Voisin III

The Voisin III was a French two‑seat biplane designed by the Voisin brothers and produced from 1914 to 1916. Built at the company's factory in Billancourt, it entered service just as World War I erupted and quickly became one of the Allied forces’ first dedicated reconnaissance aircraft. Powered by a 120 hp Le Rhône rotary engine, the Voisin III could reach a top speed of about 110 km/h (70 mph) and carried a useful endurance of around three hours. Its most distinctive feature was the forward‑mounted “pusher” propeller, which left the nose clear for an observer’s camera and a light armament of a single Lewis gun on a flexible mount. The aircraft’s sturdy wooden frame, dual‑spar wings and large landing gear made it well suited to the rough airfields of the Western Front. Over 1,500 examples were built, serving not only with French escadrilles but also with British, Russian and American units. The Voisin III helped define the tactical role of aerial observation, artillery spotting and limited bombing, shaping early military aviation doctrine and paving the way for more advanced fighter‑reconnaissance designs. Its legacy endured throughout the war, influencing subsequent French bomber and scout aircraft up to the end of 1918.

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