J.Davilla, A.Soltan French Aircraft of the First World War (Flying Machines)

Farman F.30 C2

  The Farman F.30 (not to be confused with the earlier H.F.30) was developed to meet the C2 specification calling for a two-seat fighter with fixed forward armament and a rear machinegun on a flexible mount. Built and flown in December 1916, it marked a significant departure for the Farman firm as the F.30 used the tractor layout previously spurned.
  The F.30A had a number of unusual (and unsatisfactory) features. The pilot was located directly beneath the top wing, where his held of vision was severely restricted. The pilot and gunner were separated by a large, vertical radiator that must have inhibited their communication. The lower wing was suspended beneath the fuselage by a series of struts. The wings were of unequal span, the upper wings being considerably longer. Ailerons were located on the extended portions of the upper wing. The engine was a 160-hp Canton-Unne X-9.
  The aircraft was tested at Villacoublay in May 1917. Its flying qualities were described as mediocre and it was rejected by the army. However, the Farmans apparently felt their design had merit, as they redesigned the F.30, the new aircraft being designated the F.30 type B. Changes included switching from the sesquiplane layout to equal span wings, although the ailerons still remained on only the top wings. The engine was changed to a 260-hp Canton-Unne 9Za and there were modifications to the engine exhaust system. The observer's gun mount was modified by raising its ring. The tail and rudder area were enlarged and the tailplane was now braced with struts. Armament was a fixed, forward-firing 7.7-mm Vickers and a 7.7-mm Lewis machine gun on a ring mount. The F.30 type B was tested at Villacoublay in July 1917 and as a result, the STAe requested that the surface area of the wings be increased from 34.7 to 54.0 square meters. Apparently these changes were needed because the aircraft's center of gravity was different than had been originally calculated. It is possible that this new version was designated the Farman F.30 type B A.R.2. As the A.R.2 designation stood for Avion Reconnaissance, this would establish that the Farman F.30 was no longer being considered for the C2 fighter role. Further development of the F.30B A.R. series was abandoned in April 1918 because both longitudinal and lateral stability were found to be "irredeemably" deficient, almost certainly as a result of the center of gravity miscalculation. The postwar F.110 was based on certain aspects of the F.30B A.R.2 design.


F.30A Two-Seat Fighter with 160-hp Canton-Unne X-9
   Span 11.015 m; length 7.29 m; height 2.96 m; wing area 34.71 sq. m
   Empty weight 680 kg, loaded 1,100 kg
   Maximum speed:
2,000 m 208 km/h
3,000 m 204 km/h
4,000 m 196 km/h
   Climb:
2,000 m 6 minutes 35 seconds
3,000 m 11 minutes
4,000 m 16 minutes 50 seconds
5,000 m 24 minutes 50 seconds
   Ceiling 6,800 tn, endurance 2 hours and 30 minutes
   Armament: one synchronized 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun and one 7.7-mm Lewis gun in a swivel mount
   One built

F.30B type A.R.2 Two-Seat Fighter Or Reconnaissance Plane with 260-hp Canton-Unne 9Za
   Span 14.00 m; length 8.540 m; height 2.96 m; wing area 54.0 sq. m
   Empty weight 825 kg; loaded weight 1,375 kg
   Maximum speed 210 km/h
   One built



Farman F.31 C2

  The C2 specification of 1918 called for a two-seat fighter armed with a single fixed 7.7-mm or 11-mm machine gun or a cannon, two machine guns or a cannon on a swivel mount, and a machine gun firing to the rear and downward. Aircraft designed to meet this specification were the S.E.A. 4, Borel C2, Breguet 17, Hanriot-Dupont C2, Morane 31 C2, Vickers C2, Morane Bugatti 16 (Type AN), L.D. Ca. 2, and Farman 31.
  The Farman F.31 had little in common with the previous Farman F.30, which had proved to have insufficient stability and was rejected by the Aviation Militaire. The F.31 was powered by a 400-hp Liberty 12 engine. Surprisingly, the F.31 had a lower wing suspended from the bottom of the fuselage by a series of drag-producing struts. This particular feature had been present on the F.30 A but had been eliminated from the type B. Probably to help reduce drag, a large fairing was fitted, extending from the fuselage bottom to the lower wing. A significant improvement was made in the crew positions. The radiator that had obstructed communication between the pilot and observer was eliminated. Instead, twin Lamblin radiators were placed under the nose. The pilot was located in a cutout just below the top wing; however, he was seated so far aft that his field of vision over the huge cowling must have been minimal. The two-bay wings were of equal span and, as with the F.30, the ailerons were located on only the lop wing. A triangular fin/rudder assembly and square tailplanes were fitted. Armament consisted of two 7.7-mm Vickers machine guns and a single 7-mm Lewis gun on a swivel mount.
  The Farman F.31 underwent testing at Villacoublay in August 1918. Its speed and rate of climb were considered to be quite satisfactory, but the payload was considered to be too low. Load testing also revealed that the aircraft was unable to meet the requisite load factor: 7 was required but the upper wing spar failed at 5.5. As the Hanriot-Dupont 3 met all specifications, it was selected for production and the F.31 was not developed further.


F.31 Two-Seat Fighter with 400-hp Liberty 12
   Span 11.76 in: length 7.35 m; height 2.58 tn; wing area 40 sq. m
   Empty weight 869 kg: loaded 1,469 kg
   Maximum speed: 215 km/h: climb to 2,000 in in 5 minutes 50 seconds; climb to 3.000 m in 9 minutes 40 seconds; climb to 4.000 m in 15 minutes 58 seconds; climb to 5.000 m in 25 minutes 14 seconds; ceiling 6,000 m
   Armament: two 7.7-mm fixed Vickers machine guns and a single 7-mm Lewis gun on a swivel mount.
   One built