W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters

FARMAN F 30 France

   The F 30 (not to be confused with the earlier Farman Type 30 two-seat pusher) was developed by the Societe Henry et Maurice Farman to meet a requirement for a two-seat fighter. Powered by a 260 hp Salmson 9Za water-cooled nine-cylinder radial and carrying an armament of one fixed 7,7-mm Vickers gun and one flexible 7,7-mm Lewis gun, the F 30 C2 was an unequal-span, single-bay biplane with plywood-covered fuselage and was tested in the spring of 1917 with inauspicious results. The aircraft, subsequently referred to as the F 30A, was therefore extensively revised as the F 30B (although still referred to officially as the F 30 C2) with equal-span wings and two-bay bracing, fabric skinning replacing the plywood covering of the fuselage. Testing of the F 30B was conducted at Villacoublay during the summer of 1917, but the aircraft suffered fore and aft instability, and, as its cg problems remained insoluble, was finally abandoned early in 1918. The following data relate to the F 30B.

Max speed, 129 mph (208 km/h) at 6,560 ft (2 000 m), 122 mph (196 km/h) at 13,125 ft (4 000 m).
Time to 9,840 ft (3 000 m), 11 min.
Endurance, 2.5 hrs.
Empty weight, 1,499 lb (680 kg).
Loaded weight, 2,425 lb (1100 kg).
Span, 36 ft 1 1/2 in (11,01 m).
Length, 23 ft 11 1/4 in (7,29 m).
Height, 9 ft 8 1/2 in (2,96m).
Wing area, 373.62 sqft (34,71 m2).


FARMAN F 31 France

   Designed around the 400 hp Liberty 12 12-cylinder water-cooled engine, the F 31 two-seat fighter was an exceptionally angular equi-span, two-bay biplane with the fuselage mounted in mid-gap. Armament comprised two fixed forward-firing 7,7-mm Vickers guns and a single 7,7-mm Lewis gun on a flexible mounting in the rear cockpit. The sole prototype of the F 31 was completed in the summer of 1918, and was still under test at Villacoublay in November 1918, the Armistice precluding any further development of the type.

Max speed, 134 mph (215 km/h) at 6,560 ft (2 000 m).
Time to 6,560 ft (2 000 m), 5.85 min.
Empty weight, 1,916 lb (869 kg).
Loaded weight, 3,239 lb (1 469 kg).
Span, 38 ft 6 7/8 in (11,76 m).
Length, 24 ft 1 1/4 in (7,35 m).
Height, 8 ft 5 1/2 in (2,58 m).