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1

Thursday, May 16th 2013, 7:05pm

Bulgarian Artillery

Bulgarian Artillery
- AT Gun: Cannone da 47/32 M35
- AA Gun: QF 3.7 inch AA gun (on order from UK); 20-40mm AA being sought.
- Mortar: Belgian 50mm light mortar; Swiss Model 1933 81-mm Mortar (see also ortier Brandt de 81 mm Modele 27/31)
- Mountain Gun: Skoda 75 mm Model 15 mountain gun
- Howitzer: leichte Feldhaubitze 16 105mm howitzer; Skoda K-series 149mm howitzer.
- Field guns: 10.5 cm Model 1934; 10.5 cm Model 1927

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Thursday, May 16th 2013, 7:06pm

Mortars
Lance Grenade de 50mm DBT - Purchased from Belgium
- Projectile : 0.76kg
- MV : 75m/s
- Range : 100-585m
- Weight : 7.8kg
- ROF : 20rpm
- Notes: A modern light mortar for use by the infantry, purchased from Belgium.

Brandt mle 27/31 - Purchased from France
- Calibre: 81mm
- Rate of Fire: 18 rounds per minute
- Range: 1,000-1,900 m (1,093-2,078 yds)
- Weight: 56 kg (123 lbs)
- Weight of shell: 3.25 kg (7 lbs) or 6.9 kg (15.21 lbs)
- Notes: A modern medium mortar for use by the infantry. Purchased from France.

KMP-50
- Bore: 50mm
- Weight: 460kg
- Traverse: 140 degrees
- Weight of shell: 1kg
- Max range: 3,300m
- Gun-mortar developed by Bulgaria and Turkey

KMP-81
- Bore: 81mm
- Weight: 625kg
- Traverse: 55 degrees
- Weight of shell: 3.2kg
- Max range: 4,200m
- Gun-mortar developed by Bulgaria and Turkey

3

Thursday, May 16th 2013, 7:06pm

Mountain Guns, Howitzers and Field Guns
Skoda 75 mm Model 15 Mountain Gun
- Calibre: 75 mm
- Elevation: -10 to 50 °
- Muzzle velocity: 349 m/s
- Range: 8250 m
- Traverse: 7 °
- Weight: 613 kg
- Weight of shell: 6.388 kg
- Quantity: 648 guns
- Notes: A pre-Great War mountain gun developed by Austria-Hungary. Retained in stockpiles or as training pieces.

10.5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 16
- Calibre: 105 mm
- Elevation: -10° to +40°
- Muzzle velocity: 395 m/s
- Range: 9,225 m (10,088 yds)
- Traverse: 4°
- Weight: 1,525 kg
- Quantity: 432 guns
- Notes: A German light field-howitzer acquired by Bulgaria during the Great War, and retained afterwards. All have been modernized extensively, though they lack split-trail carriages. Many have been retired as more modern pieces arrive.

10.5 cm Model 1927
- Calibre: 105 mm
- Elevation: -3° to +45°
- Muzzle velocity: 750 m/s
- Range: 16,500 meters
- Traverse: 60°
- Weight: 3,650 kg
- Quantity: 144 guns
- Notes: This gun was the first artillery piece acquired after the Great War restrictions ended, via Switzerland and Hungary. Bulgaria has a license for these guns but mostly orders from Switzerland.

10.5 cm Model 1934
- Calibre: 105 mm x 764 R
- Elevation: -5° to +42°
- Muzzle velocity: 800 m/s
- Range: 16,300 meters
- Traverse: 30°
- Weight: 3,750 kg
- Quantity: 72 guns
- Notes: Another Swiss-built artillery piece. Bulgaria has a license for these guns but mostly orders from Switzerland.

Skoda 149 mm K-series Howitzer
- Calibre: 149.1 mm (5.87 in)
- Barrel Length: 3600 mm (142 in)
- Elevation: -5° to +70°
- Traverse: 45°
- Weights
- Travel: 5.7 t (6.3 short tons)
--- Action: 5.2 t (5.7 short tons)
--- Shell: 42 kg (93 lb)
- Performance
--- Muzzle velocity: 580 m/s (1,900 ft/s)
--- Maximum range: 15.1 km (16,500 yd)
- Quantity: 216 guns
Notes: A modern Czech-manufactured artillery piece, recently making its way into the Bulgarian Army. The Skoda K-guns are generally the heaviest non-railway guns fielded by the Bulgarian Army.

152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20)
- Calibre: 152.4 mm (6 in)
- Barrel Length: 4,412 m / 29 calibers (without muzzle brake)
- Elevation: -2° to 65°
- Traverse: 58°
- Weights
--- Travel: 7,930 kg (17,482 lbs)
--- Combat: 7,270 kg (16,027 lbs)
--- Shell: 42 kg (93 lb)
- Performance
--- Maximum range: 17.23 km (10.7 mi)
- Quantity: 312 guns
Notes: A modern Russian-manufactured artillery piece, purchased in 1938.

4

Thursday, May 16th 2013, 7:07pm

AT Rifles and AT Guns
Cannone da 47/32 M35 - via Italy
- Barrel Length : 1,680 m
- Total Weight : 277 Kg
- Elevation : -10° to +56°
- Traverse : 60°
- Rate of Fire : 7-8 coups/minute
- Muzzle Velocity : 630 m/s
- Range : 7 Km
- Penetration : 50mm at 500m

Solothurn S-18/1000 - via Italy/Switzerland
- Cartridge: 20 mm x 138 mm
- Action: Semi-automatic, 10 rounds
- Overall length: 85 inches
- Barrel Length : 57 inches
- Total Weight : 118 lb empty with Magazine ( 4lb)
- Rate of Fire : 30rpm
- Muzzle Velocity : 850m/s
- Penetration : Up to 40mm

5

Thursday, May 16th 2013, 7:08pm

Antiaircraft Guns
Canon de 40mm Mle1938/1939 - via France, 1941
Caliber : 40x311R mm
Length of weapon : Traveling 625 cm - In firing position 518 cm
Barrel length : 2500 mm (1930 mm rifling)
Battle-station weight : 1920 kg
Rate of fire : 140 rpm
Muzzle velocity : 850 m/s
Magazine : 4 or 8 rounds clip
Traverse : 360°
Elevation : -5°, +90°
Maximum range : Horizontal range 9000 m, Vertical range 5000 m
Sight system : Various sight arrangements
Ammunition types : HE-tracer, AP, AP-tracer (projectile 0.995 kg)

QF 3.7 inch AA gun -via Britain, 1937
- Calibre: 3.7 inches (94 mm)
- Muzzle velocity: 792 m/s (2,598 ft/s)
- Weight: 1,525 kg
- Range:
--- Maximum horizontal: 18,800 m (61,679 ft)
--- Maximum slant: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
--- Ceiling: 9,000 m (29,527 ft)

6

Thursday, May 16th 2013, 7:11pm

Railway Artillery
203mm Railway Gun
- Calibre: 203 mm (8 inches)
- Notes: uses 203mm gun barrels removed from scrapped Bulgarian predreadnought Sofia.