# First aerial bombing over Adrianople (October 1912)

URL: https://allhistories.com/bulgaria/timeline/1912-first-aerial-bombing-over-adrianople
Location: Edirne (Adrianople)
Themes: Key Events

In October 1912, at the start of the siege of Adrianople (Edirne), two Bulgarian aviators flew a reconnaissance mission over the Ottoman fortress in an Albatros F.2 biplane and dropped two bombs on it. The flight is traditionally dated to 16 October 1912. Bulgaria had begun building an air arm only shortly before the war. In early 1912 thirteen army officers were sent abroad to train as pilots and aircraft were ordered from France, Britain and Germany. The Bulgarian command urgently needed intelligence on the strength and positions of the Ottoman garrison in Adrianople. During the siege the Bulgarians also dropped specially made hand grenades from aircraft in an attempt to spread panic among the defenders.

## Why it matters
The mission was the first combat use of a Bulgarian aircraft and is regarded as the first combat use of an aircraft in Europe and one of the earliest bombing attacks in history.

Ruler at the Time: [Ferdinand I](https://allhistories.com/bulgaria/rulers/ferdinand-i)

Prime Minister: Ivan Evstratiev Geshov (People's Party)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Bulgarian Air Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_Air_Force)
- [Wikipedia — Siege of Adrianople (1912–1913)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Adrianople_(1912–1913))
- [Wikipedia — Albatros F.2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albatros_F.2)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — First aerial bombing over Adrianople](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=First+aerial+bombing+over+Adrianople)
- [Wikipedia — Kingdom of Bulgaria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Bulgaria)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Bulgarian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Bulgarian_history)