Close-up view of Henri Farman seated at the controls of one of his biplanes circa

Farman Aviation Works (french: Avions Farman) was a French

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines ...

company founded and run by the brothers

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...

Henri Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry (given name), Henry. People with this given name ; French noblemen :'' See the 'List_of_rulers_named_Henry#France, List of rulers named Henry ...

, and

Maurice Farman Maurice Alain Farman (21 March 1877 – 25 February 1964) was a British-French Grand Prix motor racing champion, an aviator, and an aircraft manufacturer and designer. Biography Born in Paris to English parents, he and his brothers Richard and ...

. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 1936; during the French nationalization and rationalization of its aeronautical industry, Farman's assets were assigned to the ''Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Centre'' (SNCAC). In 1941 the Farman brothers reestablished the firm as the "''Société Anonyme des Usines Farman''" (SAUF), but only three years later it was absorbed by Sud-Ouest. Maurice's son, Marcel Farman, reestablished the SAUF in 1952, but his effort proved unsuccessful and the firm was dissolved in 1956. The Farman brothers designed and built more than 200 types of aircraft between 1908 and 1941. They also built cars until 1931 and boats until 1930.

Background

In 1907, Henri Farman bought his first aircraft from

Gabriel Voisin Gabriel Voisin (5 February 1880 – 25 December 1973) was a French aviation pioneer and the creator of Europe's first manned, engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft capable of a sustained (1 km), circular, controlled flight, which was made ...

and soon began to improve the design of the aircraft; as a result it was known as either Farman I or

Voisin-Farman I The 1907 Voisin biplane (designated the Voisin II by the 1913 edition of ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft''), was the first successful powered aircraft designed by aeronautical engineer and manufacturer Gabriel Voisin. It was used by the F ...

. In 1908, after further modifications which included re-covering it with

Continental Continental may refer to: Places * Continent, the major landmasses of Earth * Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US * Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US Arts and entertainment * ''Continental'' ( ...

rubberized fabric and the addition of side-curtains, the aircraft was re-designated Farman I-bis.

Ailerons An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in Flight dynamics, roll (or ...

were fitted after Wilbur Wright's flying demonstration at

Le Mans Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...

in August 1908. A second aircraft, to be called Farman II, was built by the Voisin brothers incorporating design refinements to Farman's specification. Voisin sold this aircraft to J.T.C. Moore-Brabazon, who exported it to England, where it was renamed the ''Bird of Passage''. This episode angered Farman, who in early 1909 ended his association with Voisin and started building his own aircraft. Aircraft designed and built by Henri Farman had a HF prefix, while examples designed and built by his brother Maurice carried a MF prefix.

List of aeroplanes

Biplane Maurice Farman 7 Longhorn Preveza 1912

Farman F-430-Spanish Republican Air Force

Farman III The Farman III, also known as the Henry Farman 1909 biplane, was an early French aircraft designed and built by Henry FarmanFarman MF.7 Longhorn (1913) * Farman MF.11 Shorthorn (1913) *

Farman HF.14 The Farman HF.14 was a French two seat reconnaissance type produced by Farman Aviation Works before World War I. Design and development Designed by Henry Farman and built at the Farman factory in Boulogne-Billancourt north of Paris, the HF.14 w ...

- two-seat floatplane (1912) *

Farman HF.20 The Farman HF.20 and its derivatives were a family of reconnaissance aircraft produced in France shortly before and during the First World War. It was a refined version of the Farman MF.11 "Shorthorn" that did away with the type's distinctive l ...

- reconnaissance biplane (1913) * Farman HF.30 - two-seat military biplane (1915) *

Farman F.40 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 dubbed the Horace Farman) had an overall s ...

(1915) - single-engined reconnaissance aircraft *

Farman F.30 The Farman F.30A C2 was a two-seat biplane designed as a fighter in France in 1916 and powered by a single, water-cooled radial engine. It showed poor flight characteristics and only one was built, though it was modified twice. It should not b ...

- fighter biplane (1916) * Farman F.31 - fighter prototype (1918) *

Farman F.50 The Farman F.50 was a French twin-engined night bomber designed and built by Farman as a replacement for the single-engined Voisin pusher biplanes in service with the French Air Force. Development The twin-engined F.50 flew for the first ti ...

- biplane bomber (1918) * Farman F.60 Goliath bomber/airliner, development of the F.40 (1919) **Farman F.60 Torp - torpedo carrying floatplane version (1920s) *

Farman Moustique The Farman Moustique is a family of French monoplanes built by the Société des Aéroplanes Henry et Maurice Farman at Billancourt. Shortly after the end of World War I, Farman introduced a low powered single seat monoplane for sport and to ...

