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12 posters

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform

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    Name : Arch
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    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform Empty Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform

    Post by nkomo Mon May 18, 2009 8:35 pm

    Does anyone have information on this set?
    Arch

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform Dsc00130
    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform Dsc00131
    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform Dsc00132


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    Post by CollectinSteve Tue May 19, 2009 12:16 am

    Er... this one stopped me in my tracks! Whoa boy that is a sweet set. Do you have a will? If so, let me know if I'm mentioned in it so I'll know whether to call in a favor owed to me by some guys named Nunzio and Rocco Smile

    The camo pattern is obviously the Romanian made "branch" pattern. You'll have to remind me who used that (SWAPO?). The cloth is obviously different and the cut of the uniform is consistent with the Bulgarian brown tiger advisor uniform. And it looks to be in brand new condition too. I wonder if this was a test pattern to either be the original uniform or to replace the tiger striped one?

    The Bulgarians were pretty good about stamping their uniforms. Any markings?

    Steve
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    Post by nkomo Tue May 19, 2009 12:36 am

    Thanks for the compliment!!!! Actually....this set has a hand written tag in the neck area. No other marks other that I can find. This set and the other Bulgarian lizard sets were bought from the same seller. I have had these sets since 1995.
    Arch


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    Post by CollectinSteve Tue May 19, 2009 1:29 am

    Yeah, when it comes to European stuff I'm pretty jaded. People can post pics of stuff that make me think "WOW! NICE!", but rarely does anything come along that goes beyond that. I've never seen a set like this before... and I like the Romanian/Yugo branch pattern a lot too Very Happy

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    Post by panzerwerk Tue May 19, 2009 10:16 am

    I was waiting for Steve G to post as he knows much more then I do , But I had the same thoughts he has , the branch pattern but in desert , never seen it before , FANTASTIC and RARE !!!! Would love to have it !!!!!
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    Post by Mercenary25 Tue May 19, 2009 11:12 am

    It looks like ROK desert pattern.
    http://www.kamouflage.net/camouflage/00268.php


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    Post by Philip Tue May 19, 2009 11:46 am

    yeah pretty similar... but take a second look. the korean pattern is a little "woodlandish"(meaning the shapes). the bulgarian pattern is more horizontally stretched. at least that's what i can say from the pictures.
    btw. arch, cool uniform!

    regards,
    philip


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    Post by Guest Tue May 19, 2009 12:45 pm

    Nice set, Arch. I would guess it was an experimental piece for Bulgarian troops, serving either in an advisory role or as part of a UN contingent. Admittedly, I have never seen any photographs of the pattern in use, nor any examples other than yours.

    I am not aware of any Romanian pattern that copies or is influenced by the Yugoslavian tricolor MOL branch pattern. There is a grey-base tricolor branch camouflage pattern very similar to this one that was also made in Bulgaria. Some of these uniforms ended up in the hands of SWAPO, and possibly other insurgent units operating in Southern Africa. Those uniforms, to my knowledge, were never issued or worn by Bulgarian troops themselves, as they are clearly marked with export tags in English.

    What you have is indeed a very nice set. The Bulgarians have introduced a couple of other patterns that are not commonly known and probably saw only limited distribution. One of these is a green-based lizard pattern, and the other a variant of the Eastern European rain pattern that was so common during the Cold War.

    Eric
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    Post by CollectinSteve Tue May 19, 2009 8:01 pm

    There is a grey-base tricolor branch camouflage pattern very similar to this one that was also made in Bulgaria. Some of these uniforms ended up in the hands of SWAPO

    That is the one I was referring to, but unfortunately long ago I was told it was made in Romanian and apparently I can't quite shake it out of my head. As you say it is Bulgarian meant for export.

    The Yugo pattern has branches that are much larger, but the pattern is the same in terms of style (I did not notice any shape similarities). The Bulgarian export piece with gray background has the same exact, and I do mean identical, pattern as Arch's fantastic find pictured above. The construction of the gray version has different construction (at least the trousers... I don't have a gray shirt).

    The very interesting thing I noticed is that the two branch colors are pretty much the same for both Bulgarian sets and the Yugo type. The difference is the background color, being green for Yugo, gray for Bulgarian export, and tan for Arch's set.

    Again Arch... great set!

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    Post by Reiska Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:52 am

    Here are 2 photos of a SWAPO hat I have in the Bulgarian made 'branch' camo pattern. Unfortunately it is quite faded. The pattern looks like the Yugoslavia 'branch' pattern, just with different colors.

