Main Menu
France's Farman F.222 bomber1
Farman F.222:
Design
The Farman F.222 was based on the F.220 that originated in 1930.1
Fuselage
The fuselage was box like.1
Wing
The wing was mounted high.1
Engines
The engines were paired in a push-pull setup.1 These were mounted on struts between the wing and fuselage.1
Prototype
The F.220 and F.221 prototypes first flew in 1935.1
Production
- F.220.01: 11
- F.221.01: 11
- F.221 BN5: 101
- F.221.1 BN5: 111
- F.222.2 BN5: 241
- F.224: 61
- Total: 531
- NC.233: ~121
Note: BN5 stands for Bombardment du Nuit Cinq-Place (night bomber with five seats).1
Variants
- F.220: Prototype.1
- F.221: Prototype.1
- F.221 BN5: Built in 1935 - 1936.1 Mostly used as transports.1
- F.221.1: Built in 1937.1
- F.222.2: Built in 1937 - 1938.1 Had a longer nose and dihedral on the outer wings.1
- F.224: Transport version.1
- NC.233: Redesigned F.222.1
Usage
There were three Armée de l/Air groups that were equipped with the F.222s by September 1939.1 Two of them were in France and the other in Africa.1
The F.222s were initially used to drop leaflets and then for bombing western Germany.1 The BMW plant in Munich was one of the targets.1
French Navy
The F.222s were used for ocean patrol and bombing.1
Berlin
The NC.233 were the first Allied aircraft to bomb Berlin.1 It was a 13 hour 30 minute mission on the night of June 7 and June 8, 1940.1
Vichy France
The Vichy used the F.222s for transports.1
Free French
As late as 1944 the F.222s were still being used as transports in North Africa.1
| Farman F.2221 | Farman F.222.21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Heavy night bomber1 | |
| Crew | 51 | |
| Engine (Type) | 4: Gnome-Rhône 14N 11/151 | |
| Cylinders | Radial 141 | |
| Cooling | ||
| Net HP | 970 each1 | |
| Propeller blade | 3 each1 | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Span | 118' 1"1 36 m1 |
|
| Length | 70' 4.5"1 21.45 m1 |
|
| Height | 17'1 5.18 m1 |
|
| Wing area | ||
| Weight | ||
| Empty | 23,122 lb1 10,488 kg1 |
|
| Loaded | 33,510 lb1 15,200 kg1 |
|
| Maximum load | 41,226 lb1 18,700 kg1 |
|
| Performance | ||
| Speed @ 13,120' / 4,000 m |
199 mph1 320 kph1 |
|
| Cruising speed | 174 mph1 280 kph1 |
|
| Climb to 9,840' / 3,000 m |
9.7 minutes1 | |
| Service ceiling | 26,250'1 8,000 m1 |
|
| Range with 5,510 lb / 2,500 kg bomb load |
1,240 miles1 1,995 km1 |
|
| Armament | ||
| Nose turret | 1: 7.5 mm MG1 | |
| Dorsal turret | 1: 7.5 mm MG1 | |
| Ventral positions | 2: 7.5 mm MG1 | |
| Bombs | 9,260 lb1 4,200 kg1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
