Farman Blanchard

The Farman Blanchard was a prototype naval torpedo bomber built in France in the early 1920s but not selected for production. It is designated the Farman F.450 Torp in at least one source. It was designed by Maurice Blanchard, after whom it was named.

Design

The Blanchard was a two-bay, unstaggered, equal-span biplane of conventional configuration. The pilot and observer sat in tandem, open cockpits. Power was supplied by a piston engine in the nose, driving a tractor propeller. It had fixed, tailskid undercarriage, and a conventional tail. It carried its torpedo semi-recessed into the underside of the fuselage. Construction was of wood throughout.
It was intended to operate from land or from aircraft carriers.

Development

The Blanchard was exhibited at the 1921 Paris Aero Show where a Flight reporter commented on its large wings making it less suitable for shipboard use than the British torpedo bombers of the time. The Blanchard first flew in 1923, but was passed over for production in favour of the Levasseur PL.2. No further examples were built.