Farman F.61 Goliath

Farman Aviation Works · France · first flew 1919 · airliner

The Farman F.60 Goliath (the F.61 being a variant) was one of the first purpose-designed airliners of the post-WWI era, converted from a heavy bomber design to carry fare-paying passengers.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Slab-sided rectangular fuselage with cabin windows
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

WWI-era biplane converted for early airline service
Slab-sided rectangular fuselage with cabin windows
Twin pusher/tractor arrangement between the biplane wings

A large biplane with equal-span wings, a wide rectangular cabin fuselage, twin radial engines between the wings, and fixed undercarriage — unmistakable as an early 1920s airliner.

Specifications

The Farman F.61 Goliath has a length of 14.33 m (47 ft).
It has a wingspan of 26.5 m (87 ft).
Its maximum speed is 150 km/h (93 mph).
Typical crew: 2 + up to 12 passengers.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Farman began operating the Goliath on the Paris–London route in 1919, making it a pioneering commercial service. The type also flew for airlines in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Romania, and served in smaller numbers with the French Navy.

Variants

The F.60 was the original passenger version; the F.61 featured updated Salmson engines; subsequent marks tried various powerplants including Gnome-Rhône.

Where you'll see it

Operated by Farman Airlines, CIDNA, Sabena, and others across European routes in the early 1920s; entirely retired by the early 1930s.

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