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 prototype was on May 26 , 1932 . The definitive F . 222 variant was the biggest bomber to serve in France between the world wars . One variant was designed as an airliner . Development . After testing the sole F . 220 prototype , Farman made a number of changes to the design , including a new tail fin , fully enclosing the nose and ventral gunners ' positions , and changing from V - engines to radials . The first example of this version , dubbed the F . 221 flew in May 1933 , and was followed by ten production examples delivered to the " Armee de l ' Air " from June 1936 . These machines featured hand - operated turrets for the three gunners ' stations . Meanwhile , the prototype F . 220 was sold to Air France , where christened " Le Centaur " , it flew as a mail plane on the South Atlantic route . This led to a batch of four similar aircraft being built for the airline . The F . 222 variant began to enter service with " Armee de l ' Air " in the spring of 1937 . Unlike its predecessor , this plane featured a retractable undercarriage . Twenty - four aircraft were produced with redesigned front fuselages and dihedral added to the outer wing . During World War II these planes were used in leaflet raids over Germany and then night bombing raids during May and June 1940 . These resulted in three losses . The Farman F . 222 was involved in a notable operation carried out by French fighter pilot James Denis . On June 20 , 1940 , realising that the Battle of France was lost , Denis borrowed a Farman F . 222 from an airbase near Saint - Jean - d ' Angély . He flew to Britain with twenty of his friends , and joined the Free French Air Force , in which service he subsequently became an ace , shooting down nine German aircraft . The F . 223 ( redesignated NC . 223 when Farman was absorbed into SNCAC ) incorporated significant changes , including a twin tail and a considerably refined fuselage . The first prototype was ordered as a long range mail plane and in October 1937 established a record by flying 621 miles with a 22 , 046 lb payload . The " Ministere d l ' Air " ordered a production run of 8 of the NC223 . 3 variation which was commenced in 1939 . A variant NC 223 . 4 " Jules Verne " of Naval Aviation French was the first Allied bomber to raid Berlin : on the night of 7 June 1940 aircraft of this variant dropped eight bombs of 250 kg and 80 of 10 kg weight on the German capital . This operation , which was of a primarily psychological - warfare nature , was repeated three days later . The first NC 223 . 3 bombers were delivered on May 1940 and participated in night bombing attacks on Germany before being transferred to North Africa in June 1940 . The bombers were subsequently relegated to transport roles , seeing service with both the Vichy regime and the Free French . The F . 224 was a dedicated civil variant able to seat 40 passengers . Six machines were produced for Air France , but were ultimately rejected because the 224 could not maintain altitude on three engines . The aircraft went on to serve in the Armée de l ' Air instead with a reduced payload .