~.i~e ~ has +~ concrete x~~way, r'oux' ha~sgars ~ various ?bu~.ld,i~gs,
d e, radio statios~~
~anl Mi~.ity Airpcx~t (N1.~37 E2~2~~ ~ l~ ~ClQ 1~ QQ? meters s located 1 ~ ~
~i~,ometers ncrtl~~ras~t cif' Es.sanl~, immediatc'1y west c~' the ~,~onl~-sip
(N~3 E2~Q) ~iighway~ 1a,~ s, e4ncrota runway, f?ur h~ngar~9 snd vaxot~s
bui~.d~~gs and wc~~ksh~sps~;
kp I{a~?1o~ro Military Airport (N4235 E2~~3)9 1y400 x 19000 meters, located: eight
kilometers from Karlo~v'o, has fotar hangars and two repair shops;
1a Kyustandil Airport (Nl.,~l7 E22.z~6);
mQ K~?umovo Militate .Airpor=t (N4204 E21~.y1), 1,1~.OO. x 800 meters9 with facilities
for enla~ging9 located south-southeast of Plo~rdiv;
no Lmvech Military Airport (N43:10 E2~,.3)9 1,100 X 19100 meters, located 30
k~..:ic~meters southeast ref Pleven9 approximately lob kilermeters from the Lovech-
Pleven and LovechmLevski c~rossroads9 has-two hangars;
Plovdi~a Military and Civilian Airport (Ny,208 E21,.l~.7), 19600 x 1,500 meters,
located approximately three kilometers southeast of Plo~vdi~r and immediately
northeast of the highway and railroad. to Aseno~vgrad (NG~.59 E2/~52), has six
hangars;
p~ Sliven Military Airport (N/+240 E2621), 2,500 x 1,500 meters, located one
kilometer southeast of Sliven;
q, Sheynovo Airpo~?t9 Auxiliary Field of Kazanl~ik9 (N1~2~.5 E2520), 1,800 x 700
meters;
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~?o Sofia (Bozhur3shte) Military and Civil Airport, (N//22l,,5 E2311), 19400 x 19200
a~ 1,000 mete~^s, 1o~cated approximately eight kilometers northwest from the
outskirts of Sofia, dust west of the Sofia?Dragoman~Pirot road, includes
five hangars, barracks, workshops, and a radio and telephone station;
sa Sofia (Vrazhdebna) Military and Civil Airport (N4242 E2325)9 2,000 x 1,000
meters, located two kilometers east of the subu~?bs of Sofia, has four hang-
ars and various buildings;
tQ Sapst Military A~.rpo~rt (N;~,238 E2444), 19300 x 60 meter runway, located west
of Karle~vo9 has hangars and workshops;
u~ Varna (Sevmess) Military and Civil Ai~?por~2 (N4312 E2753)9 19400 x 900
mete~?sa, 1oca,ted approximately two kit?meters west southwest of Varna, has
a hangar9 a workshop9 and various buildings;
va Varna (Chaika) Hydroplane B~.se and Airpo~?t~ (N4311 E2748), located ran Varna
Lake, has a canc:rete runway;
taro Varna Civil A:i~.?pcsrt of Aksakovo (N43:15 E2748), located two kilometers south--
~rest of the tat4m of ,Aksakavo,
xa Stara Zagc~:~a Mi~.~.tary Airport (N~,222 E2542) A 19800 x 1, 500 meters, located
fQU~? kilo~.eters sr~utheast of Stara Zagara9 has four hangars;
Ya Telish Military Airport (N1.~,320 E2~3.5)a 29000 x 1,700 meters, located 3O
k:i.lemeters southwest of Pleven, has a conc~?ete runway9 two hangars, and
~~ar~ic~us build~.ngs;
z,o Dobri~:h Mi1i?~.ary A.rpm~?t (N4336 E2752)9 19300 x 1,300 meters9 located ap-
p~?o:~ime.te~,y 24 kilometers northwest of Balchik, has five hangars and acon-
~;;rete r?~~way~ and
aao Vic~..in Aa..~?po:r.?t~ (NPfO E2251)
~.6 o The fU~.lc3wing airports are emergency airports which are kept active Qr where
const~?uctian work is iM progress Asen9 Banya9 Belitsa9 Bukhavtsi9 Gorna,
Dzh~,ya9 Karnobat~, K~irdzha3.i, Kraynavc~ (sic), Luvonovo (sic), Melnik9 Momchil~
g:rad9 Malev~?~9 Ne`~c~kop9 Petrich9 Popovc~9 Razlog9 Ruse9 Smitli, Sm?1yan, Stozher,
and Pazardzhiko
50X1-HUM
attention is called to the discrepancy between the
tv over 450 planes
statement that "app~?aximatelyr 350 planesooawere turned duet to Bulgaria by
the So~?iet Union~y' and the breakdown of these planes by type, which adds up
50X1-HUM
:~ o ~~ C,,or~.er~-t o These two airports have been united. and are now known as
the Varna M:~.~~~ita.ry Airporto
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Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/30 :CIA-RDP83-004158012700120005-2