Alfred Fartknocker:
My wife perches on this abandoned Bulgarian AF MiG-17 in the little village of Zlataritsa. The marks have worn off, but it's 132. Bulgaria is in NATO these days but this 'FRESCO' never was!
Alfred Fartknocker:
So that's how the Su-25K airbrakes work! 249 taxies in at Graf Ignatievo AB. Step on the toebrakes, and the airbrakes jump out too. Very sensible.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Where this woman got her obsession with old aeroplanes from is a real mystery! Here she has dragged us to the village of Kamenets, just so she can pose with this MiG-17F 'FRESCO-C', ex Bulgarian AF 82.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Two beautiful MiGs at Omurtag, Bulgaria. Look at the sweepback on the MiG-19- 55 degrees! #102 is a MiG-21bis-SAU, the final and most sophisticated version of the Third Generation MiG-21s. A 'FISHBED-N'.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This unusual looking Mi-17PP was stored at Krumovo in Bulgaria. The PP is a radar jamming version and would accompany plain trooping helos and attempt to jam the radar of SPAAGs like the Gepard. Those are very effective against helos. The serial is 431,
Alfred Fartknocker:
This MiG-19S guards the entrance to Graf Ignatievo AB. It's still unidentified. 681 is visible, but it's also carried 01 and may be 04? This one is a 'FARMER-C', a day fighter.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This ex Bulgarian AF MiG-17F 'FRESCO-C' (#85) has ended up at an Eco-Hotel North of Aksakovo in Eastern Bulgaria- a beautiful, quiet and restful place. My Wife brightens the dull paint up with her bright frock- she's tucked her jacket in the intake...
Alfred Fartknocker:
Resident Swallows at our house in Bulgaria. The cable clips were to help the nest hang on. I put four clips up, so two are working. Marvellous creatures!
Alfred Fartknocker:
The true identity of this MiG-19P 'FARMER-B' isn't known. '96' is displayed inside Graf Ignatievo AB, Bulgaria. Edit to add, it's #811.
Alfred Fartknocker:
An interesting feature of the Graf Ignatievo Open Day, was parking aircraft right in front of the spectators after flying. Here, MiG-29UB 'FULCRUM-B' #33, has water scooshed into its brakes from this fire tender, to cool them down.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This MiG-19PM 'FARMER-E' soldiers on as a childs plaything in a school at Yastrebino, Bulgaria. It's reckoned to be 938, but 935 may be correct- bit hard to tell these days. Missile rails still firmly attached- for shooting AA-1 'ALKALI' AAMs.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is the Russian 9K720 Iskander-M missile on its launcher, in Sofia. 'Iskander' is another way of saying 'Alexander' as in 'the Great'. To NATO it is SS-26 'STONE'. This hypersonic (Mach 6-7) missile is in use these days in Ukraine.
Alfred Fartknocker:
There are three Mil Mi-14 'HAZE' ASW choppers pres. at Chaika AB in Varna, Bulgaria. We were lucky to get some pics during an Open Day- this one is 811 red, an Mi-14BT 'HAZE-B', actually a Minesweeping variant.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Baby Aden (15 months now) looks happy in a meadow with ex Bulgarian AF MiG-17F 'FRESCO' #85. It's been repainted in this dark blue for some reason, and is in a forest North of Aksakovo, Bulgaria.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Of the six MiG-15s stored at Krumovo, five have been identified. This jet is either 24, 51, 111, 133 or 138. I have been reliably informed that this one is #138 a MiG-15bis.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Bulgarian AF Museum at Krumovo, near Plovdiv have this MiG-23BN on display. #79 is a 'FLOGGER-H' to NATO- a late model mud-mover.
Alfred Fartknocker:
808 is preserved at Chaika (Seagull) AB near Varna on the Black Sea. It's a Mi (pronounced 'me') -14PL 'HAZE-A'. The Mi-14 is a marinised development of the sturdy and successful Mi-8. Note the boat style hull for landing on the water.
Alfred Fartknocker:
These Russki Choppers still do a good job. #418 is a Bulgarian AF Mi-8MT 'HIP', seen at Graf Ignatievo AB Open Day in Southern Central Bulgaria.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This mean looking Mi-24D 'HIND-D' has been preserved in Sofia, it's #108.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Its days as a front line anti-tank helo are over for this Mi-24D 'HIND-D'. Now my wife hangs her handbag on the AT-2 'SWATTER'' missile rails.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Bulgarian MiG-17 'FRESCO' is perched on its stick, which is on sloping ground, like a Chuck Glider. Located at Chavdartsi, BG. Bort number 75.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Bulgarian AF Museum at Krumovo keep two of these Yak-23 'FLORA' fighters. This very early jet was even earlier than the MiG-15. #45 is c/n 116.
Alfred Fartknocker:
As this Sukhoi Su-25K Grach (Rook) comes to rest, the groundrew gather around the jet as the pilot quits the cockpit. #240 is a Bulgarian 'FROGFOOT' Ground attack aircraft, like a Soviet A-10.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Bulgarian AF Alenia C-27J Spartan, 072 about to land at Sofia IAP.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A pair of Bulgarian AF MiG-29 'FULCRUMS'. 14 is a UB two-seater. This is at Graf Ignatievo AB, near Plovdiv.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A rather manky looking Aero L-29 Delphin (Dolphin) preserved at Mihaltsi in Central Bulgaria. 90 is c/n 194240. NATO codename 'MAYA'.
Alfred Fartknocker:
In Bulgaria, after a display they park right in front of the crowd. Two seater MiG-29UB 'FULCRUM-B' #33 cools down at Graf Ignatievo AB.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a Russian R-17 Elbrus missile, known to NATO as the SS-1 and famously to the entire World as the 'SCUD'. This 'SCUD-B' is preserved in Sofia, a remnant of the things' service in Bulgaria. Seen on its TEL- this is not a common sight.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Pooja poses with this MiG-17PF at the entrance to the Muzej na Aviatsiyata, or Museum of Aviation, at Krumovo, near Plovdiv. 22 is a 'FRESCO-D', one of the 'All Weather' variants, as you can tell from the 'Izumrud' radar added around the intake.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is an S-200 Vega Surface to Air missile- known in the West as SA-5 'GAMMON'. This missile dates from the sixties, but the Russians have produced some very effective missiles. Still used by Bulgaria, a NATO member these days, this is a fast mover-
