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/ 97
Bombers a Melee
1914-19 “1914-19
Eu eure eae
Pe a een CU eS
De Ure Daca) ee lat tst—~—~S~s
‘Bombs were dropped from an aeroplane
at leat as cary as November 911, " ia of World Aircraft in Colour
ep seyeet tor isomiees A, eee
the First World War, and hence the BOMBERS
haha bah
ighter aeroplane as a weapon of war. At
mei te hee me eae
there were bombers ~ frout the fra
cd toe spe oe
ee eee
Mae ee fe ceed
eaten be oa ions
peat tpn creas
iene tomes ates
ey Pep Olea
fe ee Soordams ts we te
ele ot aici Sact
adds cme po ceed
Ro Peitdlentes Take sod Aloees
elie Witscesl poet
rr
edeb eco seater
Fe? ern i vlna r e
ho fen ery boesre period alle
Sey eine Nee er atch
ile see a te
seguro elo et
Fee publ! in 196, hs ne i
rete tek eaten oe
Sop ar easy con
Soman a ake teers
mor ean dea
Ean meee fae
Week Pence ge ee
Fes alot rnc mee by
Re sed Gentes ot
Rocka berlan Sobel te
eoteds hae feta Sows
Slane ince
2nd (REVISED) EDITION
£5.20 net ‘The Pocket i
‘of World Aircraft in Colour
BOMBERS
{OL AND RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT
1914-1919
by
KENNETH MUNSON, Associate R.AcS.
i Tustrated by
. JOHN W. WOOD
‘Norman Dinnage
‘rian Hey
‘Willa Hobion
"Alan Holiday
Tony Mitel
‘Allen Randall
Additional notes by
IAN D. HUNTLEY, AMRAeS.
BLANDFORD PRESS
POOLE DORSET Copyright © 1968 Blaaford Press Led,
‘Link Howe, West Stet, Fooe, Doret BEL LL,
in publibed 1968
Reprinted 1078
(ievied) Edison 1977
“ncn coding or by 5
sange Sel sickens, ee po
nison ts weting om tbe pbsber.
PREFACE,
far as the colour plates in this volume are concerned, we owe an
debt of gratitude to Ian D. Huntley, AMRAeS.,
‘extensive researches have provided the basis for all of the
‘work in this volume. A short account of Ian Huntley's
~ and a few of the results that they have yielded ~ appear
‘the Appendices. These, if read in conjunction with the notes on
15, should obviate ‘a number of misconceptions which ap-
‘confused some readers ofthe first edition.
help or reference material of other kinds, I am indebted to
published by the American journal Air Progrss, by Harley-
Pabations Lid, and by Profle Pubcon Lid, Individual
‘with the original edition, also much af
by Mesrs, Chale F. Andrews of BAG, Bo Wid of the
‘Aviation Historical Society and Lt, Gol. N. Kindberg of
"Royal Swedish Air Force; this revised edition has benefited in no
‘measure from material kindly made available subsequently
Unido thee
1976 INTRODUCTION
cof World War 1.
of the leading types at this time was the French Voisin,
the first bombing attack of the war was made by Voisins of
‘Aviation Militaire which bombed the Zeppelin hangars at
ty on 14 August 1914. During the early part of the
Germany and Austro-Hungary relied almost exch
7 E.V.K,), equipped with the giant Sikonky Tlya Mouromets, The
Hlya Mouromets was the first (and, at that time, still the only)
{four-engined bomber in the world. This enormous machine, which
had flown forthe first time in January 1914, was a development of
the Le Grand, also designed by Igor Sikorsky early in
1913. The E.V.K. made its first bombing raid with these machines
on 15 February 1915 from its base at Jablonna in Poland.
‘Two months before this, Commodore Murray F. Sueter of the
Brith Admiralty’s Air Department had set the wheels in motion
to produce what he called a ‘bloody paralyser of an to
bomb targets in Germany, although the bomber that resulted from
this specification, the Handley Page O/100, was not to enter service
‘until nearly the end of 1916.
In the meantime, in May 1915 the Aviation Militaire began a
sustained bombing campaign using its squadrons of Voisin air-
craft, the strength of which was eventually built up to a total of
saoiagtin apes scemerepnputapots ae cates
Ttaly’s combined total of military and naval
5
first half of
Germany's chief vehicles for heavy bombing, but thereafter they
were wed mostly by the Naval Air Service while the
and
‘early in 1917. During the summer these attacks were
up to such an intensity that the R.F,C. and R.N.A.S. were
‘obliged to attack only by night and finally to abandon the
altogether in May 1918.
