Voisin III

Last updated
Voisin III
Knatchbull M (capt the Hon) Collection Q44287 (cropped).jpg
General information
Type Bomber
Manufacturer Voisin
Designer
Primary users Aéronautique Militaire
Number built1,350+
History
Manufactured1914–1916
Introduction date1914
First flight1914
Retiredbefore 1922
Developed from Voisin L
Variants Voisin IV and Voisin V

The Voisin III was a French World War I two-seat pusher biplane multi-purpose aircraft developed by Voisin in 1914 as a more powerful version of the 1912 Voisin L. It is notable for being the aircraft used for the first successful shooting down of an enemy aircraft on October 5, 1914, and to have been used to equip the first dedicated bomber units, in September 1914.

Contents

Design

The Voisin III's water cooled Salmson radial engine. Amiens. Biplan Voisin. Moteur et helice. Sauzay et Roussillon - Fonds Berthele - 49Fi165 (cropped).jpg
The Voisin III's water cooled Salmson radial engine.

The first Voisin III was initially powered by a single 97 kW (130 hp) Salmson M9 engine water-cooled 9 cylinder radial engine, while later examples used the similar 110 kW (150 hp) Salmson P9 or R9. It had a range of 200 km (120 mi), a top speed of 105–113 km/h (65–70 mph) and a ceiling of 3,350–6,000 m (10,990–19,690 ft) depending on engine and manufacturer. The pilot was ahead of the passenger, who could fire weapons, release bombs or take photos, depending on the mission. It incorporated a light steel frame structure which made it more durable when operating out of makeshift wartime military aviation airfields.

Many aircraft were armed with a Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun mounted on the fuselage operated by a standing observer. Some variants could carry up to 150 kg (330 lb) of bombs.

Variants

Operational history

The observer's weapon is mounted above the pilot. Amiens. Biplan Voisin. Sauzay et Roussillon - Fonds Berthele - 49Fi163 (cropped).jpg
The observer's weapon is mounted above the pilot.

As one of the main types that the French Aviation Militaire chose to standardize on in 1914, the Voisin III quickly became one of the most common Allied bombers early in the war. Significant numbers were purchased by the French and the Imperial Russian Air Force. Russia ordered more than 800 from France and built a further 400 under license at Anatra, Breshnev-Moller, Dux, Lebedev and Schetinin. [1] Over 100 were built in Italy by Societe Italiana Transaera (S.I.T.), [1] and 50 in the United Kingdom, [1] while small numbers were purchased by Belgium and Romania. One French aircraft was forced to land in Switzerland in 1915 after running low on fuel in combat with a German aircraft and was put into service with the Swiss Fliegerabteilung . [2]

Like many aircraft of its era, Voisin III was a multi-purpose aircraft. Its missions included day- and night bombing, reconnaissance, artillery spotting and training.

Fighter role

Aircraft cockpit detail Aircraft cockpit - Fleury. Escadrille V114. Carlingue et instruments a bord - Fonds Berthele - 49Fi947 (cropped).jpg
Aircraft cockpit detail

While flying a Voisin III, Sergeant Joseph Frantz and Corporal Louis Quénault of Escadrille V.24 shot down a German Aviatik B.I flown by Oberleutnant Fritz von Zangen and Sergeant Wilhelm Schlichting of FFA 18 over Jonchery, near Reims on October 5, 1914. [3] This was the first time an aircraft had been brought down with small arms fire from another aircraft. [3]

Quénault fired two 48-round magazines from an 8 mm (0.31 in) Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun at the Germans who returned fire with rifles. When it jammed, he continued firing with a rifle until he succeeded in bringing them down. [4] [5]

Previously, Pyotr Nesterov had successfully brought down an enemy aircraft, however that was by ramming.

Bomber role

The Voisin III is notable in being among the earliest dedicated bombers. The steel frame construction of the aircraft enabled a bomb load of approximately 150 kg (330 lb) to be carried.

Captain Marcel Courmes, French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915. Marcel Louis Courmes en fourrure 1915.jpg
Captain Marcel Courmes, French officer and pilot of the 2nd Bombardment Group GB 2, August 1915.

