Henri Farman
Farman III
The Farman III, designed and built by French pioneer Henri Farman in 1909, was one of the first truly successful biplanes of the early aviation era. Inspired by the successful designs of the Wright brothers and the Voisin brothers, Farman created a lightweight, two‑seat aircraft with a pusher‑propeller arrangement that quickly proved its reliability. The structure consisted of a wooden framework covered with fabric, a 50‑horsepower Gnome rotary engine driving a two‑blade propeller mounted behind the pilot and passenger, and a distinctive forward elevator and rear horizontal stabilizer linked by a single vertical fin. Its wingspan measured 10.5 metres and the aircraft could achieve speeds of up to 70 km/h, providing a stable platform for training, reconnaissance, and record‑setting flights. The Farman III’s most celebrated achievement came in 1909 when Henri Farman won the Grand Prix d'Aviation de la ville de Brescia, covering a 20 km circuit in 13 minutes and 38 seconds, a performance that captured worldwide attention. The design set a template for later Farman models and influenced other European builders, cementing the aircraft’s place as a milestone that helped transition aviation from experimental novelty to practical transportation.
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Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1909