Editing History of aviation (section)

==== Military use ====
{{Main|Early flying machines}}
[[File:Aviation in Britain Before the First World War RAE-O227.jpg|thumb|[[Nieuport IV]], operated by most of the world's air forces before WW1 for reconnaissance and bombing, including during the [[Italian-Turkish war]]]]
Almost as soon as they were invented, aeroplanes were used for military purposes. The first country to use them for military purposes was Italy, whose aircraft made reconnaissance, bombing and artillery correction flights in [[Libya]] during the [[Italian-Turkish war]] (September 1911 – October 1912). This war also saw Ottoman soldiers shoot down a warplane for the first time in history. The first warplane reconnaissance mission flown on 23 October 1911 by the Italian air force's Captain Carlo Piazza, and the first bombing mission was flown on 1 November 1911 by Italy's Second Lieutenant Giolio Gavotti.<ref>Ferdinando Pedriali. "Aerei italiani in Libia (1911–1912)"(Italian planes in Libya (1911–1912)). ''Storia Militare'' (Military History), N° 170/novembre 2007, p.31–40</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |last2=Maksel |first2=Rebecca |title=The World's First Warplane |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/the-worlds-first-warplane-115175678/ |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en |archive-date=3 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241103010323/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/the-worlds-first-warplane-115175678/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Bulgaria later followed this example. Its planes attacked and reconnoitred [[Ottoman empire|Ottoman]] positions during the [[First Balkan War|First Balkan War 1912–13]]. The first war to see major use of aeroplanes in offensive, defensive and reconnaissance capabilities was [[World War I]]. The [[Allies of World War I|Allies]] and [[Central Powers]] both used aeroplanes and airships extensively.

While the concept of using the aeroplane as an offensive weapon was generally discounted before World War I,<ref>with the exception of Clément Ader, who had visionary views about this: "L'affaire de l'aviation militaire" (Military aviation concern), 1898 and "La première étape de l'aviation militaire en France" (The first step of military aviation en France), 1906</ref> the idea of using it for photography was one that was not lost on any of the major forces. All of the major forces in Europe had light aircraft, typically derived from pre-war sporting designs, attached to their [[reconnaissance]] departments. [[Radiotelephone]]s were also being explored on aeroplanes, notably the [[SCR-68 Airplane Radio Telephone|SCR-68]], as communication between pilots and ground commander grew more and more important.