The Farman HF.20 and its derivatives were a family of reconnaissance aircraft produced in France shortly before and during the First World War. It was a refined version of the Farman MF.11 "Shorthorn" that did away with the type's distinctive landing skids, and incorporated design features from Henri Farman's designs. It entered service with the French, Belgian and Serbian armies in 1913 (two aircraft conducted reconnaissance during the Siege of Scutari in the First Balkan War and one crashed), and with the British RFC and RNAS shortly after the outbreak of war. The type was also licence-built in the UK by Airco and Grahame-White.
A HF.20 biplane at Nicopolis airfield, near Preveza, in December 1912
The HF.20 was seriously underpowered, and a variety of engines were trialled in the hope of correcting this, none with much success. The problem was eventually solved only when an engine of twice the power of the original powerplant was fitted to the HF.27 variant, by which time the aircraft was already obsolete. Nevertheless, the performance of the HF.20 made it adequate for use on secondary fronts.
15.5 m (51 ft) span and increased wing area version with Gnome Lambda engine. At least one of the few built, entered service with the Fliegertruppe of Switzerland.
HF.22
15.58 m (51.1 ft) span and increased wing area version with Gnome Lambda engine.
HF.22 floatplane
(aka HF.22bis or Savoia-built HF.22-H)
HF.23
18.08 m (59.3 ft) span version with Gnome Lambda engine
HF.24
11.5 m (38 ft) span aerobatic version with Gnome Lambda engine
HF.27
155 hp (116 kW) Canton-Unné R9 engine or 240 hp (180 kW) Renault engine with a revised undercarriage that included nose wheels similar to the Voisin III.
Operatorsedit
HF-20 of the Swiss Air Force during the First World War
Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 22 minutes
Wing loading: 18 kg/m2 (3.7 lb/sq ft)
Armament
Guns: 1 × machine gun on flexible mount for observer
Bombs: small load of 75 mm (3.0 in) bombs
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Farman HF.20.
^Davilla, Dr. James J.; Soltan, Arthur M. (January 2002). French aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press. pp. 207–212. ISBN1891268090.
Bibliographyedit
Klaauw, Bart van der (March–April 1999). "Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War". Air Enthusiast (80): 54–59. ISSN 0143-5450.
Liron, Jean (1984). Les avions Farman. Collection Docavia. Vol. 21. Paris: Éditions Larivière. OCLC 37146471.
Thomas, Andrew. "In the Footsteps of Daedulus: Early Greek Naval Aviation". Air Enthusiast, No. 94, July–August 2001, pp. 8–9. ISSN 0143-5450
Further readingedit
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 380–381.
World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 894 Sheet 14–15.
April 05, 2024
farman, derivatives, were, family, reconnaissance, aircraft, produced, france, shortly, before, during, first, world, refined, version, farman, shorthorn, that, away, with, type, distinctive, landing, skids, incorporated, design, features, from, henri, farman,. The Farman HF 20 and its derivatives were a family of reconnaissance aircraft produced in France shortly before and during the First World War It was a refined version of the Farman MF 11 Shorthorn that did away with the type s distinctive landing skids and incorporated design features from Henri Farman s designs It entered service with the French Belgian and Serbian armies in 1913 two aircraft conducted reconnaissance during the Siege of Scutari in the First Balkan War and one crashed and with the British RFC and RNAS shortly after the outbreak of war The type was also licence built in the UK by Airco and Grahame White HF 20Role Reconnaissance aircraftManufacturer FarmanDesigner Henri FarmanFirst flight 1913A HF 20 biplane at Nicopolis airfield near Preveza in December 1912The HF 20 was seriously underpowered