‘The Gothas typified the German bombers of the period and were
bbe used, but they were abetted by smaller
‘numbers of the similar Friedrichthafen G types and, in the later
‘sages, by the bigger Zeppelin (Staaken) R types. Allied bombers of
8 Britain established the Independent Foree in
strategic force equipped in the main. with
‘Page bombers, to undertake the bombing of targets in the
| German homeland. The United States of America had come into the
6 April 1917, and for most of 1918 the American Expedition.
‘equipped predominantly with fighters and bombers of
s origin, made an important contribution to the bombing
ive which was sustained until the end of the war.
load-carrying abilities of the bomber aeroplane
‘ to such an extent by the end of World War 1 that, from the
2o-lb. oF 1o-kg, weapons that had been the norm in 1914, high
“block-busters’ weighing 1,650 Ib. (nearly 750 kg.) had
veloped and used. The weapons in most general use were
‘weighing around 100 kg. ~ 250 Ib. but the Handley Page
'V)i500, which was all ready to go into action when the Armistice
Hi
had ine
tf
uf
“as signed, was able to carry two bombs each weighing 3,300 Ib.
“Gite te. The saline Bombs were fen cared y eben
‘tion a-scaters, more for their ‘nuisance’ value than anything ese,
et occasionally thse could be twed in other way with spectacular
| results. One sich occasion wat the destruction of the Zeppelin
| 12.37 in June 1915 by Flight Sub-Lieutenant Wareford of the
S., who flew aloag the length of the dirigible dropping six of
these tiny’ bombs into the airhip’s envelope. Warneford as
"awarded the Victoria Cros for his action, which was the first tie
had been brought down by’an attack from another
So fra armament was conceraey the gun cried by
| ombing, patrol or reconnaissance aircraft were
Eopece The Perebebem, the sued German cr
’s weapon, was the prewar LMG.08 verion of the Maxim
°
el
tet HL infantry machine-gun; it standard Allied equivalent was the
variation of the orthodox bomber evolved during 1914-18
‘was the torpedo bomber, but such aircraft as a class did not contri-
bute a significant amount towards the progress of the war. Suc-
‘cessful launches of | ‘were made from several different
ft types, but the actual amount of shipping sunk or damaged
Sa eee et aren conyers naa
for by ordinary high explosive
The use of water-borne aircraft in patrolling the seas and de-
fending naval shore stations was an important element in the
‘conduct of the war as a whole. Germany, alone of the major
‘combatants, eschewed the value of the fying-boat for these pur+
poses, but she did employ a considerable variety of floatplanes,
‘both on board seaplane carriers or other naval vessels and at naval
shore stations, for defensive or patrol duties. Their British counter-
are incded sch cil wees atthe Fnrey Campania,
hort 184 and Sopwith Baby.
‘The Lohner, Macchi, Tellier and F.B.A. flying-boats, of Austrian,
Ialian and French origin respectively, were mostly medium-sized
but they carried out a vast amount of routine but valuable work.
‘The large fiying-boat appeared first in the form of the indifferent
Curtiss “America’ series from the U.S.A., which Squadron Com-
mander John Porte of the R.N.AS. transformed into the Felix-
stowe F.2A, a thoroughly efficient and ‘seaworthy long range
patroller that seta pattern for fiying-boat evolution lasting for two
decades and more after the war ented. Porte was one of a select
band of naval officers who made an ineaiculable contribution to the
development of marine aviation during these formative years;
‘another was Squadron Commander E. H. Dunning, who lost his life
in August 1917 while carrying out a test landing in a Sopwith
Pup in connection with the evolution of deck take-off and landing
techniques.
‘World War 1 was the background for the first true air war,
and in this as in all subsequent conflicts the glamour attached
ituel chiefly to the fighter and bomber aircraft involved. But in
1914-18 the real workhorses in every air service were the a-seat
observation and reconnaissance machines. Right from the outset
10
fWorld War 1 the acroplane’s principal ~ indeed, its only ~ value
‘been thought in most offial circles to be that of observing
reporting the progress of the war on the ground, rather than
8 positive contribution to that progress. Even when this way
thinking had been proved to be wrong, the value of the recon
nce machine remained undiminished.
