Line-up of Bulgarian Air Force’s Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4, nicknamed Strela (Arrow) by the Bulgarian pilots. A total of 19 Strela, delivered from June 1940, was employed by 3/6 Orliak and retired in 1943 when was replaced by the Bf 109G. Victor Sierra

Strela

Military ceremony on a snow-capped Bulgarian airport, late 1941 or early 1942, with three Bulgarian Air Force’s fighter aircraft: two Messerschmitt Bf 109E, nicknamed Lebed (Swan) by the Bulgarian pilots, and an outdated biplane Czech-made Avia B.534. At this time the Kingdom of Bulgaria’s air force had around 90 fighter aircraft of various sources, but the only modern planes was ten exemplars of the German fighter, the Bf 109’s first batch purchased by the Bulgarians. At the end of 1941 the inventory of Bulgaria’s Air Troops consisted of 609 aircraft of 40 different types. Victor Sierra

Bulgarian fighters

A Bulgarian “Gustav”, Messerschmitt Bf 109G, on a snow-capped airfield. The Bulgarian Air Force received a total of 145 Bf 109G of various models, G-2/G-4/G-10 and, according some sources, also G-12 two seat, from 1943 to 1944 employed by the 2/6 and 3/6 Orliak in interceptor role. The first Gustav’s batch, 23 G-2, was delivered in March 1943 and in April 1944 some aircraft of this type was employed for the Sofia’s defense. Victor Sierra