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.

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.

Data from:French aircraft of the First World War^[1]

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

F.1,41 H

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

F.1,46

2-seat dual-control trainer powered by a 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 edit

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 edit

  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 edit

  Colombia

• Compañía Colombiana de Navegación Aérea (CCNA)

Data from French aircraft of the First World War,^[1] The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft ^[2]

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 m² (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

• Cony, Christophe (July 1997). "Aviateur d'Observation en 14/18 (deuxième partie)" [Observation Aircraft of 14/18]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (52): 10–15. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Davilla, Dr. James J.; Soltan, Arthur M. (January 2002). French Aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press. pp. 233–244. ISBN 1891268090.
• Donald, David (1997). "Farman F.40". The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Prospero Books. p. 399. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
• Klaauw, Bart van der (March–April 1999). "Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War". Air Enthusiast (80): 54–59. ISSN 0143-5450.
• Liron, Jean (1984). Les avions Farman. Collection Docavia. Vol. 21. Paris: Éditions Larivière. OCLC 37146471.

• Hirschauer, Louis; Dollfus, Charles, eds. (1920). L'Année Aéronautique: 1919-1920. Paris: Dunod. p. 19.
• Hirschauer, Louis; Dollfus, Charles, eds. (1921). L'Année Aéronautique: 1920-1921. Paris: Dunod. p. 27.