W Aircraft of both sides were sent over enemy lines during the
few months of the war to report the progress of troop mover
or the accuracy of their own side's artillery fire. At first,
tmajority of aircraft used for this role were unarmed, but be-
‘the war was many weeks old some observers began to take
the air with them service revolvers, cavalry carbines, duck
and all manner of other, often bizarre, weapons with which
“have a go" at any enemy machine they chanced to meet while
‘on a patrol. Once this practice had started, other observers
obliged to equip themselves with similar means of protec-
‘or retaliation; and from the first few sporadic encounters of
kind the foundations were laid of the arts and skills of aerial
ghting. On the one hand this led, naturally enough, to the evo-
n_of the fighter as a specialised combat type. At the same
it created the need to evolve faster, more manocuvrable and
‘observation types that could defend themselves
ely against attack from fighters or other 2-seater.
Te must be remembered that at this period of the war the stan-
arrangement of most 2scaters was to place the observer in
front cockpit. In a tractor biplane, the most common con
he therefore had the engine block infront of him, bracing
‘wires on either side and the pilot behind him. Con-
ly, when weapons began to be carried he had litle worthe
le field of fre at all, and his field of view for earrying out his
ion duties was not very much better. Moreover, the risk
'a bullet fracturing a bracing wire ~ or, more important, a control
— was always present. Yet, despite the dificutics, several
were achieved with hand-held guns operated from the
nt cockpit in this fashion.
First to break out of the rut was Germany, which introduced
ts new category of C type armed a-eaters in the spring of 1915.
thre machine te observer more lopalyeecopied the tear
‘and
the two cockpits, where he had a much wider field of
the freedom to fire a gun in almost every direction except ‘they and their crews had to carry out their combat duties. In nearly
‘every case crews had to fly in unheated fying suits, in open cockpit
‘at altitudes where the intense cold affected not only their own
‘physical efficiency but the lubrication and cooling systems of their
‘engines and guns. Gun stoppages were still an all-too-frequent
‘occurrence, even in excellent late-war designs with otherwise good
performance, and often an engagement had to be broken off by one
‘or other participant because of a jammed gun or some similar
‘circumstance. While on the ground, the aircraft were usualy either
‘down in the open, or, at best, stored in eanwvas field
‘the depredations to their fabric from the bitter Russian cold,
‘the miserable dampness of the Westen Front or the blistering
‘Middle Eastern heat can well be imagined. Performance figures
recorded for individual types are those obtaining under more ot est
‘deal flying conditions, but for much of the time such conditions
“were not enjoyed.
aircraft uied by any combatant during the entire war, Rustia’s
‘only original contribution was the indifferent Anatra, while France
relied to a large extent on pre-war Farmans or Caudrons oF un-
spectacular Spad and Nieuport designs until the Salmson 2 ap-
eared early in 1918, Britain pinned its faith for too much of the
‘war upon the unfortunate B.E.2 series designed at the Royal Air-
‘raft Factory, which were the principal prey ofthe Fokker mono-
planes and later German biplane fighter. From the structural and
design viewpoints the BLE. was a fine, well-thought-out piece of THE COLOUR PLATES
a sie ientienon he singrarven col le which low
boen arranged on visual bats, within the broad sequence:
It should not be assumed, from the ‘pli’ plan view presen-
Be tet ss ces ponte es ay rs ee
isa ‘mirror image’ ofthe half that is portrayed.
(8) It should not be assumed that all colour plates are intended
show standard colour schemes or a pristine ‘ex-works! state of
Indeed, several plates deliberately show ‘weathered? aircraft,
_, (@) Note (b) above applies particularly to the British khaki/
.C.10 colouring (see Appendix 2) for which, within the limitations
the colour reproduction process, an attempt has been made to
this finish in a wide variety of conditions, from an exe
aircraft with maximum ‘green shift’ (¢.. page 59) toa muche
alverat (eg. page 64).