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform 3612494509_241e3b8687_o

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform 3612494227_dae903ddbb_o
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    Post by mcoleman762 Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:09 pm

    Ah hah! So you're the one I was bidding against for that cap! What a Face

    To add to the discussion, here's a complete uniform in this pattern. The pieces were acquired separately, however they were both captured from SWAPO.

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamoshirt1

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamoshirt4

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamotrousers1

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamotrousers2

    Take note that the uniform is cut just like the Cuban/FAPLA lizard and elm leaf pattern uniforms, clear indication that this uniform was an export pattern for use in Angola. Arch's uniform above however, is cut just like the Bulgarian issue desert lizard uniforms as discussed in the other thread. This suggests to to me that the lighter "desert" version was most certainly made for Bulgarian use, while this darker version was clearly made as an export uniform.

    Cheers,

    Mike

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    Post by nkomo Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:14 pm

    mcoleman762 wrote:Ah hah! So you're the one I was bidding against for that cap! What a Face

    To add to the discussion, here's a complete uniform in this pattern. The pieces were acquired separately, however they were both captured from SWAPO.

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamoshirt1

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamoshirt4

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamotrousers1

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform BulgarianmadeFAPLAcamotrousers2

    Take note that the uniform is cut just like the Cuban/FAPLA lizard and elm leaf pattern uniforms, clear indication that this uniform was an export pattern for use in Angola. Arch's uniform above however, is cut just like the Bulgarian issue desert lizard uniforms as discussed in the other thread. This suggests to to me that the lighter "desert" version was most certainly made for Bulgarian use, while this darker version was clearly made as an export uniform.

    Cheers,

    Mike
    Mike,
    I totally concur with your assessment of the two Bulgarian patterns. The one you posted is made for export to Angola (perhaps other desert areas as well). The pattern I posted is cut like a typical Bulgarian uniform. I am wondering if it is another version of the desert camouflage used by advisors?
    Arch


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    Post by mcoleman762 Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:29 pm

    Hey Arch,

    Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with Eric that your uniform could possibly have been for either a UN mission, or as a test pattern with advisors (or both). Hopefully one of these days a photo will show up with your uniform in use by Bulgarian troops.

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    Post by Necrolust Sun Aug 15, 2010 5:49 pm

    This uniform use for Bulgarian Reguiment in Cambodia 1991...
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    Post by nkomo Tue Aug 24, 2010 2:21 pm

    Necrolust wrote:This uniform use for Bulgarian Reguiment in Cambodia 1991...
    Thanks for the ID, sir!!!!! Very Happy


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    Post by nkomo Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:52 am

    Unknown Bulgarian Lizard Pattern Uniform Bul_bm11

    Okay....here is a photo I found of some soldiers assigned to the UN Mission to Cambodia. This picture would date to around the 1992 time period. Look at the soldier in the middle of the photograph. He is a Bulgarian soldier and he is wearing the standard rain/splinter pattern uniform.

    I could be wrong, but to me the branch pattern uniform in this thread is the wrong color for the climate/vegetation of Cambodia. I have never seen photos of the branch pattern being used in Cambodia. To me, the branch pattern is more suited to a desert environment.

    Also, if you look at the US soldier standing next to the Bulgarian soldier, he is wearing a non-standard US flag on his left sleeve. This picture would pre-date the regulation requiring US soldiers to wear the flag on the left sleeve of all combat uniforms.


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    Post by cobalt545 Thu Sep 30, 2010 10:36 am

    Necrolust wrote:This uniform use for Bulgarian Reguiment in Cambodia 1991...

    I served in Cambodia from 1992-93. There were no troops from the Bulgarian contingent wearing that uniform.
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    Post by CollectinSteve Thu Sep 30, 2010 1:08 pm

    The two soldiers on the left appear to be French. Anybody know what year they switched to CCE camouflage uniforms?

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    Post by Camo_fiend Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:14 pm

    CCE was authorised for wear starting 1991, but was not common issue until around 1994. Funny thing was that based on what I can gather, France had their "Daguet" desert pattern from GW1 in circulation before their woodland uniforms! Laughing


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    Post by KastroBg Mon Oct 01, 2012 11:04 am

    @ cobalt545 it wont be a surprise if they still had these too. There are actually a ton of these still laying arround, they issue them to do some service stuff.

    I will do some research and tell you guys, love all that attention to our military stuff Smile It will be easier to get info from where I am Smile
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