# Cold War aircraft at Burgas Airport, Bulgaria



## GrauGeist (Aug 4, 2012)

While I was in Bulgaria, my Fiancé told me about some "old airplanes" at the airport nearby...well naturally, the word "old airplanes" certainly got my attention, so we went to investigate.

After checking in with the gate guard and parking, we walked over to an over-grown field and there they were..."old airplanes" alright...early Communist Era Bulgarian Airforce aircraft that had been put on display at one time and eventually forgotten.

As it happens, I was in a hurry (we were late for dinner with her parents) so I did a quick run through and so the quality of the shots may not be as good as they should have been. I did try and get some good angles and details for those that may be interested in Warsaw Pact aircraft.

The odd twist to this adventure was, that we finished the "fly-by" photo shoot and hurried back to the car...I stopped to thank the gate guard and gave him an American Marlboro, which he promply lit up. We got out onto the road headed into town and not even 5 minutes later emergency vehicles of all descriptions went tearing past us towards the airport. I looked back and a plume of black smoke was rising up.

It wasn't until a short while later, I found out that a muslim had snuck aboard a bus full of Israeli kids, posing as the driver and blew it up, killing several and wounding many more. It all happened roughly 50 feet away from where I was talking to the gate guard and he had been hit by schrapnel as was the guard house.

I guess timing is everything...

Anyway, here they are, in no particular order!


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## GrauGeist (Aug 4, 2012)

About 21 shots in all, so I'm breaking up the posts to help loading.

Enjoy!


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## FLYBOYJ (Aug 4, 2012)

Wow!


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## A4K (Aug 5, 2012)

Yeah... glad you're okay Dave, and great collection of aircraft there.


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## GrauGeist (Aug 5, 2012)

Thanks Evan, yeah...the aircraft there was a neat surprise and I wish I had more time to get more (and better) photos...but that right there is exactly why I missed that tragic event

This also leaves me to wonder just how many other derelicts there are laying around waiting to be "discovered"...


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## A4K (Aug 5, 2012)

I always say, nothing happens by chance.

Be nice to see these birds restored and protected from the elements if possible.


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## Gnomey (Aug 5, 2012)

Great shots!


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## Matt308 (Aug 6, 2012)

I'm glad you missed Islam extremism, that could have been very unfortunate.

But wtf is up with the scrapes on the props in the pics. I don't get it. Any idea?


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## GrauGeist (Aug 6, 2012)

I have no idea, Matt...I noticed the scrapes when I was taking thier photos, and tried to imagine what could have caused them...some of the marks on the An-24 look like they were made when the props were in motion, but the marks on the An-12 are a total mystery.

Also, on the An-12, the inboard engine's prop at the 1 O'clock position is slightly bent forward.

None of the other aircraft's props are marked like this...


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## Matt308 (Aug 7, 2012)

For aircraft in such disrepair, did anyone notice the tires are all full of air?


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## Airframes (Aug 7, 2012)

Great stuff Dave, and glad you missed that attack. A (British) friend of mine has a very nice, new apartment at Bourgas, and I'm _supposed_ to be going there sometime - I'll have to have a look at those if or when I get out there.


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## evangilder (Aug 26, 2012)

Neat stuff, too bad they are in such bad shape. The AN-2 and the airplane in the photo below the AN-2 are in pretty bad shape. Sad to see things like that happen, but I can understand how it happens. With Bulgaria not part of the Warsaw Pact anymore, I am sure people want to just move on. 

Good to hear you missed the attack at the airport. That was a terrible thing.


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## herman1rg (Aug 26, 2012)

You were lucky missing the bomb attack, however from those pics it looks like a good basis for a small air force.

Maybe Terry can get some more pic when he visits?


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## GrauGeist (Aug 29, 2012)

Aparently, there's more, according to my Fiancé.

There's WWII vintage German Panzers along the border, some still buried and some that have been recovered and await thier fate. There's a Museum of military history at the old German base in Plovdiv and there's more aircraft of various years languishing in several places.

Looks like next year's vacation is going to be a busy one!


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## Airframes (Aug 29, 2012)

Good info Dave. If I can't get there, I'll ask my friend to check out these places and get some shots if possible.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Aug 29, 2012)

Excellent shots Dave and some VERY interesting craft!   And again, very glad you two missed the bomb.


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## N4521U (Aug 29, 2012)

How about that rust on the engine cowling.
When the Russian flew his Mig into Japan, too many years ago, they discovered the skin was a steel alloy.
The radio had Tubes that were designed to take the altitude and G forces.

Interesting stuff, thanks for the post.


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## OtterMan (Oct 8, 2012)

Can anyone identify the bulbous looking high wing twin engine/twin tail model? Don't think I've seen one of these before, Thanks!


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## Wurger (Oct 8, 2012)

This is the Antonov An-14 Pchyelka ( Little Bee ) , NATO code Clod, a twin-engined multi-purpose STOL transport aircraft developed by the Soviet design bureau OKB Antonov.


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## michaelmaltby (Nov 26, 2012)

Check out this Russian website ... "English Russia" [ignore the women ]

The link below is to a Riga, Latvia boneyard but if you navigate back one step to "Russian Army" [right hand menu] and scroll through, there are pages and pages of abandoned USSR aircraft ... many types I had not seen before

Soviet Aircrafts In Riga | English Russia

MM


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