The French Farman F.221

[B-17engineer]

Does anyone have any pictures of these planes? They look a bit interesting. How could it be compared to German or British bombers?


I am reading a book that says they were first flown in May of 1932. It had a fully enclosed ventral and nose gun positions and a semi-retractable 'dustbin.' It had four 970hp (723kW) Gnome-Rhone 14N-11/15 radial engines. It gave it a top speed of 199 mph.


There are only drawings in the book and I can't seem to find any pictures of it.

 

[Vincenzo]

the data aren't for 221
Farman F-221 - Bombardier lourd - Un siècle d'aviation française

 

[Flyboy2]

Here's some pictures. Instead of searching F.221, you could also try searching F.220 because both craft were very similar

 

[vikingBerserker]

Here's another. It also appears the the F.221 was like the F.222 as well.

 

[Airbone Bunny]

Whoever went to war in that plane was very, very brave or stupid... it looks like something just out from WWI

What kind of bizarre universe the Armee de L'air was living in, that the Farman was still considered a first-line bomber in 1939?

 

[Arsenal VG-33]

The Farman of this series was antiquated and was supposed to begin being phased out for the newer Amiot and Leo aircraft, however this was the only thing available in any significant quantities insofar as long range was concerned, and range it did have.

One such variant, the F. 223s, some of which were built as long range transports and mail planes, and with the outbreak of war they were converted to bombers. One such variant, the Jules Verne F.NC.223.4, was the first Allied aircraft to bomb Berlin. These variants carried just over 3 tons of bombs over 3,000 miles, although the Berlin mission involved a 2 ton (4,000 lbs) bomb load, for 13.1 hours flight time.

Great story here:

SOLO TO BERLIN War and Game

The only other French bomber to come close to this range performance was the Le0. 451 with a maximum of 1,000 kg (2205 lbs) bombload, to 2,900 km (1,802 miles).

 

[Vincenzo]

These variants carried just over 3 tons of bombs over 3,000 miles, although the Berlin mission involved a 2 ton (4,000 lbs) bomb load, for 131 hours flight time..

i've many doubt that 131 hours it's the true flight time

 

[Arsenal VG-33]

i've many doubt that 131 hours it's the true flight time

You are correct, and I suspect it was a typo. Another source I have indicates the flight was just over 12 hours, so I believe the linked source should have read 13.1. The decimal must have been left out. Corrected.

 

[B-17engineer]

Thanks you very much guys I appreciate it!