J.Stroud The World's Airliners (Putnam)

The early French air services were also started with converted wartime aircraft. The best known and most widely used were the single-engined Breguet 14 and the twin-engined Farman Goliath.
   The Farman Goliath was for its time one of the most advanced European transport aeroplanes, quite large numbers were built and some remained in service at least until 1933. The Goliath, designed as a bomber, was completed late in 1918 as a passenger aircraft with main cabin for eight passengers and forward cabin for four passengers, all in wicker seats..The pilot’s cockpit was open.
   As early as March 1919 the Farman Line began flying Goliaths on a Paris-Brussels service and, later, Cie des Grands Express Aeriens, Cie des Messageries Aeriennes (CMA) and Air Union operated them on Paris-London services. SNETA (Belgium), CSA (Czechoslovakia) and LARES (Rumania) also used Goliaths. In spite of their ugly appearance, with square-cut wingtips, stalky four-wheel undercarriages and frequently oil-stained cowlings, the Goliaths gave good service and one is known to have flown at least 3,843 hr. There were numerous versions of the Goliath with different engines but most of the airline aircraft had 230 hp or 260 hp Salmson water-cooled radials. Goliaths were almost certainly the first airliners to have their fuselage tops painted white to keep the cabins cool.

Журнал Flight

Flight, January 9, 1919.

A French Passenger Carrier

   THE Farman "Goliath" bombing machine, which was ready for trial on the day of the Armistice, has been rapidly transformed for passenger work. Seats run the length of the fuselage, large lateral windows have been fitted for sight-seeing, and a flight to London on this big twin-motored machine is contemplated as soon as fine weather sets in. The two Salmsons give 540 h.p., and the anticipated speed is in the neighbourhood of 90 miles an hour, with a relatively slow landing speed. Internal heating apparatus has been provided, and on a regular run the machine should carry 30 passengers with comfort. The machine will be minutely inspected before each run.


Flight, January 30, 1919.

Encouragement !

   A MESSAGE from Paris says that although Mr. Farman had received permission from the French authorities o fly one of his "Goliath" machines to London, the British authorities stood in the way. However, in order that the experiment might be carried out the French Government decided to buy the machine and it is now under their control. Unfortunately the weather on Sunday last prevented any trial being made.


Flight, February 13, 1919.

The Farman Goliath Visits London.

   THE Farman Goliath twin-engined biplane has now paid its flying visit to London. It left Toussus-le-Noble (Seine-et-Oise) at 11.15 a.m. on February 8, and arrived at the Kenley aerodrome, near Croydon, at 2.30 p.m. It was piloted by Lieut. Boussotrot, and among the 13 other military passengers on board was Sergeant M. Chevillard, who was well-known at Hendon in pre-War days. The party returned to Paris on the following afternoon, leaving Kenley at 1.40 p.m., and landing at Buc at 3.50. Photographs and some particulars of the machine appeared in our issue of January 30


Flight, February 20, 1919.

The Farman "Goliath" Visits Brussels

   ON February 12 the famous "Goliath," carrying 17 passengers, including Mr. and Mrs. Henry Farman flew from Paris to Brussels in 2 hours and 10 minutes, and later in the day returned to Paris with the same passengers in 2 hours 42 minutes. Lieut. Bossoutrot, who flew the machine to London was again the pilot.


Flight, April 10, 1919.

French Passenger Height Records

   ON April 1 the Henri Farman Goliath piloted by Lieut. Bossoutrot set up a new record passenger height by taking up four passengers to a height of 6,200 metres. The passengers were pilot Muller and mechanics Mathe, Ferron and Mulot. The previous record for pilot and four passengers - made by Poiree in 1916, was thus beaten by more than 2,000 metres. Two days later at Toussus-le-Noble this record was completely put in the shade by Lieut. Bossoutrot taking up 13 passengers to a height of over 6,000 metres, at which point the barograph ceased to act. The passengers were MM. Mathe, Scheuter, Blanloeil, Pani, Thierry, Thenasse, Verdilon, Bourgne, Foure, Male, Genolin, Redon and Mallet. During its flight the machine flew over Toussus, Versailles, le Bourget and Paris, and was in the air for one hour forty-five and a halt minutes.


Flight, May 15, 1919.

High Flying with 25 Passengers

   AT Toussus-le-Noble on May 5 the Farman "Goliath," with 25 persons on board, ascended to a height of 5,100 metres (16,600 ft.), the climb taking 1 hr. 15 min., while the descent was made in 25 minutes. Lieut. Bossoutrol was the pilot.


Flight, August 21, 1919.

From Paris to Africa

   AT five minutes past midnight on August 10-n the Farman "Goliath" set out from Toussus-le-Noble and arrived at Casablanca on the N.W. coast of Africa at 5.30 p.m. on August 11, having covered the distance of 2,050 kiloms. (1273 miles) in 17 hrs. 25 mins. The route traversed was via Bordeaux, Biarritz, Madrid, Cadiz and Tangier. This is claimed as a record for a non-stop flight with a machine carrying eight persons on board. The pilot was Bossoutrot, and the other passengers were Coupet, assistant pilot; mechanics Mulot, Jousse and Coupet; Capt. Bezard, representing the Director of Military Aviation; Lieut. Boussot, representing the civil aviation authorities and Lieut, Guillemot, wireless operator.
   On arrival at Casablanca it was found that there were still 400 litres of petrol left out of the 1,700 litres which were put into the tanks at Paris.
   At 11 a.m. on August 14 the machine set out to go across the Sahara to Dakar, but for that portion of the journey rifles and ammunition were carried as a precaution against hostile Arabs should a forced landing be necessary. It landed at Mogador from whence it started the following day. It was seen at Port Etienne, 750 kiloms. from Dakar, but nothing has been heard of it since.


