Milkov rains hell on Edirne station
On Oct. 29, 1912, Bulgarian forces launched the first aerial bombardment in military history when a German-made Albatross F-3 aircraft attacked Ottoman railway infrastructure near Edirne. The mission marked a pivotal moment in warfare as Lieutenant Radul Milkov piloted the plane while observer Prodan Tarakchiev released two explosives over Karaagach station.
The flight departed at 9:30 a.m. from an airfield near Mustafa Pasha, later known as Svilengrad, and lasted 80 minutes at 500 meters. The crew first conducted reconnaissance over Edirne, identifying concealed Turkish military positions before proceeding to the bombing target.
Bulgarian forces secured the weapons in improvised baskets attached to the aircraft fuselage for the operation. The plane sustained four holes from enemy fire but returned safely to base, establishing the first documented combat flight report that became standard military protocol for all future air operations.
