From a discussion on this in the Axis History forums and this is an over view of the Bulgarian service from "Les Avions Dewoitine".
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https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=99013&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0#13
Post by David Lehmann » 06 Apr 2006, 23:30
Hello,
Thanks for your very kind "smileys" but according to the Docavia book about the Dewoitine D.520 by Raymond Danel and Jean Cuny the Dewoitine was indeed used by the Bulgarians.
In 1942, the Bulgarian government took contact with Vichy to buy Bloch MB.151 planes. The contract was signed but the Germans blocked the delivery of the planes.
The attack of the Ploesti oil facilities launched by US bombers which crossed Bulgaria to reach Rumania without concern leads them to change their mind.
In 1943 therefore, the few Bf.109E and Avia B.354 from 6th Bulgarian Regiment (Orliak) are at first reinforced by 29 Bf.109 G2 and 24 Czech Avia B.315. The delivery of the last ones had also been blocked by the Germans previously.
In March 1943, the Germans promised to deliver 150 D.520s to Bulgaria - a first batch of 96 is planned for May 1943.
During Summer 1943, 100 D.520s are starting to be received in Nancy-Tromblaine (France) by Bulgarian pilots who had previously been trained on D.520 aircraft.
In August 1943, 166 B-24s from 9th US Air Force attacked Ploesti for the 2nd time. This time 3 of them had been down by the Bf.109 of 6th Orliak.
The first D.520s arrived in Karlovo in September 1943.
In November, B-25s from 12th US Air Force and B-24s from 15th US Air Force, escorted by P-38 fighters, attacked the Bulgarian air bases and air facilities.
In December, 31 B-24s escorted by P-38s attacked communication lines near Sofia. They were intercepted by 30 Bulgarian fighters, mostly D.520s. 11 Bulgarian fighters were lost against apparently only 2 P-38s.
On January 10, 1944, the crews of the B-17s and their P-38 escort claim 28 victories against the 40 Bulgarian fighters which were engaged against them. The authors indicate that they are doubtful about these information but I don't know if it is about the claim or about the number of Bulgarian fighter that could have been engaged.
Between January and April 1944, the D.520s were replaced as frontline fighters by Me.109 G6s (80 given by the Luftwaffe).
Several D.520s fighters remained nonetheless in service until the arrival of the Soviet Army. The Bulgarian Air Force was reorganized and equipped with Yak fighters. The few D.520s still operational were then used for training until the beginning of the 1950's.
That is what is in the book, I cannot be more precise ... despite the fact that the Bulgarian D.520s fought perhaps an other unit that the 9th Air Force (what I said when writing this simple line in my previous mail) I see at the moment no reason to doubt from this source unlike you give us more elements. It's not like websites talking mistakenly about D.520s in Rumania; it seems to be documented.
Regards,
David
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