The Farman MF.11 "Shorthorn" was a development of French aeronautical engineering and was essentially an early-war biplane design fielding limited armament and a rear-mounted, rear-facing engine. The MF.11 came about before the Triple Entente (the "allies" of World War 1) had developed the synchronized interrupter gear that allowed machine guns to fire through a spinning propeller. As such, she was fitted with her engine at the rear of the nacelle in what was known as a "pusher" arrangement (in contrast, conventional prop aircraft utilized "puller" engine arrangements) freeing up the frontal area for armament and generally unfettered views. Officially designated as the Farman MF.11 after her designer - Maurice Farman of Farman Aviation Works - she eventually became better known by the nickname of "Shorthorn", this name having been derived from the preceding MF.7 "Longhorn" design though lacking the forward elevator assembly and forward skids of the original. The MF.11 would become the first armed aircraft platform to participate in aerial warfare in World War 1.
Farman Aviation Works was founded by brothers Henri and Maurice and undertook the construction of aircraft from 1908 up until 1936. In 1941, after the French nationalization of aerospace industries, the firm remerged as the Societe Anonyme des Usines Farman (SAUF). By 1944, the company was officially absorbed by Sud-Ouest. Despite Marcel Farman's (Maurice's son) attempt to resurrect the family firm in 1952, the new company was deemed a failure by 1956.
The MF.11 featured a centralized, open-air nacelle housing the engine compartment and positions for two crew seated in tandem as well as placement for defensive armament and applicable flight control systems. The nacelle sat suspended within the network of interplane parallel struts and necessary cables with the upper wing assembly overhead of the crew and the lower wing assembly running under. The nacelle itself was slab-sided with a rounded front end topped by a small windscreen. Construction was typical of the time with a wood frame covered over in tight canvas. Struts extended out from the upper and lower wing assemblies to generate rudimentary support for the empennage (tail section) to which was affixed a large-area horizontal plane mounting a pair of vertical tail fins. The engine was situated ahead of the tail system and aft of the crew, powering a simple two-bladed wooden propeller. The undercarriage of the airframe was typical World War 1 - a collection of double-tired, bicycle-type wheels held in place by a network of reinforced struts, these supports attached to the underside of the lower wing assembly. Each landing gear "leg" was afforded a ski-type structure to help prevent "nose-over" accidents while on the ground. There was no tail wheel, rear support being provided by a simple tailskid. This gave the MF.11 a noticeable "nose-up" appearance when at rest.
In her early production form, the MF.11 sat the pilot at the front of the aircraft with the observer to his rear. While this afforded the pilot unobstructed and unsurpassed views of the upcoming terrain, this severely restricted defensive options and viewpoints for the observer who sometimes doubled as a machine gunner when his position was armed as such. It was only in the revised MF.11bis that the seating arrangement was reversed, giving the observer/gunner a better view with a better field-of-fire at the front of the nacelle while relocating the pilot and the flight controls to the rear. Machine guns generally ranged in the 7.5mm caliber but were often the model and make of the respective operating country (Hotchkiss, Lewis and Fiat types were known to be used).
Entering operational service in 1914, the MF.11 was a regular participant of reconnaissance and light bombing sorties with numerous squadrons during her tenure. At one point, some 37 French escadrilles (squadrons) were formed with the MF.11 as the showcase weapon where she undertook bombing duties in day and night as needed (the MF.11 was capable of fielding a payload of 18 x 16lb bombs). In practice, her crews recounted her as a stable mount displaying solid flying qualities even in choppy skies. The Royal Navy operated at least 80 examples and several were stationed at Dardanelles and Mesopotamia. MF.11s in Belgium service were used to bomb German Zeppelin air bases and U-Boat submarine pens. Her first bombing mission was recorded on December 21st, 1914 when a British MF.11 attacked German artillery positions at Ostend, Belgium. One MF.11 crew was later credited with the downing of an airborne German Zeppelin by machine gun fire. The MF.11 continued frontline operational service up until 1915 before being relegated to second-line duties and ultimate retirement.