- sports, touring aircraft (1919) *

Farman Sport The Farman FF 65 Sport was a French built light biplane, with a single engine and tandem seats, intended for sport and touring. First flown in 1919, it achieved modest sales at home and abroad in the early 1920s. Two unusual modifications produ ...

- sports, touring biplane (1919) * Farman B.2 - light day bomber biplane (1920s) *

Farman BN.4 __NOTOC__ The Farman BN.4, a.k.a. Super Goliath, was a very large 1920s French biplane designed by Farman as a long-range night bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-grou ...

- long-range night bomber biplane (1922) * Farman F.80 - basic training biplane (1921) *

Farman F.90 The Farman F.90 was a single engine biplane transport, carrying 6 passengers. It was built and developed in France in the early 1920s. Though it had some competition successes, it was not put into production Design and development The F.90 p ...

- passenger transport aircraft (1921) * Farman F.110 - artillery observation biplane (1921) *

Farman F.51 __NOTOC__ The Farman F.51 was a 1920s French maritime reconnaissance flying boat designed and built by Farman. The F.51 was an unequal-span four-bay biplane flying boat with a crew of four. It was powered by two Lorraine 8bd engines mounted in ...

- maritime reconnaissance flying boat (1922) * Farman F.120 - 4-engined bomber/airliner (1923) *

Farman F.140 Super Goliath The Farman F.140 Super Goliath was a very large, four engine biplane night bomber, designed in France in the mid-1920s. Nine flew with the French Air Force until concerns about structural weakness grounded them in 1930. The prototype set several ...

- heavy night bomber (1924) *

Farman A.2 __NOTOC__ The Farman F.160 A.2 (sometimes referred only as the A.2 from the French military specification A = reconnaissance 2 = two-seater) was a 1920s French sesquiplane designed as a military reconnaissance and observation aircraft. Only one w ...

- observation monoplane (1924) * Farman F.130 - long-range night bomber (1925) *

Farman F.170 Jabiru The Farman F.170 Jabiru was a 1925 single-engine airliner evolved from the F.121 Jabiru, built by the Farman Aviation Works. Design and development The F.170 Jabiru was a single-engine evolution of the 1923 F.3X/ F.121. In the early 1920s, ther ...

- single-engined airliner (1925) *

Farman F.150 __NOTOC__ The Farman F.150 was a 1920s French twin-engined biplane designed by Farman as a day bomber. Development The F.150 was a twin-engined unequal-span biplane to the B.3 specification, which could be fitted with fixed landing gear or float ...

- day bomber biplane (1926) * Farman F.160 - torpedo bomber floatplane (1928) * Farman F.180 - airliner biplane (1928) *

Farman F.190 The Farman F.190 was a utility aircraft built in France in the 1920s and 1930s. It was a high-wing, strut-braced monoplane of conventional configuration with a fully enclosed cabin and fixed, tailskid undercarriage. Popular both as a private aircr ...

- civil utility aircraft (1928) * Farman F.200 - civil utility aircraft (1929) *

Farman F.230 __NOTOC__ The Farman F.230 and its derivatives were a family of light touring aircraft built in France in the 1930s. They were low-wing cantilever monoplanes of conventional configuration, with fixed tailskid undercarriage and two open cockpits ...

- touring aircraft (1930) * Farman F.250 - passenger transport aircraft (1931) *

Farman F.280 The Farman F.280 was a three engine, cantilever wing monoplane designed in France as a mail carrier in the early 1930s. Underpowered and slow, only two were built and briefly used. Design and development The F.280 was a relative, though not a m ...

- mail plane (1931) * Farman F.211 - day/night bomber aircraft (1932) *

Farman F.220 The Farman F.220 and its derivatives were thick-sectioned, high-winged, four engined monoplanes from Farman Aviation Works. Based on the push-pull configuration proven by the F.211, design started in August 1925 and the first flight of the prot ...

- 4-engined high-wing heavy bomber (1932) * Farman F.1000, F.1001 & F.1002 single-engined, pressurised, high altitude research aircraft (1932-5) * Farman F.1010 - experimental cannon carrier aircraft (1933) * Farman F.1020 - experimental aircraft (1933) *

Farman F.270 __NOTOC__ The Farman F.270 was a prototype French bomber/torpedo-bomber designed and built by the Farman Aviation Works for the French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and sp ...

- bomber/torpedo bomber floatplane version (1934) *

Farman F.300 The Farman F.300 and F.310 were airliners built in France in the early 1930s. They were high-wing strut braced monoplanes with fixed tailskid undercarriage with a trimotor layout popular with several manufacturers of the time. The cockpit and ...

- airliner (1930) *

Farman F.370 __NOTOC__ The Farman F.370 was a French single-seat racing monoplane designed and built by the Farman Aviation Works Farman Aviation Works (french: Avions Farman) was a French aircraft company founded and run by the brothers Richard, Henri, ...

