Farman F222

The Farman F222 was one of a series of heavy bombers developed by France in the late 1930s.
==Development==
This distinctive family formed the backbone of the Armee de l'Air heavy bomber force from 1935 until the collapse in 1940. It began with the F 210 of 1930, which set the pattern in having an angular box-like body, high-mounted wing and four engines slung on braced struts from the wing and fuselage in push/pull double nacelles. By way of the 220 came the 221, which served mainly as a 20-seat troop transport. The 222 introduced retractable landing gear, and the 36 F.222/1? bombers of GBI/15 and II/15 served tirelessly in the dark months of 194O, often flying bombing missions by night over Germany and even Italy and a transports in North Africa until late 1944. The NC. 223 3, developed after nationalization, was a complete redesign and the most powerful and capable night bomber of 1938-40. The 223.4, a transatlantic mail-plane, served with the Aéronavale as a heavy bomber, and in an epic 13hr 30min flight on 7-8 June 1940 one bombed Berlin.
==Specification==
*Origin: SNCA du Centre (until 1936 the Farman company).
*Engines: (F 221) four 800hp Gnome-Rhone GFl14Kbrs 14-cylinder two row radials; (F 222) four 86Ohp GR14Kbrs; (F 222/2) four 95Ohp GR14N 11/15 or Kirsi (F 223) four 1,100hp Hispano-Suiza HS14AaO8/O9 vee-12 liquid-cooled; NC 223.3, four 91Ohp HS12Y29: (NC 223.4) four 1,050hp HS12Y37.
*Dimensions: Span (F 221, 222, 222/2) 118ft 1 1/2 in (36m); (F 223, NC 223) 11Oft 2 3/4 in (33-5m): length (F 221-222/2) 70ft 8 3/4 in (21.5m); (F 223,NC 223) 72ft 2in (22m); (NC 223.4) 77ft 1in (23.5m); height (all) 16ft 9in to 17ft 2 1/4 in (5.22m).
*Weights: Empty (F 222/2) 23.122|b (1O,488kg); (NC 223.3) 23,258lb (1O,55Okg); (NC 223.4) 22,046lb (10.000kg): loaded (F 221) 39,242lb (17,800kg); (F 222/2) 41,226lb (18,700kg); (NC 223.3) 42,329lb (19.200kg); (NC 223.4) 52,911lb (24,000kg).
*Performance: Maximum speed (F 221) 185mph (300km/h), (F 222/2) 199mph (32Okm/h); (NC 223.3) 248mph (400km/h) (264mph as un-armed prototype); (NC 223.4) 239mph (385km/h); service ceiling (F 221) 19,700ft (6000m); (F 222/2) 26.250ft (8000m); (NC 223.3 at maximum weight) 24,606ft (7500m); (NC 223.4 at maximum weight) 13,120ft (4000m); range with maximum bomb load (F 221) 745 miles (1200km); F 222/2) 1,240 miles (2000km); (NC 223.3) 1,490 miles (2400km): (NC 223.4) 3,107 miles (5000km).
*Armament: (F 221) three manually aimed 7-5mm l\/lAC 1934 machine guns in nose turret, dorsal and ventral positions; bomb load seldom carried; (F 222/2) same guns as 221, normal bomb load of 5,51Olb with maximum internal capacity of 9,24Olb (419Okg): (NC 223:3) one MAC 1934 manually aimed in nose. one 20mm Hispano 404 cannon in SAMM 200 dorsal turret, one 20mm Hispano 404 in SAMM 109 ventral turret; internal bomb load of 9,24Olb, NC 223-4, one manually aimed 7-5mm Dame machine gun in entry door; internal bomb load of 4,41Olb (eight 25Okg bombs).
*History: First flight (F 211) October 1931; (F 221) 1933; (F 222) June 1935; (F 222/2) October 1937; (NC 223) June 1937: (NC 223-3) October 1938: (NC 223-4) 15 Mgrch 1939.
*User: France (Armée de l'Air, Aéronavale),
==References==
Category:French
Category:World War 2
Category:Heavy bomber
Category:Monoplane
Category:Land Based
Category:Multi piston engine
Category:Multiple crew members