Maurice Farman MF.11

The MF.11, used as a reconnisance and light bomber aircraft, retained the same basic configuration as Maurice Farman's preceeding MF.7, but introduced a number of refinements and one radical change.

The MF.11 was structurally and aerodynamically improved, featured a more powerful engine and a machine gun for the observer. The forward elevator that had led the British to give the nickname "Longhorn" to the MF.7 was abandoned, and the British inevitably dubbed the MF.11 the "Shorthorn". Another visually noticeable change was an alteration in the position of the nacelle, which was raised from the upper surface of the lower wing to a point between the upper and lower wings.

The MF.11 first flew in 1914 and entered service in May 1915 with an assortment of engine types delivering anything between 70 and 130 hp (52 and 97 kW), though the most common units were De Dion or Renault engines.
In Italy the aircraft were  built under-licence by S.I.A. and had Renault or Fiat A.10 engines, equipping 24 squadrons of the Italian Air Service.

In the basic MF.11 the pilot was seated in front of the observer, but in the M.F.11bis developed by Maurice's brother, Henry Farman, the observer was given a better field of fire for his gun by being seated in front of the pilot. The type was used mainly for observation, but was occasionally and successfully pressed into service as a bomber. The first night-bombing mission of the war was carried out by an MF.11 on 21st December 1914, operated by the Royal Naval Air Service attacking Ostend harbour.

Farman-type aircraft were very popular in Russia in the beginning of the 20th century. However due to the limited number of engines availiable (70/80/90-hp Vee air-cooled Renault engine), this type vas built in small quantities.  The Baltic Sea air service operated twenty MF.11's untill the end of 1916.

The MF.11's excellent endurance and reliabililty lent itself to a transport role in the arctic region, the first to do so. In 1914 one MF.11, piloted by Yan Nagurskii, participated in the polar scientific research expedition of captain Vil'kickii.
During August 1914, Nagurskii made a number of flights for ice-fields research and observations.

Principle Users
France, Great Britain, Italy and Russia.
In French service it was known as the ‘barge’ because of the shape of it’s central nacelle; it was withdrawn from front-line service in 1916 due to it’s low speed.