- single-seat racing aircraft (1933) *

Farman F.380 __NOTOC__ The Farman F.380 was a French single-seat racing monoplane designed and built by the Farman Aviation Works for air racing. Development The F.380 was a low-wing monoplane that first flew in 1933. It was similar but smaller than the conte ...

- single-seat racing aircraft (1933) *

Farman F.400 The Farman F 400 was a 1930s French three-seat cabin high-winged monoplane which was designed and built by Farman. Design and development The Farman series "400" was a revolution for its builder because it had a thin, cantilever-constructed, h ...

- four-seat cabin monoplane (1934) * Farman F.420 - multi-role aircraft (1934) *

Farman F.430 The Farman F.430 was a 1930s French light transport designed and built by the Farman Aviation Works. Two variants with different engines were known as the F.431 and F.432. Design and development The F.430 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane wit ...

- light transport aircraft (1934) *

Farman F.460 Alizé The Farman F.460 Alizé ( en, Tradewind) was a 1930s French civil training and touring monoplane designed and built by Farman to meet a French air ministry requirement. Design and development In the early 1930s the French air ministry issued a s ...

- training, touring aircraft (1930s) * Farman F.480 Alizé - training, touring aircraft (1936) * Farman NC.470 and NC.471 - six-seat trainer and coastal reconnaissance floatplane (1938) *

Farman F.500 The Farman F.500 Monitor was a 1950s Franco-Belgian two-seat training aircraft. Development Farman had earlier produced the Stampe SV.4 under licence, and with the co-operation of Stampe designed a two-seat training monoplane using SV-4 compon ...

- two-seat trainer aircraft (1952)

Cars

The Farman firm designed and built a number of , including: *

Farman 12 CV Farman Aviation Works (french: Avions Farman) was a French aircraft company founded and run by the brothers Richard, Henri, and Maurice Farman. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 1936; during the French nationa ...

(1902) * (1919–1923) * Farman A 6 B (1923–1927) *

Farman NF Farman Aviation Works (french: Avions Farman) was a French aircraft company founded and run by the brothers Richard Farman, Richard, Henri Farman, Henri, and Maurice Farman. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 19 ...

(1927–1929) * Farman NF 2 (1929–1931) Vintage Farman airboat

Boats

During the 1920s, Farman Aviation briefly dabbled in building

airboat An airboat (also known as a planeboat, swamp boat, bayou boat, or fanboat) is a flat-bottomed watercraft propelled by an aircraft-type propeller and powered by either an aircraft or automotive engine. In early aviation history the term ''airboat ...

s (known generally by the French term "hydroglisseurs"). Farman's boat-building followed directly from its aircraft experience. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Farman-built aircraft engines and propellers from

Farman MF.7 The Maurice Farman MF.7 ''Longhorn'' is a French biplane developed before World War I which was used for reconnaissance by both the French and British air services in the early stages of the war before being relegated to service as a trainer. D ...

s were used to build airboats that were successfully used during the

Mesopotamian Campaign The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, troops from Britain, Australia and the vast majority from British India, against the Central Powe ...

fought by Britain and her colonial subjects against the forces of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

in Mesopotamia (modern day

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

). Following the success of these improvised airboats, Britain began ordering purpose-built airboats from Farman and Charles de Lambert's company for use on the

Tigris and Euphrates ''Tigris and Euphrates'' (german: Euphrat und Tigris) is a tabletop eurogame designed by Reiner Knizia and first published in 1997 by Hans im Glück. Before its publication, it was highly anticipated by German gamers hearing rumors of a " g ...

rivers. Farman Aircraft began producing civilian airboats in the 1920s. Its first non-military airboat sailed in 1920, though its first civilian airboat for sale was ''Le Ricocheur'' (pictured at right), a closed-cabin prototype capable of carrying 12 passengers at speeds of up to . Farman marketed airboats for use as

water taxi A water taxi or a water bus is a watercraft used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or o ...

s and as light cargo vessels or

patrol boat A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and the ...

s for French colonial governments, particularly on the

Mekong The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of rivers by length, twelfth longest river and List of longest rivers of Asia, the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , ...

and

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesfreeboard In sailing and boating, a vessel's freeboard is the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level, measured at the lowest point of sheer where water can enter the boat or ship. In commercial vessels, the latter criterion measured relativ ...

s, and lacked a protective cage surrounding the propeller. Farman's airboats sold for 25,000 to 50,000

francs The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centu ...

depending on the model, a price that proved too steep for potential buyers; the company pulled out of the boat business by the end of the 1920s.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * Opdycke, Leonard E. ''French Aeroplanes Before the Great War'' Atglen, PA: Schiffer 1999

External links

A brief introduction about Farman, and links to most of their work
{{Defunct aircraft manufacturers of France Defunct aircraft manufacturers of France