France was the first country to organize dedicated bomber units, using the Voisin III. Three Escadrilles (squadrons) of the aircraft comprised the first bomber group, GB1 (groupe de bombardement 1), formed in September 1914 under the leadership of Commandant de Goÿs. [6] de Goys’ contribution both as a tactical leader and theoretician is significant in developing the theory and practice of long range bombing sorties. An almost unopposed bombing campaign was conducted by GB1 during the early months of 1915, culminating in a retaliatory attack against the Badische Anilin Gesellschaft at Ludwigshafen, Germany, on 26 May 1915, [6] shortly after the German Army introduced poison gas in battle. Of the 18 aircraft which took part, only Goÿs himself failed to return when his Voisin suffered a mechanical failure. [6]

Following the success of GB1, other bomber groups were formed and successful daytime attacks on targets within Germany ensued throughout the summer and autumn of 1915. As many as 62 aircraft were involved. By 1916 the Voisin III was clearly obsolete and had become dangerously vulnerable to German fighter aircraft. With mounting losses, the Voisin III was withdrawn from daylight operations and restricted to night bombing. Among other types, it was replaced by the similar Voisin V.

Operators

Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Flag of France.svg  France
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania

Flag of Russia.svg  Russian Empire

State Flag of Serbia (1882-1918).svg  Serbia
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland

Flag of the Ukrainian State.svg  Ukrainian People's Republic

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom

Survivors and replicas

Voisin III at the Musee de l'air et de l'espace Voisin L.A.S., Musee de l'Air et de l'Espace, Le Bourget, France. (Edited) (12538194464).jpg
Voisin III at the Musée de l’air et de l’espace

An original 1915 Voisin III B.2/LAS, number 955, is on display at the Musée de l’air et de l’espace [11] [12] at Le Bourget near Paris.

A full-size Voisin replica is on display at the Pearson Air Museum in Vancouver, Washington however it only loosely represents the Voisin L/LA/LAS family and not a specific version. [13]

Specifications (British-built Voisin LA)

Data from The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) [14]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breguet 14</span> French WW1 bomber aircraft

The Breguet XIV or Breguet 14 is a French biplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of World War I. It was built in very large numbers and production continued for many years after the end of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuport 17</span> French WW1 fighter aircraft

The Nieuport 17 C.1 is a French sesquiplane fighter designed and manufactured by the Nieuport company during World War I. An improvement over the Nieuport 11, it was a little larger than earlier Nieuports and better adapted to the more powerful engine than the interim Nieuport 16. Aside from early examples, it had the new Alkan-Hamy synchronization gear, permitting the use of a fuselage-mounted synchronised Vickers gun firing through the propeller disc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sopwith 1½ Strutter</span> British WW1 biplane fighter, bomber and reconnaissance aircraft

The Sopwith 1+12 Strutter is a British single- or two-seat multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War. It was the first British two-seat tractor fighter and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun. It was given the name 1+12 Strutter because of the long and short cabane struts that supported the top wing. The type was operated by both British air services and was in widespread but lacklustre service with the French Aéronautique Militaire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morane-Saulnier L</span> French WW1 fighter and reconnaissance aircraft

The Morane-Saulnier L, or Morane-Saulnier Type L, or officially MoS-3, was a French parasol wing one or two-seat scout aeroplane of the First World War. The Type L became one of the first successful fighter aircraft when it was fitted with a single machine gun that fired through the arc of the propeller, which was protected by armoured deflector wedges. Its immediate effectiveness in this role launched an arms race in fighter development, and the Type L was swiftly rendered obsolete. The original Type L used wing warping for lateral control, but a later version designated Type LA was fitted with ailerons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuport 11</span> French WW1 fighter aircraft

The Nieuport 11, nicknamed the Bébé, is a French World War I single seat sesquiplane fighter aircraft, designed by Gustave Delage. It was the primary aircraft that ended the Fokker Scourge in 1916. The type saw service with several of France's allies, and gave rise to the series of "vee-strut" Nieuport fighters that remained in service into the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuport 27</span> French WW1 fighter aircraft

The Nieuport 27 was a World War I French sesquiplane fighter aircraft designed by Gustave Delage. The 27 was the last of the line of Nieuport "V-strut" single seat fighters that began with the Nieuport 10 of 1914. Operational examples supplemented the very similar Nieuport 24 and 24bis in operational squadrons in late 1917 and many would also be used as advanced trainers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caudron R.4</span> French WW1 reconnaissance aircraft

The Caudron R.4 was a French World War I twin-engine biplane reconnaissance/artillery cooperation aircraft and the progenitor of a series of successful aircraft that filled a variety of roles with the French Aéronautique Militaire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voisin V</span> French WW1 bomber aircraft

The Voisin V was a French pusher-type bomber aircraft of World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voisin (aircraft)</span> French aircraft manufacturing company

