Bulgarian Fire cruise missile

[World B4]

the link says it all, I've never heard of this

Bulgarian Fire (cruise missile) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Dilandu]

Frankly, quite strange story. Bulgaria weren't exactly highly industrialized country, and its aircraft industry (very tiny) was completely closed in 1954. To assume that they could develope long-range cruise missile without significant previous efforts or significant external help is... frankly, improbable. Also, Bulgaria have Soviet-delivered R-17 short-range ballistic missiles (Scud-B).

The sources for the Wiki article are also extremely dubious. Essentially, they are propaganda articles like "oh, we would conquer Turkey for sure in 1989!" written with little details. The "Български огън" missile is mentioned only briefly and without any context, except it is supposed to carry Russian-delivered nuclear warheads. I don't know, from where authors of this Wiki article took a notion about those (supposed) missiles being incendiary weapons; in Bulgarian articles they used as sources quite clearly claim the missiles to be nuclear-tipped:

Ракетни установки, именувани „Български огън“, са извадени от подземията в Сливенския и Котленския Балкан. Те са произведени от български военни заводи и са приспособени да носят малки ядрени (руски) глави. Зарядите са „окачени“ и приведени в режим „подгряване“. Всеки един от тези взривове са с мощност да сринат до изпепеляване „малки градчета” като Истанбул.

Translation:

Our C-300 missiles are in launch positions. Missile launchers, named "Bulgarian Fire", were removed from the dungeons in the Sliven and Kotlen Balkan. They are manufactured by Bulgarian military factories and are adapted to carry small nuclear (Russian) heads. The charges are "suspended" and brought into warm-up mode. Each of these blasts has the power to collapse to incinerate "small towns" like Istanbul.

My suspicion is that the whole notion about "Bulgarian fire" missile is a result of misunderstanding. Bulgaria have three missile brigades with R-17 missiles, which (in case of war threat) were supposed to receive Soviet nuclear warheads. It is possible that for propaganda purposes, those missiles were called "Bulgarian fire" or something like that, and the possibility of getting Soviet nuclear warheads were interpreted as given fact.

 

[raigap]

Wow!!! Is there a drawing or photo?

 

[Dilandu]

Wow!!! Is there a drawing or photo?

Most likely, there isn't anything. I'm almost 100% sure, that the whole story is a result of poor translation of propaganda article.

 

[flateric]

Our S-300 missiles are placed at the starting positions. Missile installations, called "Bulgarian Fire", were removed from the dungeons in the Sliven and Kotel Balkans. They are manufactured by Bulgarian military plants and are adapted to carry small nuclear (Russian) heads.