Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

80 years ago today: Hero fighter pilot saves Sofia

Dimitar Spisarevski crashed his own plane into an American bomber during the Second World War.

The gravestone of the World War II hero Dimitar Spisarevski.
Photo: Wikipedia

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the day when fighter pilot Dimitar Spisarevski saved the city of Sofia during the Second World War. He died defending the capital from American bombing. On 20 December 1943, during a night-time bombing raid, the 27-year-old pilot shot down two American bombers, but when he ran out of ammunition to shoot down the second plane, he used his own plane as a battering ram, losing his own life. 
He has since been dubbed "the human torpedo" and his actions are studied in many air combat textbooks, BTA recalls. Although there were 36 Bulgarian aircraft in the bombing raid and the enemy had about 200, the Bulgarian squadron entered the air battle, shot down three bombers and seven enemy fighters and managed to delay the air attack on Sofia. Officers Dimitar Spisarevski and Georgi Kyumurdzhiev were killed in action. Spisarevski was posthumously awarded the Order of Valour and promoted to the rank of Colonel.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the beheading of St. John the Forerunner

On August 29, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the death of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist - on this day the saint was beheaded. For the Church of Christ, Saint John the Forerunner is the greatest among the prophets, and therefore his..

published on 8/29/24 9:25 AM

Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop leads the festive liturgy in town of Delchevo, Republic of Macedonia

This morning, in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the town of Delchevo, in the Republic of Macedonia, His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop led the holy liturgy, together with the superior of the Delchevo - Kamenichka..

published on 8/28/24 12:18 PM

Bulgarians mark the Assumption of the Theotokos feast in the old calendar

Today, August 28, Bulgarians in many parts of the country celebrate the Assumption of the Theotokos in the old style calendar along with almost the entire Orthodox world.  The Assumption of the Theotokos glorifies the immense love of the Mother of..

published on 8/28/24 9:01 AM