5 BLERIOT Xi (France)
rat of No. 3. Sqution REC. 1818
Lent
Engine "Ove 70h. Gnome 7A oan Span: 288 2 I
287 in"('80 m). Wing oer 1613. ea (1800 cam). Taal wal
{a2 t (600 ka), Monin sovod” 858 mph, {90-km/hr) ses lee,
‘Sores casing W342" (2000 m| nduarce'3 20m,
” BREGUET BrM.s (France)
AGO Cl (Germany)
‘Mauinum spend: $87 ma (138 Hi) a 00
oe (03m Range” 238 mls TOOK) VOISIN 8 (France)
VOISIN 5 (France)
th
red 30min FARMAN F.40 (France)
FARMAN HE23 (France)
2 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN Gull (Germany) GOTHA.G.V (Germany) LLOYD Cit (Austro-Hungary)
DFW. B. (Germany)
aE hha su ta Sore xing: 886 © (S000) frac
= ALBATROS 8.11 (Germany) AVIATIK Bit (Austro:Hungary) LOHNER C1 (Austro-Hungary)
=~
4 6
‘Austin Aviat ofthe Aus: Hungnion Ae Senin ca only 1916 Loving tut fa Auto: Hungaan A Seven, 1916, opine: One 180
£Enain’ Ona120’np, Aamo Damier wir cole sine. Spon 48 1h Np Aus: Die owm-coon cn. Sun "Gd She (129 my)
{en(08 00 m)!Lengh 20 3m (6 0 m), Wig wea opr 308-8 ea 251 31m (922m) Wing on spate,
(3250 sam. fke-of mepht S16 (070 bg). Menor seed: 67'7 i eight aprox 988360 £g).onmum sped #8 "Ph
{Ron a) tec Sec cag: AaB B00) Ea (ar im fT see Sec nig TABS (RHE) Ere ALBATROS C.! (Germany) LEBED'-XH1 (Russia)
16
pearance ae enna
miveat inorentin'y
eerste sins fae haneeases nats
™ *
ae cee lade ALBATROS Cll (Germany) DORAND ARL.t (France) RUMPLER C1 (Germany)
20
fumpl:C1 of te inpral Guman Mikary Avaton Service. 1915 Eng
Bee thin Morcsee Bil woer-coled tne Seon S040 10) (248
imi Length 25 Sin (2 Bo m) Wing nen. 3863 aah GENO cm),
Treo eign: 2.992 in (350g). Marina gaed 844 mph 83
iif) ae tr. See eng 188681 (65S m) oar A
D.FW. CV (Germany)
Seth ira amon a Pars hy a
5 Se 1S ey Paste Shik Ge aay
ee Ss aN as ae SS Ga el ae
Hither 3 a AEG. CAV (Germany) HALBERSTADT .V (Germany)
2 2
ts Abert oaty Aint) CV he mvc Coma Mian
R800). endurance: S201 RUMPLER C1V (Germany) LV.G. €.V1 (Germany) ALBATROS CXIl (Germany) PHONIX C1 (Austeo-Hungary)
a
Engin: One 220 no. ae ae vie. Sar, 3
risers cries
FAG C1 (Austro-Hungary)
ab oh Auto harora i Sr, tur 108 Er
ron in {i80'ke) Meuimum gouoa: 181 moh 1190
Enh Stslt See sang N61EH (BOB) Ende pee
She 30m ANATRA DS (Russia) SUNKERS J.1 (Germany) ANSALDO S.V.AS (Italy)
2
“reat VAS fhe" Gappo Amooln! Conse Aeronutis Mba aon
feling: 18208 8 (3.0007) Eratonce’ 8 Om
S1A, 78 (Italy)
iow Sere conn’ 23.9608 (15001). Enauoes: 4M. Oma POMILIO PE (Italy) SAML 82 (Italy) £20 (UK) B20 (UK)
“c.f "(3.08 m. Bez (UK) RES (UK) RET (UK) RES (UK)
a ®
mt RES a Fgh No. 59 Santon RAF. Vat ala. Mey
BP my Cogan 31 20
i) Tei wag! 3.48818 (1 DH9A (UK)
DH (UK) FK8 (UK) | 'SALMSON 2 (France) SSPAD XI (France)
“8
1B" Hano gu Be na coi en pm oan: 4404 MS
Samm) Take of weight 2510 (048 9p). Maximum spend: 1004 mph
Preheat C006 nh Sere lg T4BEE (7008
BREGUET 14 (France)
0
rogue 8148.20 an unde Eadie de Gombarcement,Ferch Ava
Aon Mar, iat 181)/ary 1918. Engine One 300 hp Ranaut 12 Fer
Tonnes Var-ype, Spot AT A ie (He 364) Lengo 20 th
(6597 m), Wing wee. 6403 sat. (40-20 sam). Tote-of weight: 3808
1S (765g) sine speed 110 mp (037 tm nr} 864% (2.000
I). Series etng 19,028 (500m) Endurance. 2h 88 mn SHORT BOMBER (U.K.)