License production of the MF.11 outside of France was handled by companies in the United Kingdom, Russia and Italy. While only subtle changes existed between these types, such large-scale production ensured that the MF.11 would entertain a lengthy reach within the inventories of non-French operators.
The British took to designating the MF.11 as the "S.11" but this proved a lesser known identifier. She flew with the Royal Flying Corps in No.2, No.3, No.4, No.9, No.14, No.16, No.19, No.23, No.24, No.25, No.29, No.30 and No.65 squadrons as well as with flying elements of the Royal Naval Air Service. By default, British Commonwealth Australia further fielded the type within their Australian Flying Corps as part of squadrons No.5, the Mesopotamian Half Flight (the first Australian Flying Corps to see operational service) and the Central Flying School AFC, the latter based out of Point Cook, Victoria. Australia purchased their initial systems in 1916 to be used for training of pilots and crew and utilized them as such until better alternatives became available in 1919.
Across Europe and beyond French usage there existed squadrons in Belgium, Italy, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland and the Ukraine service. Far to the East, the MF.11 was also operated by the Russian air service for a time. In the post-war years, at least two MF.11s were purchased by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Italy sometime in 1921.
Italy itself produced additional MF.11 variants under license and attempted to better the design by implementation of different engine types of varying horsepower. This included the SAI 5 powered by a Fiat A.10 series engine of 100 horsepower and the Farman Columbo (MF.C) powered by a Colombo D.110 series engine of 110 horsepower. The latter also featured a revised, oval-shaped nacelle. Italian producers of the MF.11 were Savoia, Fiat, Macchi, Zari and Vickers Terni and many of the Italian-born MF.11s were appropriately armed with Italian Fiat-brand machine guns.
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Australia; Belgium; France; Kingdom of Italy; Greece; Japan; Norway; Portugal; Romania; Imperial Russia; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Spain; Switzerland; Ukraine; United Kingdom
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
✓Training (General)
Developed ability to be used as a dedicated trainer for student pilots (typically under the supervision of an instructor).
Length
31.0 ft (9.45 m)
Width/Span
53.0 ft (16.15 m)
Height
10.4 ft (3.18 m)
Empty Wgt
1,213 lb (550 kg)
MTOW
2,046 lb (928 kg)
Wgt Diff
+833 lb (+378 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Farman MF.11 Shorthorn production variant)
Installed:
1 x Renault 8-cylinder, air-cooled inline piston engine delivering 100 horsepower. Also de Dion Bouton and Fiat A10 series engines.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Farman MF.11 Shorthorn production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
STANDARD:
1 x 7.5mm machine gun in rear (later forward) observers cockpit.
OPTIONAL:
18 x 16lb coventional crop bombs held externally. Maximum bombload of up to 288lb.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 18
MF.11 "Shorthorn" - Base Series Designation; observer/gunner in rear cockpit.
MF.11bis "Shorthorn" - Lengthened nacelle; observer/gunner relocated to forward cockpit with armament.
MF.13 - Fitted with 130 horsepower engine.
MF.14 - MF.11/MF.11bis models produced in 1914.
S.11 - British Designation; license production
F.5b - Italian Designation; license production; armed with Fiat machine gun in front cockpit.
Farman "Colombo" (MF.C) - Italian Production Model; fitted with Colombo D.110 series engine of 110 horsepower.
SIA 5 - Italian Production Model; forward machine gun (fixed); fitted with Fiat A.10 series engine of 100 horsepower.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
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Low angled front left view of a Farman MF.11 Shorthorn in flight
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Right front view of the Farman MF.11 Shorthorn at rest
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Left side view of the Farman MF.11 Shorthorn at rest
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Close-up view of the nacelle on a Farman MF.11bis Shorthorn aircraft; note suspended fuselage
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Close-up view of the engine mount on a Farman MF.11 Shorthorn aircraft
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Australia; Belgium; France; Kingdom of Italy; Greece; Japan; Norway; Portugal; Romania; Imperial Russia; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Spain; Switzerland; Ukraine; United Kingdom
