Farman F.60 Goliath

Farman F.60 Goliath
Name	Farman F.60 Goliath
Type	Airliner / Bomber conversion
Manufacturer	Farman Aviation Works
First flight	1919
Introduced	1919
Retired	varied
Primary user	Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes
Produced	1920s

Farman F.60 Goliath The Farman F.60 Goliath was a post-World War I French twin-engined biplane airliner and bomber adaptation developed by Farman Aviation Works and introduced in 1919 for civil and military use. The Goliath entered service with companies and organizations such as Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes, Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, and the Armée de l'Air, operating on routes and roles that connected cities like Paris, London, Brussels, and Warsaw while participating in events including the Paris–Madrid Air Race and the Schneider Trophy era's broader aviation developments. The type influenced contemporaries produced by manufacturers such as Handley Page, Junkers, de Havilland, and Vickers during the interwar expansion of commercial air transport.

Design and development

The Goliath was designed by Henri Farman and the Farman brothers at Farman Aviation Works in response to post-World War I surplus demands and the needs of airlines such as Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes and Air Union, drawing on technology trends exemplified by designs from Handley Page, Fokker, and de Havilland. Its wooden structure, plywood and fabric covering, and twin Salmson or Lorraine engines reflected construction practice shared with contemporaries like the Handley Page Type O/400 and the Avro 504, while aerodynamic features echoed work by Hugo Junkers and Anthony Fokker. Testing and refinement involved personnel and institutions such as the Service Aéronautique, French Ministry figures, and airfields at Le Bourget and Buc, with prototypes undergoing trials influenced by lessons from the Treaty of Versailles era demobilization and industrial conversion efforts led by firms including Astra and Breguet.

Operational history

Airlines including Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes, Air Union, and CIDNA employed the Goliath on scheduled services linking Paris, London, Brussels, and Warsaw, competing with operators like Imperial Airways and KLM during the 1920s. Military operators such as the Armée de l'Air, Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, and the Belgian Air Force used conversions for transport, maritime patrol, and bomber training tasks, paralleling roles undertaken by aircraft like the Vickers Victoria and the Farman F.60's contemporaries in the United States Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force. Notable operations included early night flights and mail contracts with postal services like Aéropostale and city administrations in Paris and London, and the type appeared at public exhibitions alongside designs by Louis Blériot, Roland Garros, and Charles Lindbergh's contemporaries. The Goliath's civil career was shaped by economic pressures involving airlines, manufacturers, and governments such as the French Third Republic and interwar regulatory developments in aviation.

Variants

The Goliath family included versions powered by Salmson 9Z, Lorraine 12E, and Hispano-Suiza engines, with modifications for roles similar to conversions seen in types by Fairey and Short Brothers. Military transport and bomber-converted airframes paralleled adaptation practices used by Junkers for the J 1 and by Handley Page for the W.8 series, while civil mail and passenger variants were adapted for operators such as Air Union and Compagnie Franco-Roumaine de Navigation Aérienne. Export versions served in countries including Japan, Belgium, Romania, and Poland, reflecting international procurement patterns similar to those for the DH.4 and the Anatra DS.

Technical specifications

Typical Goliath specifications mirrored medium-sized transport biplanes of the period and compared with contemporaries such as the Handley Page W.8 and the Vickers Victoria: twin engines (Salmson or Lorraine), biplane wingspan in the mid-20-metre range, wooden fuselage with fabric covering, crew of two to three, and passenger capacity commonly between 12 and 20 depending on layout. Performance figures were comparable to aircraft used by airlines like KLM and Imperial Airways, with cruise speeds and range suitable for European trunk routes, and structural features influenced by design practice shared with de Havilland and Farman developments.

Operators

Civil operators included Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes, Air Union, CIDNA, Aéropostale, and national carriers such as LOT and KLM in comparable procurement environments, while military operators included the Armée de l'Air, Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, Belgian Air Force, Romanian Air Corps, and Polish Air Force. These operators deployed the type in roles akin to those filled by the Handley Page, Vickers, and Junkers transports in organizations ranging from the Royal Air Force to the United States Army Air Service.

Accidents and incidents

The Goliath experienced accidents during the 1920s and early 1930s similar to contemporaries by Handley Page and de Havilland, involving weather, navigation, and structural challenges faced by early airliners operating between cities like Paris, London, and Warsaw. High-profile incidents drew attention from authorities such as the French Ministry of Public Works, air safety investigators, and media outlets of the period including Le Figaro and The Times, prompting operational changes comparable to those affecting airlines like Imperial Airways and national postal carriers.

Surviving aircraft and preservation

Very few complete examples survive; preservation efforts by museums and institutions such as the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, RAF Museum, and various national aviation collections have focused on fragments, replicas, and documentation, paralleling conservation challenges seen with Handley Page and Junkers types. Artifacts related to the Goliath appear in archives maintained by organizations like the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, national archives in Paris and Brussels, and specialist collections overseen by aviation historians and restoration groups.

Category:Farman aircraft