Blue Rider Publishing BR247 Bulgarian Roundels 1944-50

Nationality markings (hereinafter: insignia) on the planes of the Bulgarian Air Force began to be used almost from their very beginning in 1906. However, in the 20th century these markings underwent many changes. During the First and Second Balkan Wars, most of the wing surfaces were painted green and red, n and the vertical fins (the English designation fin flash) were painted in horizontal stripes in the following colors: green, red and white. In the period 1915-1918, Bulgaria received most of its planes from the German air force and most often kept the original German crosses (German Balkenkreuz) on the aircraft it operated, adding only a green stripe on the rear wing edges. Subsequent changes took place after World War I and in the years 1937-1938. In the initial phase of World War II, Bulgarian planes wore as an insignia or roundelle in the colors of the national banner or had a roundelle with a lion standing on its hind legs, which was inscribed in a gold and red Maltese cross with two crossed swords. The flash fin consisted of three horizontal stripes in the colors white, green and red. In the years 1941-1944, a black cross inscribed in a white square was used. From 1944, two insignia were used in the Bulgarian Air Force: the first was the white and red roundelle with a green cross stripe. The second was a roundelle composed of concentric circles in national colors. The unification of the insignia of the Bulgarian military machines took place only in the early 1950s.