3 Aeroplane Otdelenie
Role: Reconnaissance/Bomber

3 Aeroplane Otdelenie was created during the two month armistice in the middle of the First Balkan War (17 November 1912 - 21 January 1913). It was initially equipped with one 2-seater Bleriot aircraft. It operated under the command of the Fourth Army, defending the Bulayir front.

Reconnaissance and occasional bombing missions were flown over Sarkoy and the Gallipoli peninsula. The last aeroplane sortie flown in the First Balkan War too place on 23 March 1913 when a 3 Aeroplane Otdelnie 2-seater Bleriot flew a reconnaissance sortie to the Dardenelles and back.

For the Second Balkan War, the unit moved by rail to a new base towards the the Greek border, at Seres. It served in support of the Second And Fourth Armies. The first reconnaissance sortie was flown on 17 June 1913. Unfortunately, during the subsequent retreat of Bulgarian forces the unit lost all three of its aircraft and took no further part in the war.

The Commanding officers were Poruchik Peniu Popkrustev (January 1913+) and Poruchik Nikifor Bogdanov (by June 1913).

Air Bases:

Base	Duration
Balabancik	January 1913 - March 1913
Seres	June 1913

Aircraft Used:

Type	Qty	Service	Badge	Example Serials
Bleriot XI-2 (2-seater)	1	January 1913 - June 1913
Bleriot XI/XIbis (1-seater)	1	January 1913 - June 1913
Voisin	1	January 1913 - June 1913

Unit Insignia:

Figure 1

References:

• Air Power of the Kingdom of Bulgaria Part I