The Farman F.40 was a French pusher biplane reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft was also used as light bomber aircraft in the early part of World War I and later it was used as a trainer.
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.
A number of 120 Farman F.40s were purchased by Romania. These included the Type 42 and Type 60 variants of which 57 equipped with De Dion engines, 46 with Renault engines, and 17 with Renault engines. The Farmans were assigned to squadrons of Grupul 1, Grupul 2 and Grupul 3 and were used until 1920. A Farman F.40 was also used to deliver some important documents for the Union with Transylvania to the Romanian National Council in 1918.
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 F.402-seat reconnaissance aircraft with Renault 130 hp, span. F.402-seat reconnaissance aircraft with De Dion-Bouton 12B, span. F.40H2-seat seaplane trainer with Renault 130 hp, span. F.40bis2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with Renault 8Gc, span. F.40ter2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with Lorraine 8A, span. F.40 QC2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with Renault 130 hp, span and elongated tail. F.40Padaption to fire Le Prieur rockets F.412-seat reconnaissance aircraft with Renault 8B, span. F.41 H2-seat seaplane with Renault 8B, span. F.41bis2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with Lorraine 6AM, span. F.41bis H2-seat seaplane with Lorraine 6AM, span. F.1,402-seat trainer powered by an Renault 8B, span. F.1,40bis2-seat floatplane trainer powered by a Lorraine 6AM, span. F.1,40bis2-seat trainer powered by a Renault 8C, span. F.1,402/3-seat trainer powered by a Renault 130 hp, span. F.1,40ter2-seat trainer powered by a Lorraine 8Aby, span. F.1,412-seat trainer powered by an Renault 8B, span. F.1,41 H2-seat floatplane trainer powered by an Renault 8B, span. F.1,462-seat dual-control trainer powered by an Renault 8B, span. F.2,412-seat trainer powered by a Lorraine 8Bd, 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 Lorraine 6AM engine. Army Type 51 F.41. Army Type 51 E2F.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.
Operators Military operators
Belgian Air Force
Brazilian Naval Aviation
Armée de l'Air
Hellenic Air Force
Corpo Aeronautico Militare
Royal Netherlands Aviation Department One aircraft only.
Norwegian Army Air Service
Portuguese Air Force
Romanian Air Corps
Imperial Russian Air Force
Serbian Air Force
Soviet Air Force - Taken over for the Russian Air Force.
Royal Naval Air Service
American Expeditionary Force
Venezuelan Air Force - Two aircraft only. Venezuelan Navy
Civil operators
Compañía Colombiana de Navegación Aérea (CCNA)
Specifications (F.40 with Renault 130 hp engine)
References
Bibliography
Further reading