od Emp GRE Phe) MED atm). Se og
Sep0' (2.890 | Enctronce 6c Oran LETORD TYPE 5 (France) CAUDAON A.11 (France)
SF efi “hazy Loved Poy ae Sok | Ramsey apao-aln 8 aru Vaya, pen 86 9
Opin. (1800 m)" Lange. Se 7p mC 17 m) Ming arn: 600 5 ea Im? 82m). Lange 26m O2m (1720 m): Wing dren S890 oa (5428
(Greta) Ta ethmnge Baba Ls, Meine sed: Bo Samm) Tote of weigh 4772 (2.165 tg): Mati sano 1137'm ph
‘mph Gobi /te) st 65RE (20007): Ses cog, Teast (6860 | AEB Ameo GREW (210. ee cg TSE 980 AEG. GV (Gormany) V/1800 (UK.)
8 1829 my Somer cating KANGAROO (U.K.) CCAPRONI Ca 4 (aly) CAPRONI Ca 8 (Italy) SIEMENS-SCHUCKERT A. (Germany) ZEPPELIN (STAAKEN) F.VI (Germany)
a
Sue o18" Enoies out 260 hy Menace O Ne
Reeiecere nen
Sesto Santorcting 12487 (800. ) Eade ILA MOUROMETS (Russia)
a
‘Shor ye Mouromat Tyne oth stad Vondusyt Korb, mpm
Aslan Ale Stnar "336° Ermer’ Fou 100 hp. Sonbuar wetercoles
‘en ye. Spon’ 97, in 12060 m) sr sm 780m)
Wing'eee t's ag {12500 van) Tatwef weigh: 104 i400
1G) inane atmo Youn fe sebeeh cm) See CAUDRON GilV (France)
LOHNER L (Austro-Hungary)
Lohner town by Sub-LL Wale Zlany of the Auto Mangan Noy
See 10 Pre Go 10 Na
“de Som ww
a edo sam) eam 7H (00) rin
Sov coing nas Cat00"N) envwee SO “eateon (ebm) eeoners. Some caing WOE 008
. mh Eocene nopror ¢ 6 mn F.B.A. Type © (France) BaBy (UK)
Soo 7500 (SaN6 m).Endranen: ho FF33 (Germany)
6
One TBO ho, Bene Beil ata ooied nine. Span"54 WH} in CT
fe) Lamgth 363m. 4030 m). Wing mea 9051 aq CEED sam)
Treo weight sopran 3708 [1 98010)" Mexia teed. 721 = ph
(iin ot san eve Sone cing: oro 1.488 8. (800m) Enda
oue'b Ome
1 Blérioe Xt
‘The fnlloking actor mono:
plane in which Louis leit ceed
the Englah Chane! in July 99
‘wns develope, with more power
Gnome rotary engine in place of
the orginal 25 hp Ansan, ato one
of the fremest mlliary and
feroplanes of the pesiod before
World Wart, Blo %ls cabs
Tahed varios specd, eight and
‘endurance recor drag 1910-11,
Sud thelr aerobatic apis were
well demonstested by Alphonse
Plgood, who sucozfly looped an
aeroplane of this hind in 1919,
‘Miltary Biot 2s were ins
jn France and Teal fom 1910, the
Inter sexing ction wit Ieian
fer in North Aiea in tort. The
RLE.G’s Military and Naval Wings
and, Inter, the RNAS, recived
‘hel fist Bidios in gis,
‘During the Bint yar of Word
War 1 the leis were rong the
It widely wed of Aled obet-var
ti types. They served witha eat
eg cadre ofthe French Avie
fon Mitre with Non 96,9
od x6 Squadrons REG. ia Franc,
fod when Tely entered the war fn
May" iors bee air force bad six
Squadriglic equipped with Blériot
Xie. Tere wee ve bai variant
ofthesandardshoulder-wing mono.
plane. Twoof hem, the XI Militaire
Ed XI Arle, wore inglevestes
With 50 hp. Gnome engine; the
Kite Arle nd ea Génie were
facaten with 7o hp, Gnomes aed
the gueat Xie bad a 140 hp.
