Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 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

Felix Kanitz (1829-1904)

Felix Kanitz – the cartographer of Bulgaria’s National Revival

There is a map which helped usher in the birth of modern Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The Austro-Hungarian researcher Felix Kanitz (1829 – 1904) was the first West European to have travelled to more than 3,200 towns and villages..

published on 3/3/25 7:25 AM

Bulgaria celebrates freedom on 3 March

On 3 March, Bulgaria celebrates the 147th anniversary of its liberation f rom five centuries of Ottoman rule. The day was declared a national holiday in 1990 by a decision of the National Assembly. The Treaty of San Stefano, signed on 19 February..

published on 3/3/25 6:15 AM

Cheesefare Sunday prepares the faithful for Great Lent and repentance

Today is Cheesefare Sunday. According to Orthodox tradition, this day is observed on the eve of Great Lent, when Christians seek and give forgiveness to each other . It is also known as Sirni Zagovezni because it marks the last day before Lent, when..

published on 3/2/25 7:15 AM