Flight, August 28, 1919.

The "Goliath" Found

   IT was with a sense of relief that Paris heard the news on August 23 that the Farman Goliath, which had left Mogador on August 15, and was last heard of at 5.45 a.m. on August 16, when it sent a wireless to Dakar asking for the direction of the wind, had been found. It appears that shortly afterwards the machine had to land at the negro village, Kayor, between St. Louis and Dakar, owing to trouble with propeller. The machine left Paris at noon on Sunday, August 10, with eight passengers, and reached Casablanca, a distance of 1,280 miles, at 5.40 p.m. on August 11. On August 14 the journey was continued as far as Mogador (190 miles), whence at 4 p.m. on the day following it started for Dakar. It travelled a further 900 miles and passed Port Etienne (by Cape Blanco) at 3.30 a.m. on Saturday, August 16.


Flight, September 11, 1919.

The Fate of the Farman Goliath

   THE following is a note published in Paris, which briefly sets forth the facts concerning the fate of the Farman Goliath in the desert.
   "The Goliath made a forced descent owing to the loss of a propeller on August 16 at 7.30 a.m., on the beach 115 miles north of St. Louis. The machine was broken up, but the crew were uninjured.
   "They endeavoured to walk to St. Louis, but were forced to return to the machine owing to thirst, and lived for six days on reserve provisions and on shell-fish, and satisfied their thirst by means of distilled sea-water.
   "Their machine was observed by natives on August 21, and relief reached them the following day. They arrived at Medirdra on August 27.


Flight, October 2, 1919.

THE FARMAN "GOLIATH" TYPE F-60 AEROBUS

   IN view of the recent exciting adventure of the Farman "Goliath," which, it will be remembered, left Paris with eight passengers on August 10 last for Dakar (some 2,800 miles), and after a record non-stop flight to Casablanca (1,280 miles) got lost in the Sahara for over a week, and was found eventually some 500 miles from Dakar with its crew hungry but intact, the following particulars, with scale drawings, may be of interest.
   The F-60 is a comparatively large fuselage twin-engine biplane, with an enclosed cabin accommodating 20 passengers. The interior of the cabin is handsomely finished, and is provided with comfortable light wicker arm-chairs arranged on either side of the cabin alongside the windows. The pilot's cockpit, which is open, is located on the roof of the cabin, just forward of the main planes, where the range of vision is good. It was a machine of this type that was employed on the first civilian passenger service between Paris and Brussels, inaugurated last March.
   The upper and lower planes are of equal span, and are without dihedral and sweepback. They are rectangular in plan form, and have balanced ailerons fitted to both upper and lower surfaces. In all there are eight pairs of interplane struts, two pairs of which run up from the fuselage and one pair being located at each engine. The intermediate and outer pairs are spaced 16.4 ft. apart. The overhang of the main planes, not including the ailerons, is 4 ft. The ailerons are n ft. 5 ins. long by 3 ft. 4 ins. wide.
   The engines are Salmson 9-cyl. "Star" type, developing 260 h.p., and are mounted on the lower plane close up to the fuselage. They drive 8 ft. tractor screws, and are enclosed in streamlined nacelles, with a circular radiator in the nose.
   The landing chassis is typically Farman, consisting of a pair of wheels located under each engine, and carried by "trouser" struts.
   The general specifications of the F-60 are as follows :-

Span
   (top and bottom) 91 ft. 9 1/2 ins.
Chord 10 ft. 3 ins.
Gap 9 ft. 10 ins.
Overall length 48 ft. 5 ins.
Overall height 16 ft. 5 ins.
Area of main planes 1,775 sq. ft.
Area of ailerons
   (4), each 50 sq. ft.
Area of tail plane 65 sq. ft.
Area of elevators 43 1/4 sq. ft.
Area of rudder 24 sq. ft.
Area of fin 39 3/4 sq. ft.
Weight, empty 4,409.24 lbs.
Useful load 4,409.24 lbs.
Fuel, etc. 1,126.24 lbs
Weight, fully
   loaded 9,964.88 lbs.
Speed range 37-99 m.p.h.
Climb in 4 mins. 1,600 ft.
Climb in 10 mins. 3,200 ft.
Climb in 25 mins. 6,500 ft.


Flight, December 25, 1919.

SOME FRENCH MACHINES AT THE SHOW

Farman Freres

   The Farman brothers are showing three complete machines. One of these, at least, will be known to our readers, as it has been flying for some considerable time and has made several notable flights. This is the Farman "Goliath," or, to give it its proper series number, the F 60. As is, of course, well known, it is a twin-engined machine, with a long enclosed fuselage accommodating the passengers. The machine has already been described in FLIGHT; suffice it therefore to add that the Goliath is listed at 170,000 francs (about L4,250 at the present rate of exchange). The machine claims several records, such as 20,800 ft. in 1 hour 5 mins. with four passengers, 20,500 ft. in 1 hour 5 mins. with 14 passengers, and 16,850 ft. in 1 hour 15 mins. with 25 passengers.
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