A HF.20 biplane at Nicopolis airfield, nearPreveza, in December 1912
TheFarman HF.20 and its derivatives were a family of reconnaissance aircraft produced in France shortly before and during theFirst World War. It was a refined version of theFarman MF.11 "Shorthorn" that did away with the type's distinctive landing skids, and incorporated design features fromHenri Farman's designs. It entered service with the French, Belgian and Serbian armies in 1913 (two aircraft conducted reconnaissance during theSiege of Scutari in theFirst Balkan War and one crashed), and with the BritishRFC andRNAS shortly after the outbreak of war. The type was also licence-built in the UK byAirco andGrahame-White.
The HF.20 was seriously underpowered, and a variety of engines were trialled in the hope of correcting this, none with much success. The problem was eventually solved only when an engine of twice the power of the original powerplant was fitted to theHF.27 variant, by which time the aircraft was already obsolete. Nevertheless, the performance of the HF.20 made it adequate for use on secondary fronts.
15.5 m (51 ft) span and increased wing area version withGnome Lambda engine. At least one of the few built, entered service with theFliegertruppe of Switzerland.
HF.22
15.58 m (51.1 ft) span and increased wing area version with Gnome Lambda engine.
HF.22 floatplane
(akaHF.22bis or Savoia-builtHF.22-H)
HF.23
18.08 m (59.3 ft) span version with Gnome Lambda engine
HF.24
11.5 m (38 ft) span aerobatic version with Gnome Lambda engine
HF.27
155 hp (116 kW)Canton-Unné R9 engine or 240 hp (180 kW)Renault engine with a revised undercarriage that included nose wheels similar to theVoisin III.
Klaauw, Bart van der (March–April 1999). "Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War".Air Enthusiast (80):54–59.ISSN0143-5450.
Greece