Aéroplanes Voisin was a French aircraft manufacturing company established in 1905 by Gabriel Voisin and his brother Charles, and was continued by Gabriel after Charles died in an automobile accident in 1912; the full official company name then became Société Anonyme des Aéroplanes G. Voisin. During World War I, it was a major producer of military aircraft, notably the Voisin III. After the war Gabriel Voisin abandoned the aviation industry, and set up a company to design and produce luxury automobiles, called Avions Voisin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farman F.50</span> French WW1 bomber aircraft

The Farman F.50 was a French twin-engined night bomber designed and built by Farman as a replacement for the single-engined Voisin pusher biplanes in service with the French Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farman HF.20</span> French WW1 reconnaissance aircraft

The Farman HF.20 and its derivatives were a family of reconnaissance aircraft produced in France shortly before and during the First World War. It was a refined version of the Farman MF.11 "Shorthorn" that did away with the type's distinctive landing skids, and incorporated design features from Henri Farman's designs. It entered service with the French, Belgian and Serbian armies in 1913, and with the British RFC and RNAS shortly after the outbreak of war. The type was also licence-built in the UK by Airco and Grahame-White.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuport 14</span> French WW1 reconnaissance aircraft

The Nieuport 14 was a military reconnaissance sesquiplane produced in France during the First World War. The French Army deployed it in 1916 but the type was quickly withdrawn from front-line service.

The Voisin VI or Voisin Type 6 was a French pusher biplane bomber aircraft of World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Escadrille 103</span> Military unit

Escadrille 103 of the French Air Force was an elite aviation unit on the Western Front during World War I. One of its many aces, René Fonck was the highest scoring Allied fighter-pilot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voisin VIII</span> French WW1 bomber aircraft

The Voisin VIII is a French two-seat biplane pusher which was built in two versions, one fitted with a 37mm Hotchkiss cannon, and the other as a conventional bomber. Problems with the Peugeot 8Aa engine led to a short operational career with front line units before being superseded by the Voisin X, which aside from the installation of a new Renault engine, was nearly identical to the VIII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voisin X</span> French WW1 bomber aircraft

The Voisin X was a French two-seat pusher biplane which was built in two versions, one fitted with a 37 mm (1.46 in) Hotchkiss cannon, and the other as a conventional night bomber. Problems with the Peugeot engine in the previous Voisin VIII led to the installation of a new Renault engine of greater power and reliability, but the new aircraft was otherwise nearly identical to the VIII. Despite its obsolescence, it would make up the bulk of front line night bomber escadrilles until the end of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voisin IV</span> WWI French bomber aircraft

The Voisin IV was a French two-seat bomber and ground attack aircraft of World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuport 16</span> French WW1 fighter aircraft

The Nieuport 16 C.1 was a French World War I single-seat sesquiplane fighter aircraft, designed by Gustave Delage as a development of the Nieuport 11 with a more powerful engine. The Nieuport 16's service life coincided with the period when the first air-to-air rockets, the Le Prieur rocket, were used most frequently, and the type has a closer association with them than any other aircraft.

Escadrille Spa.112 was a French air force squadron active for the near-entirety of World War I. After serving until mid-1917 in various iterations of a bombing squadron, they were re-equipped with Nieuport fighters. With their Nieuports, and their subsequent SPADs, they destroyed 28 enemy airplanes by the ceasefire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voisin L</span> French pusher biplane

The Voisin L was a pusher biplane developed for the French Army's 1912 trials where it performed successfully. About 70 were built in France with around 400 manufactured under license in the Russian Empire. The aircraft was the first in a series of military pusher biplanes from Voisin all of which had similar design characteristics.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Davilla, 1997, p.547
  2. 1 2 Militärische Kennungen 2016, p.5
  3. 1 2 Grosz, 2003, p.4
  4. Gómez, 1998
  5. Guttman et al. 2009, p. 9.
  6. 1 2 3 Sherman, 2012
  7. 1 2 3 Davilla, 1997, p.544
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Davilla, 1997, p.545
  9. 1 2 Davilla, 1997, p.547-548
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Davilla, 1997, p.550
  11. http://www.museeairespace.fr/aller-plus-haut/collections/voisin-l-a-s/ accessdate=9 October 2019 url-status=live
  12. http://www.pyperpote.tonsite.biz/listinmae/index.php/les-appareils-en-reserve/les-reserves-du-musee-de-l-air/32-voisin-las-b-2-n-955 accessdate=9 December 2019 url-status=live
  13. Topinka, 2017
  14. Bruce 1982, p. 610.

Further reading