Bulgarian Uniform Items

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abc123
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Bulgarian Uniform Items

Post by abc123 »

So comrades, following on from my thread about my new bulgarian firmans helmet, I thought I would cover a bit more, as I seem to have aquired a Bulgarian Royal Army uniform (its brown and its not nice), cap, helmet, field kit the lot. Of course, there is no Bulgarian LH Group and following the success of the BPA section in our Slavic mob (just me) I doubt I will have any luck doing Bulgarian Royal Army (Pro-Axis).

Anyway, starting at the top. The M36 Helmet. This is a mega cheap ww2 helmet. On ebay in could nick with decal less than 40 quid. They come in 3 types, A, B & C. The C is the most common and is the only type to be made in Bulgaria. There were at one time or another 3 factories knocking them out:
- Sandrik - Dolne Hamre, Slovakia producing the type A (rolled edge, quality liner)
- Bruder Gottlieb und Brauchbar - Brun, Moravia /Bratri G&B - Brno, Czechoslovakia, producing the interim or type B helmet, (different rivets, liner and crest)
- Eisenhuttenwerk Thale - Thale, Harz, Germany producing the type C. They also transferred a helmet press in 1942 to Bulgaria who continued to produce the type C.

Apart from that, its very difficult to tell whats what. The helmet shells do not have markings at all. No sizing, no manufacturers, nowt (Yorkshire for nothing). So you would just spend time swapping with your mates until you got a size. After some research, I'm not 100% the shells were actually different sizes. They all seem the same to me. The liners sometimes have the DSF Kazanlak region military factories stamp, but even that isn't common.

So the C type... The common Bulgarian one. How do you know its a C? Well its got a straight edge to the shell, and what can be called an economy liner, and chinstrap. Unlike the A and B-type, the C-type liner is not banged onto the shell. They have much smaller fitment rivets. Its actually attached by 4 metal strips. These are fixed to the metal liner ring and with the other end to the helmet shell. Its like some wierd non functional shock absorber. The rivets are much lower on a 36C as well.

The chinstrap for the type C come sin 2 pieces and is fastened with a buckle, unlike the A&B which are more like the German WW1 chinstrap and are waaaay too complex for me to work! The strap itself attached to the D-rings in a way similar to the German WWII chinstraps (you know two slits in the strap, and double faced rivet going through them)? Which means you can take it off. Then you partner can move it for safety without telling you. Then you can spend a few frantic hours turning the house upside down looking for it... Anyway, I digress. Here is mine:

Image

Colour schemes are all variations of a gray-green color, but some are cammo. There are C-types in the dark, "flat" gray green, typical for the A and B types. More usual is the grainy, mixed with some kind of dust gray-green paint - varying from dark gray-green, through quite light gray-green, reaching a color which I would call nearly grass-green. You also get them with the bulgarian tricolour and also without. I've included a picture here of mine. If there is enough interest I will do a few more items. If you don't want it (and I won't be offended if you don't) I won't!
abc123
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Post by abc123 »

Here are some guys in the helmet. Note the use of the M35? M42? as well.
The guy with the goggles is deffo in an M36 and the guy getting the medal has one on as well. This will be quite late as they are wearing the Bulg ski cap. Its like a german one but brown! They are also wearing the summer cut Italian style uniform. Its HBT, green cloth or brown cloth. Its not smart.

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Alex
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Post by Alex »

I've got a wwii bulgarian helmet .. strange looking thing. The one I have is almost certainly wwii though they kept wearing them I think long after the war? I'd be interested in seeing your strap and liner.
Wilder Feger
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Post by Wilder Feger »

Alex wrote: I'd be interested in seeing your strap and liner.
:shock: you'll surely be engaged after that!!!

sorry, sorry, sorry... I just couldn't resist...
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Jon Das Reich

Post by Jon Das Reich »

I must admit it would be nice to see some of the smaller axid powers reenacted but i imagine getting the uniforms and equipment is a twat
abc123
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Post by abc123 »

Wilder Feger wrote:
Alex wrote: I'd be interested in seeing your strap and liner.
:shock: you'll surely be engaged after that!!!
ooeeerrr... I will nee dto run this past central command. A german wants to see my strap and liner. I thikns its okay,its not like he wants to se emy eye fastening is it? :)
abc123
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Post by abc123 »

Alex wrote:I've got a wwii bulgarian helmet .. strange looking thing. The one I have is almost certainly wwii though they kept wearing them I think long after the war? I'd be interested in seeing your strap and liner.
The M36 went out of front line service in 2000 (to be replaced by the Amerikan style fritz helmet) and their Italian copied M51/72. I will bring mine down and you can see for yourself. If it has a bulgarain decal on it with horizontal bars, its post war communist.
abc123
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Post by abc123 »

Jon Das Reich wrote:I must admit it would be nice to see some of the smaller axid powers reenacted but i imagine getting the uniforms and equipment is a twat
It is tricky although Bulgaria is the easiest option of them all I guess. The headgear has to be original, as nobody makes repro Bulgarian M43 caps. There are plenty around and the price for an original M43 is about 60 quid tops, with side caps and peak caps being about 10-20 quid.

The uniform is 1 of 3 types. Russian Imperial style. Again these are common. You see them on ebay a lot. Italian copy. Well you can get somebody like Italian Front to supply the kit (They are also about to start an Axis Romania, Croat & Bulgarian range if you want to get it all in one go). The third and cheapest version is the brown winter uniform. This is available from a Bulgarian supplier (okay you might get a 1960's version) buts it good value. See link below.

http://bulgariana.com/product_info.php? ... 2bbf3e8997

What you would need to do is: remove 2 pockets (optional), change buttons (definitely... This is a pain, I've had to go and get some specially done... like a geek :wink: ) and add badges (optional).

An example of this brown uniform and peak cap can be seen on ebay item: 290001706911 Its being worn by Pete Docherty (on-off girlfriend of kate moss).

Field kit comprises of the belt, you need an original or soviet repro leather belt. Ammo pouches (these can be anything). The Bulgarians used Mannlicher rifles, Italian and German weapon systems, so the webbing can be anything. Canvas seems a more popular MG pouch thatn leather though on the phots.

Mess tins & water bottles were either Bulgarian own made (the feldflasche looked like a german one, but didn't come with the cup, due to the fact that the assembly of said waffenteknik would be beyond most Bulgars).

See link below for how it attached.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h161/bolibobi/gkj.jpg

Many used items from home, and located them in their "going home bags". These were small white satchels made of canvas that were used until about ooooh 1987.

The shovel and gas mask canister were nearly always Wermacht issue. They did have a german made shovel carrier that was brown and when you had the shovel in it, the handle was above the metal shovel itself. I will bring it next week if anybody wants a look.

Y straps, brown on black. Or some wierd german bread bag style strap roun the neck and attached to the ammo pouches.

Boots are in 2 forms. Ankle & high leg. The high boots were either german on soviet canvas style, ankle boots anything. Gaiters were worn, but the WW1 puttee wrap style was used a lot as well. I had a look in the Andrew Mollo boook last night and they have 1 picture of abulgarian squaddie wearing light summer uniform.

Right, I have written enough. If anybody wants any help with Bulgarian Axis stuff or even BPA (which I am a total gonk about) and you are going to Beltring, I will try to steer you in the right direction.
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