F.222 bomber (Note apparent damage to wingtip)[1]
The Farman F222 was one of a series of heavy bombers developed by France in the late 1930s.
Development
This distinctive family formed the backbone of the Armee de l'Air heavy bomber force from 1935 until the collapse in 1940. It began with the F 210 of 1930, which set the pattern in having an angular box-like body, high-mounted wing and four engines slung on braced struts from the wing and fuselage in push/pull double nacelles. By way of the 220 came the 221, which served mainly as a 20-seat troop transport. The 222 introduced retractable landing gear, and the 36 F.222/1? bombers of GBI/15 and II/15 served tirelessly in the dark months of 194O, often flying bombing missions by night over Germany and even Italy and a transports in North Africa until late 1944. The NC. 223 3, developed after nationalization, was a complete redesign and the most powerful and capable night bomber of 1938-40. The 223.4, a transatlantic mail-plane, served with the Aéronavale as a heavy bomber, and in an epic 13hr 30min flight on 7-8 June 1940 one bombed Berlin.
Specification
- Origin: SNCA du Centre (until 1936 the Farman company).
- Engines: (F 221) four 800hp Gnome-Rhone GFl14Kbrs 14-cylinder two row radials; (F 222) four 86Ohp GR14Kbrs; (F 222/2) four 95Ohp GR14N 11/15 or Kirsi (F 223) four 1,100hp Hispano-Suiza HS14AaO8/O9 vee-12 liquid-cooled; NC 223.3, four 91Ohp HS12Y29: (NC 223.4) four 1,050hp HS12Y37.
- Dimensions: Span (F 221, 222, 222/2) 118ft 1 1/2 in (36m); (F 223, NC 223) 11Oft 2 3/4 in (33-5m): length (F 221-222/2) 70ft 8 3/4 in (21.5m); (F 223,NC 223) 72ft 2in (22m); (NC 223.4) 77ft 1in (23.5m); height (all) 16ft 9in to 17ft 2 1/4 in (5.22m).
- Weights: Empty (F 222/2) 23.122|b (1O,488kg); (NC 223.3) 23,258lb (1O,55Okg); (NC 223.4) 22,046lb (10.000kg): loaded (F 221) 39,242lb (17,800kg); (F 222/2) 41,226lb (18,700kg); (NC 223.3) 42,329lb (19.200kg); (NC 223.4) 52,911lb (24,000kg).
- Performance: Maximum speed (F 221) 185mph (300km/h), (F 222/2) 199mph (32Okm/h); (NC 223.3) 248mph (400km/h) (264mph as un-armed prototype); (NC 223.4) 239mph (385km/h); service ceiling (F 221) 19,700ft (6000m); (F 222/2) 26.250ft (8000m); (NC 223.3 at maximum weight) 24,606ft (7500m); (NC 223.4 at maximum weight) 13,120ft (4000m); range with maximum bomb load (F 221) 745 miles (1200km); F 222/2) 1,240 miles (2000km); (NC 223.3) 1,490 miles (2400km): (NC 223.4) 3,107 miles (5000km).
- Armament: (F 221) three manually aimed 7-5mm l\/lAC 1934 machine guns in nose turret, dorsal and ventral positions; bomb load seldom carried; (F 222/2) same guns as 221, normal bomb load of 5,51Olb with maximum internal capacity of 9,24Olb (419Okg): (NC 223:3) one MAC 1934 manually aimed in nose. one 20mm Hispano 404 cannon in SAMM 200 dorsal turret, one 20mm Hispano 404 in SAMM 109 ventral turret; internal bomb load of 9,24Olb, NC 223-4, one manually aimed 7-5mm Dame machine gun in entry door; internal bomb load of 4,41Olb (eight 25Okg bombs).
- History: First flight (F 211) October 1931; (F 221) 1933; (F 222) June 1935; (F 222/2) October 1937; (NC 223) June 1937: (NC 223-3) October 1938: (NC 223-4) 15 Mgrch 1939.
- User: France (Armée de l'Air, Aéronavale),