Gnome, They difered in sth mat-
fers as undevearrags levator,
ders aod control pylon, ‘The
”
those in’ frontline service, many
BleriotX1s were wed by the French,
Brith and Tealian alt forces as
training sirerat,
‘A parasol-winged version was de-
signated XI-BG.: this was flown
by French eseadrilles and by both
British air servers, A few floatplane
Berio are believed to have served.
‘withthe Brith and Italian Navies,
‘Known Brit serial number allo-
cations indicate that twenty-one
parasol Bléiot and up to forty:
eight Bleiot Xs of ether kinds
were in RLE.C. services and sixteen
parasols and twenty-six Bléviot XIs
wih the RNAS. In addition,
there were allocations for ten
(RNAS) and eleven (REG)
‘Blérot tractor’ airraf, which may
bbe assumed to have beea aireraft of
‘one type or the other.
2. Ago Gtypes _
‘The Ago Flageeugwetke, formed in
1912 from the former “Aerowerke
Gustav Ot, produced its fist C
‘ype biplane, the C2, ia mid-igr5.
‘This, and the later CII and GE,
shared a similar configuration, being
usherengined 2caters with two
‘lender ovalection finelage booms
‘supporting the tal unit. ‘The C1,
cxiginally powered by a 150 hp.
‘Benz Ba.IHl and later by a 160 hp. ‘Mercedes DAI, entere service in
summer 1915 in small numbers on
‘the Western Front. Designed by the
#
P
2
‘Age's next G type was the G.IV,
‘only, but a smal fed fin was intro-
‘duced on production areralt, giving
‘continuously rounded tail contour.
‘The Ago CIV was a fast and eff-
ent acroplane of its type, but it
entailed long and comly construc-
tional methods that’ limited the
‘number built. ‘The maximum num
ber of C.IVs in service at any time
was seventy in September 19175
this it thought to represent lite
‘more than a quarter of the total
‘Rathgeber. The C.VIL and O.VIIL
‘were experimental developments of
the CIV with, respectively, re-
vised wing bracing and a different
‘engine installed. Neither went into
‘quantity production.
3 Breguet 4 and 5
‘After a serie of tractor
Louis ‘Breguet designed his BU3
(later BR5q) prototype in mid-i9i4
‘asa pusher biplane in deference 10
‘official inistence that French 2-
‘eater aireraft should carry their
‘observers in front, where they had
the maximum ponible eld of view
‘and of fre. Powered originally by
200 hp. Canton-Uané, and later
€.
i
|
|
i
‘Unt engines), BLMs (with Renault
engines) or simply as Breguct-
Michelin, this last name also toland.
tng spied to ner devepments bombing
5
i
z
i
i
:
f
‘the French government issued type served with at least
specification for a bomber espable five Excadrilles de Bombardement,
‘of carrying a 900 kg. (661 Ib) load one of which was still equipped with
‘over a range of 60 km. (373 miles), this type of Breguet in Jansary 1918,
df mes hs Beguct developed The RNAS. purchased approx
3
491% and ia it production form —daignaion G.W. XIX, but nly ten
Sesinownartebiequa Oomcoury of hee were camped, sh
altar designations, applied later, Breguet served with No. 5 Wing in
were Type 4B.a and ‘Type Ca.a, France, and inthe Aegean area.
fhe later sighing a cannon arma-
l
‘Voisin 106
ferly in 1916 at the Breguet and In spite of their frail appearance,
‘Michelin factories, withthe a20b.p. the Voisin pusher biplanes, fist
Renault 12 as their standard power designed in 1914, were in fact exe
‘plant. The 4B.2 was armed with a tremely weather-worthy and batle-
tingle Hotchkiss or Lewis machine- worthy aeroplanes, as was demon-
{gun in the front cockpit, and could stated convincingly by their con-
ieee sp Sy 705 be bonbn employment
‘8 70h.p. Gnome rotary engine. The nacelle, forthe use of the observer,
and the fst enemy aircraft to fall
{to.a French crew was abot down by
‘Voisin V.89 on §, October 1914.
