Farman F.40

F.40
	Portuguese Farman F.40 in Mozambique, during the East African Campaign of World War I
Role	reconnaissance/observation biplane
Manufacturer	Farman Aviation Works
Designer	Henry Farman
Introduction	1915
Retired	1922

The Farman F.40 was a French pusher biplane reconnaissance aircraft.

Development

Developed from a mix of the Maurice Farman-designed MF.11 and the Henry Farman-designed HF.22, the F.40 (popularly called the Horace Farman) had an overall smoother crew nacelle. An open tail boom truss supported a horizontal tailplane and a curved fin. The aircraft went into production in 1915.

Operational history

Forty French Air Force escadrilles (squadrons) were equipped with F.40s. They operated for just over a year, but were replaced in early 1917.

The F.40 was also operated by the No. 5 Wing of the Royal Naval Air Service, Belgian forces in France, and also by the Russians. The Portuguese Forces in Mozambique included a small squadron of F.40, which participated in the East African Campaign.

Italian aircraft maker Savoia-Marchetti built F.40s for use by the police force until 1922.

Variants

Data from:French aircraft of the First World War^[1]

F.40: 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with 130 hp (97 kW) Renault 130 hp, 17.59 m (57.7 ft) span.
F.40: 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with 130 hp (97 kW) De Dion-Bouton 12B, 17.59 m (57.7 ft) span.
F.40H: 2-seat seaplane trainer with 130 hp (97 kW) Renault 130 hp, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.
F.40bis: 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with 160 hp (120 kW) Renault 8Gc, 17.59 m (57.7 ft) span.
F.40ter: 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with 150 hp (110 kW) Lorraine 8A, 17.59 m (57.7 ft) span.
F.40 QC: 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with 130 hp (97 kW) Renault 130 hp, 17.59 m (57.7 ft) span and elongated tail.
F.40P: adaption to fire Le Prieur rockets
F.41: 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 16.32 m (53.5 ft) span.
F.41 H: 2-seat seaplane with 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 16.32 m (53.5 ft) span.
F.41bis: 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with 110 hp (82 kW) Lorraine 6AM, 16.32 m (53.5 ft) span.
F.41bis H: 2-seat seaplane with 110 hp (82 kW) Lorraine 6AM, 16.32 m (53.5 ft) span.
F.1,40: 2-seat trainer powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.
F.1,40bis: 2-seat floatplane trainer powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Lorraine 6AM, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.
F.1,40bis: 2-seat trainer powered by a 160 hp (120 kW) Renault 8C, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.
F.1,40: 2/3-seat trainer powered by a 130 hp (97 kW) Renault 130 hp, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.
F.1,40ter: 2-seat trainer powered by a 160 hp (120 kW) Lorraine 8Aby, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.
F.1,41: 2-seat trainer powered by a 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 16.39 m (53.8 ft) span.
F.1,41 H: 2-seat floatplane trainer powered by a 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 16.39 m (53.8 ft) span.
F.1,46: 2-seat dual-control trainer powered by a 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.
F.2,41: 2-seat trainer powered by a 275 hp (205 kW) Lorraine 8Bd, 17.67 m (58.0 ft) span.

Army type numbers

The French Army applied type numbers to aircraft types in service. Initially these were used in a similar fashion to individual serial numbers, later used to denote similar aircraft types.

Army Type 42: F.40
Army Type 43: F.40
Army Type 44: F.41bis with 110 hp (82 kW) Lorraine 6AM engine.
Army Type 51: F.41.
Army Type 51 E2: F.1,41 with wings of altered camber.
Army Type 56: F.40bis.
Army Type 57: F.40ter.
Army Type 60: F.1,40bis.
Army Type 61: F.1,40ter.

Military operators

Belgium

Belgian Air Force

Brazil

Brazilian Naval Aviation

France

Armée de l'Air

Greece

Hellenic Air Force

Kingdom of Italy

Corpo Aeronautico Militare

Netherlands

Royal Netherlands Air Force One aircraft only.

Norway

Norwegian Army Air Service

Portugal

Portuguese Air Force

Romania

Romanian Air Corps

Russia

Imperial Russian Air Force

Serbia

Serbian Air Force

Soviet Union

Soviet Air Force - Taken over for the Russian Air Force.

United Kingdom

Royal Naval Air Service

United States

American Expeditionary Force

Venezuela

Venezuelan Air Force - Two aircraft only.
Venezuelan Navy

Civil operators

Colombia

Compañía Colombiana de Navegación Aérea (CCNA)

Specifications (F.40 with Renault 130 hp engine)

Data from French aircraft of the First World War,^[1] The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft ^[2]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 9.25 m (30 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 17.59 m (57 ft 9 in)
Height: 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 52 m² (560 sq ft)
Empty weight: 748 kg (1,649 lb)
Gross weight: 1,120 kg (2,469 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Renault 130 hp V-12 air-cooled piston engine, 97 kW (130 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch pusher propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn) at 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Range: 420 km (260 mi, 230 nmi)
Endurance: 2 hours 20 minutes
Service ceiling: 4,050 m (13,290 ft)
Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 15 minutes

Armament

Guns: 1x or 2x 7.70 mm (0.303 in) Lewis machine-gun
Rockets: (F.40P) 10 × Le Prieur rockets
Bombs: 240 kg (530 lb) of bombs

References

^ ^a ^b Davilla; Soltan. 2002. pp. 233–244
^ Donald. 1997. p. 399

Bibliography

Cony, Christophe (July 1997). "Aviateur d'Observation en 14/18 (deuxième partie)" [Observation Aircraft of 14/18]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (52): 10–15. ISSN 1243-8650.
Davilla, Dr. James J.; Soltan, Arthur M. (January 2002). French Aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press. pp. 233–244. ISBN 1891268090.
Donald, David (1997). "Farman F.40". The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Prospero Books. p. 399. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
Klaauw, Bart van der (March–April 1999). "Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War". Air Enthusiast (80): 54–59. ISSN 0143-5450.
Liron, Jean (1984). Les avions Farman. Collection Docavia. Vol. 21. Paris: Éditions Larivière. OCLC 37146471.