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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Farman_S.11

MF.11
Role	Reconnaissance / Light Bomber
Manufacturer	Farman Aviation Works
Designed by	Maurice Farman
First flight	Late 1913
Introduction	May 1914
Primary users	French Air Force Royal Flying Corps

The Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorn is a French reconnaissance and light bomber biplane developed during World War I by the Farman Aviation Works.

Design and development

It was essentially a Farman MF.7 with a more powerful engine, and a more robust and aerodynamic fuselage, which was raised above the lower wing on struts. The aircraft was also fitted with a machine gun for the observer, whose position was changed from the rear seat to the front in order to give a clear field of fire.

Its name derived from that of the MF.7 Longhorn, as it lacked the characteristic front-mounted elevator and elongated skids of its predecessor.

Operational history

The MF.11 served in both the British and French air services on the Western Front in the early stages of the war. As a light bomber it flew the first bombing raid of the war when on 21 December 1914 an FM.11 of the Royal Naval Air Service attacked German artillery positions around Ostend, Belgium.

The MF.11 was withdrawn from front-line service on the Western Front in 1915, but continued to be used by the French in Macedonia and the Middle East, while the British also used it in the Dardanelles, Africa and Mesopotamia.

Italy's Societa Italiano Aviazione, a Fiat company, licence-built a number of MF.11s under the designation SIA 5 from early 1915, fitted with a fixed forward machine gun and a 74.5 kW (100 hp) Fiat A.10 engine.

In 1916 Australia bought some MF.11s for training purposes.

Operators

 Australia

• Australian Flying Corps
  • No. 5 (Training) Squadron AFC in United Kingdom
  • Mesopotamian Half Flight
  • Central Flying School AFC at Point Cook, Victoria

 Belgium

 France

• French Air Force

 Italy

 Greece

 Japan

 Norway

 Portugal

 Romania

 Russia

 Saudi Arabia

Two Farman MF.11s were obtained from Italy in 1921.

 Serbia

 Spain

 Switzerland

 Ukraine

One aircraft only.

 United Kingdom

• Royal Flying Corps
  • No. 2 Squadron RFC
  • No. 3 Squadron RFC
  • No. 4 Squadron RFC
  • No. 9 Squadron RFC
  • No. 14 Squadron RFC
  • No. 16 Squadron RFC
  • No. 19 Squadron RFC
  • No. 23 Squadron RFC
  • No. 24 Squadron RFC
  • No. 25 Squadron RFC
  • No. 29 Squadron RFC
  • No. 30 Squadron RFC
  • No. 65 Squadron RFC
• Royal Naval Air Service

Survivors

• The Canada Aviation Museum has an MF.11 manufactured by Airco for the Royal Flying Corps and sent to Australia in 1916.
• Farman F.11A-2, Royal Army and Military History Museum, Brussels, Belgium.
• Farman MF.11 Shorthorn (#CFS-15), RAAF Museum at Point Cook, Victoria, Australia.

Specifications (MF.11)

Data from Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft

General characteristics

• Crew: Two (pilot & observer/gunner)
• Length: 9.45 m (31 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 16.15 m (53 ft 0 in)
• Height: 3.18 m (10 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 57.00 m² (613 ft²)
• Empty weight: 550 kg (1,210 lb)
• Loaded weight: 928 kg (2,045 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Renault 8-cylinder air-cooled inline engine, 75 kW (100 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 106 km/h (57 knots, 66 mph) at sea level
• Service ceiling: 3,800 m (12,467 ft)
• Endurance: 3.75 hours

Armament

• Guns: 1 × 7.5 mm (0.30 in) machine gun
• Bombs: 18 × 7.3 kg (16 lb) bombs

See also

Related development

• Farman MF.7
  

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of France
  

External links

• Luftfahrtmuseum
• Virtual Aircraft Museum
• Canadian Aviation Museum

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Published in July 2009.

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