2 Aeroplane Otdelenie
Role: Reconnaissance/Bomber

2 Aeroplane Otdelenie was created on 30 October 1912, when a Bleriot XXI aircraft was detached to Corlu airfield in support of Bulgarian forces around Catalca on the Turkish front. The Bleriot was damaged on landing, but was soon followed by three other aircraft. The unit was unable to commence combat operations before the interim armistice of 17 November 1912 came into effect.

Following the resumption of hostilities, Poruchik Petrov undertook the unit's first combat reconnaissance mission in a Bleriot on 26 January 1913.

On 15 March 1913 2 Aeroplane Otdelnie dispatched a Farman VII piloted by Ernest Burie to bomb Constantinople - he returned safely to the forward airfield at Kabakcakoy after a 2-and-a-half-hour flight. The first ever bombing raid on an enemy capital.

The start of the Second Balkan War in June 1913 found the unit at Slivnica on the Serbian front supporting the First and Third Armies. The last reconnaissance mission was flown on 10 July before the war ended.

In the demobilisation after the war, the unit was disbanded and the aircraft stored.

The commanding officer was Poruchik Simeon Petrov (October 1912 - July 1913).

Air Bases:

Base	Duration
Corlu	30 October 1912 - 24 January 1913
Cerkezkoy	24 January 1913 - March 1913
Slivnica	June 1913 - July 1913

Aircraft Used:

Type	Qty	Service	Badge	Example Serials
Bleriot XXI (1-seater)	1	30 October 1912 - 13 March 1913+
Farman VII	2	November 1912 - June 1913+
Sommer	1	November 1912 - June 1913+
Albatros FIII	1	June 1913 - July 1913
Bleriot XI-2 (2-seater)	1	June 1913 - July 1913

Unit Insignia:

Figure 1

References:

• Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria Part I