Although sed at fint for daylight
‘operations, the Voisin g was tans
{erred to night bombing from Sep-
tember 1915 and some aircraft of
‘this type were also in service with
the Marine Nationale. About eight
Ibundred Voisin gx were built for
‘the Aviation Militaire, and a small
quantity, equipping one excadril,
‘as supplied to Belgium; substantial
senha oe dared o Ra
and ‘the Soviet Italiana
‘Trassem built one hundred sad
‘twelve Voisin 9s which served with
five squadriglie. of the Corpo
‘Aeronautiea Miitare and were
‘powered by Fat, Lotta Fraschini or
‘Renault engines. Both Brith ser-
Inga sok, Salmon dial egg
an enlarged cut-out in the upper
eige and a strengthened
‘undercariage. Three hundred and
fifty Voisin 53 were built. The
‘Volsin 6 was virtually identical tothe
15 except in having a lightly modi
fed 195 hip. version of the Salmaon,
anf
1916. It was armed with one or two
machine-guns, and the bomb load
was increaed to 180 ky. (996 lh),
‘carried beneath the wings and inthe
July 1918, the rest being delivered
4 the Aviation Militaire from the
beginning of the year. A. ‘canon!
version, with a 37 mm. Hotchkis,
was designated LBR (the bomber
version being known at the LA.R),
‘but was not employed on any scale,
6. Farman HF.20 series
‘The Henry Farman HF-20, which
fist appeared in 1913, was based on
the exter HF.16 design and had
been produced in some number for ssqualspan wings and a simplified
‘prea undercarriage without lande
fag sk. Te was lightly bigger
seroplane than the previous Henry
Farmans, and ually powered by
a typ or 160 hp. Canton'Uané
fengine. Tt had a ¢-hour endurance
fd could cary « maxioumn bomb
foad ef about 299 hy. (531 Th).
Farman ‘HP.ays. were employed
‘operationally en the Wester Front
fof the R.N.AS. were wed both in
France and at Mudrosin the Aegean
(orth No. 2 Wing). Several of the
RNAS. Farman Hays were
‘wansferred tothe RLFC, equipping
‘vidual type. However, from known
‘eral batches it can be confirmed
that the RNAS. received. more
than one hundred and fifty Henry
Farman of which about half were
French-buil.” Similarly, RIC.
serial numbers can be traced for
‘more than four hundred and seventy
‘Henry Farmans, almost all of which
‘were built in the United Kingdom,
by Airco, GrahameWhite or other
‘manufactures.
7. Farman F.4o series
“Towards the end of 1915 Henry and
‘Maurice Farman produced a joint
series was the F.40, a neat pusher
biplane with the crew nacelle
‘mounted mid-way between the
‘an F.goB.2 version with a 260 hip.
‘Salmson radial may have been built
in small numbers for the Aviation
Militaire.
‘The Figs difered from the F.40
fn having shorterspan wings,
‘nacelle similar to that of the Maurice
Farman MF.11bis and an 80 or
10 hp. Renault. The F.60 and
R61 corresponded respectively to
the F-go and F.41 except for their
190 hp. Renault powerplant. The
‘other major production version seat
the F.s6, which had a 170 hp.
Renault but was otherwise similar
to the F4t; the F6 was produced
specifically for taining, with large
front skids like those onthe ME.7.,
"The Farmans entered service
‘early in 1916 and were wed widely
for reconnaissance and bombing,
serving with fortyeven ccadrille,
(of the Aviation Militaire on the
Western Front and in Macedonia,
‘Only a small bomb load could be
‘carried by the Farmans, whove sole
defence was a single Lewis gun in
‘he front cockpit. The type was vie
tually outclassed from the time it
entered service, but it was not do=
lared obsolete until early 1917 and
leven then continued to be wed for
Plane struts. During 1918 all Far-
‘mans were withdrawn from the front
F.4o design. It was a twin-engined
‘wactor biplane bomber, with a
‘wing span of 75 ft 0 in. (20:96 m.),
‘wo 250 hp. Lorraine-Dietrich
‘engines and a posible load of eight
175 ke. (165 1b) bombs. The F-50
appeared in 1939, and a small num-
‘ber had been delivered to French
Eacadriles de Bombardement,
eluding Farry and F.rig, before
the Armistice, Two others were
production,
1916 that the G.I (FF98) appeared,
a s-bay, single-tailed airerat with
two 200 hip. BTV pusher engines
tnd a Parabellum gun in each ofthe
103 planted by the G.lII (FF45), 2
lange aeroplane capable of atying
a feavier oad.
‘The CII fist appeared aly
jn 1917, and was again a bay
