WWII Boris III Period Royal Bulgarian Model 1936 Air Force Pilot and Observer Badges
Pilot Badge
Bulgarian Manufacture
Pilot Badge
German Manufacture
Pilot Badge
Bulgarian Manufacture
Observer's Badge
Bulgarian Manufacture
Observer's Badge
German Manufacture
Observer's Badge
German Manufacture
Following WWI, Bulgaria was prohibited by treaty from having a military air force. Therefore, re-establishment of training pilots took place under the guise of flying clubs or civilian training. Non-descript badges were issued to reflect pilot status without indicating military associations.
Col. Popganchev's 1920-30s
Pilot Exam Insignia
(Secret Military Pilot Exam Wing)
1920-30s Pilot Exam Insignia
(Secret Military Pilot Exam Wing)
Col. Valkov wearing the early wing on his M33 uniform.
Pre-war Boris III Period Pilot Exam Badge
(Official Military Issue)
Royal Bulgarian wing attributed to flying medical personnel.
<<Jetton attributed to test pilots in the Royal Bulgarian Air Force.
Bulgarian Air Force branch of service device for field dress uniform.
Royal Jetton with the cypher of the Queen Mother, Klementina, mother of King Ferdinand. This was around the time Georgi Aladjov graduated from His Majesty's Military Academy as an Infantry Officer. He later transferred to the Air Force. Klementina was probably the honorary head of his regiment. Note that he is wearing the jetton attached to his pocket.
Fund raising pins given for donations to the air force.
Pilot's qualification book in Bulgarian and German dated 1941.
Bulgarian Pilot's Honorary Italian Wing for passing first flight test. Not all air forces had the facilities to train pilots and had to rely on larger countries such as this Bulgarian pilot training in Italy. The wing with no crown was given for initial flight testing. When a pilot became fully qualified, they wore the wing with the crown. This also became the initial wing worn after the 1943 armistice by Fascist forces until a new wing was designed. Courtesy of Vicmart.com
On back, pilot has scratched the date after he passed his initial test at the Novaro Airport (7/10/39) as a commemorative. The pilot is pictured at right along with a DO-17 he later flew in Bulgaria.
Pilot's Biographical Notes:
1st flight - Bozhurishte Airport Bulgaria - 17.XI.1938
1st Observer Test completed - Vrazhdebna Airport Bulgaria - 14.VI.1939
1st Pilot Test completed - Komeri - Novaro Airport Italy - 6.X.1939
2nd Pilot Test completed - Vrazhdebna Airport Bulgaria - 22.II.1940
"A" Blind piloting:
Passing with heavy airplanes - Telish Airport Bulgaria - 27.IX.1941
"B" Blind piloting - Plovdiv Airport Bulgaria - 25.VIII.1944
My last flight - Bozhurishte Airport Bulgaria - 21.XI.1947
I have flown 22 types of Airplanes, with a total of 1000 flight hours, with average speed of 250 km per hour = 250000 km.
My first single / solo flight was at the Komeri Airport Italy at 21.XI.1939 09:30 hrs
Bulgarian Pilot's Honorary German Wing. This wing was awarded to then Lt. Valkov when flight training in Germany.
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