and a variety of engines were trialled in the hope of correcting this none with much success The problem was eventually solved only when an engine of twice the power of the original powerplant was fitted to the HF 27 variant by which time the aircraft was already obsolete Nevertheless the performance of the HF 20 made it adequate for use on secondary fronts Contents 1 Variants 2 Operators 3 Specifications HF 20 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 Further readingVariants editHF 20 original version with Gnome Lambda engine HF 21 15 5 m 51 ft span and increased wing area version with Gnome Lambda engine At least one of the few built entered service with the Fliegertruppe of Switzerland HF 22 15 58 m 51 1 ft span and increased wing area version with Gnome Lambda engine HF 22 floatplane aka HF 22bis or Savoia built HF 22 H HF 23 18 08 m 59 3 ft span version with Gnome Lambda engine HF 24 11 5 m 38 ft span aerobatic version with Gnome Lambda engine HF 27 155 hp 116 kW Canton Unne R9 engine or 240 hp 180 kW Renault engine with a revised undercarriage that included nose wheels similar to the Voisin III Operators edit nbsp HF 20 of the Swiss Air Force during the First World War nbsp ArgentinaArgentine Air Force nbsp BelgiumBelgian Air Force nbsp DenmarkRoyal Danish Air Force nbsp FranceAeronautique MilitaireEscadrille HF 1 Escadrille HF 7 Escadrille HF 13 Escadrille HF 19 Escadrille HF 28 Escadrille HF 32 nbsp GreeceRoyal Hellenic Navy nbsp Kingdom of ItalyCorpo Aeronautico Militare nbsp JapanImperial Japanese Navy Air Service nbsp NetherlandsRoyal Netherlands Air Force nbsp RomaniaRomanian Air Corps nbsp RussiaImperial Russian Air Service nbsp SerbiaSerbian Air Force nbsp Soviet UnionSoviet Air Force Taken over from the Imperial Russian Air Force nbsp SwedenSwedish Air Force Swedish Navy nbsp SwitzerlandSwiss Air Force nbsp United KingdomRoyal Flying Corps No 2 Squadron RFC No 5 Squadron RFC No 6 Squadron RFC No 10 Squadron RFC No 24 Squadron RFC No 26 Squadron RFC No 30 Squadron RFC No 31 Squadron RFC No 32 Squadron RFC No 64 Squadron RFC Royal Naval Air Service nbsp Union of South AfricaSouth African Aviation CorpsSpecifications HF 20 editData from French aircraft of the First World War 1 General characteristicsCrew 2 pilot and observer Length 8 06 m 26 ft 5 in Wingspan 13 65 m 44 ft 9 in Height 3 15 m 10 ft 4 in Wing area 35 m2 380 sq ft Empty weight 360 kg 794 lb Gross weight 660 kg 1 455 lb Powerplant 1 Gnome Lambda 7 cylinder air cooled rotary piston engine 60 kW 80 hp Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch wooden pusher propellerPerformance Maximum speed 165 km h 103 mph 89 kn Range 315 km 196 mi 170 nmi Endurance 3 hours Service ceiling 1 050 m 3 440 ft Time to altitude 2 000 m 6 600 ft in 22 minutes Wing loading 18 kg m2 3 7 lb sq ft Armament Guns 1 machine gun on flexible mount for observer Bombs small load of 75 mm 3 0 in bombsReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Farman HF 20 Davilla Dr James J Soltan Arthur M January 2002 French aircraft of the First World War Flying Machines Press pp 207 212 ISBN 1891268090 Bibliography editKlaauw Bart van der March April 1999 Unexpected Windfalls Accidentally or Deliberately More than 100 Aircraft arrived in Dutch Territory During the Great War Air Enthusiast 80 54 59 ISSN 0143 5450 Liron Jean 1984 Les avions Farman Collection Docavia Vol 21 Paris Editions Lariviere OCLC 37146471 Thomas Andrew In the Footsteps of Daedulus Early Greek Naval Aviation Air Enthusiast No 94 July August 2001 pp 8 9 ISSN 0143 5450Further reading editTaylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions pp 380 381 World Aircraft Information Files London Bright Star Publishing pp File 894 Sheet 14 15 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Farman HF 20 amp oldid 1123938109, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
