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

Bulgarian “Gustav”

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

The Bulgarian Air Force employed also the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10. The picture show one of them. According the sources after the end of the war, some 100 Bf 109G-10/G-12/G-14 airframes were taken as war prizes from Pech in Hungary and a Messerchmitt factory in Austria and ferried back to Bulgaria. These aircraft served with 6 Fighter Polk until late 1946 while in 1947 59 aircraft were supplied to the Yugoslav Air Force as war reparations. Together former Croat Air Force’s Messerschmitt, this aircraft was used by the new SFR Yugoslav Air Force’s 172nd Fighter Regiment until mid-1952. Victor Sierra
