The Farman F220 responds
to a January 1930 contract for a BN5 (5-Seater Night Bomber).
The aircraft is equipped with four opposing motors in pairs in
nacelles. This prototype rejected by the Air Force becomes a long-haul
mail known as "Centaur". An optimized version, better motorized,
was proposed and accepted by the Air Force sevices under the designation
of F221. This one is of entirely metallic construction, with high
wing and fixed train. 11 aircraft of this type are produced in
this version and delivered from November 1936 in units, as well
as four aircraft modified to be delivered to Air France under
the name of F2200.
The career of the
F221 was relatively short, since by the end of 1935, a new version
made its first flight: the F222. This corrects the main faults
of the F221. The landing gear is retractable, and the ends of
the wing are equipped with pronounced dihedral panels to improve
lateral stability. This version will be delivered from April 1937.
An ultimate version, the F222.2 is developed; It differs from
the previous one only by its motorization with improved cooling.
The last aircraft produced is manufactured in May 1938.
After the declaration
of war, the Farman will be used firstly in missions of dropping
leaflets on Germany and for some missions of bombing, of which
a famous one will be the attack of the BMW factories in Munich,
May 14, 1940 .
The total tonnage
of dropped bombs is finally low (about 140 tons), and only two
aircraft will be lost, one of which per accident. This balance
sheet is proportional to the low rate of use of these machines
during the conflict.
After the Armistice,
most of the aircraft will be regrouped in North Africa and will
equip the GT I / 15 Transport Group after the dissolution of the
Bombardment Groups that used them.
