# 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 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

### 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 an 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 16.39 m (53.8 ft) span.

### F.1,41 H

    2-seat floatplane trainer powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Renault 8B, 16.39 m (53.8 ft) span.

### F.1,46

    2-seat dual-control trainer powered by an 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, The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft
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 m$^2$ (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