Henri Farman

Henri Farman (26 May 1874 – 17 July 1958) was a British-French aviator and aircraft designer and manufacturer. He worked closely with his brother Maurice Farman to create important early airplanes.

Before becoming an aviation pioneer, Henri Farman was well known as a sportsman. He was famous for his skills in cycling and motor racing.

In 1937, Henri Farman chose to become a French citizen, reflecting his deep ties to France where much of his aviation work took place. His contributions helped shape the early days of flight and inspired many others in the field.

Family and early life

Henri Farman was born in Paris, France, and was originally named Harry Edgar Mudford Farman. His father, Thomas Frederick Farman, worked as a reporter for the London Standard and was from Layer Marney in England. His mother, Sophia Ann Louisa Mudford, was from Canterbury and was the daughter of author William Mudford.

Henri studied painting at the École des Beaux Arts but soon became fascinated by new mechanical inventions of the time. He began exploring these interests while working as an amateur sportsman.

Cycling

Henri Farman started cycling when he was just fourteen years old and soon began winning races. He became a championship cyclist, winning notable races such as the Paris - Clermont-Ferrand race on June 6, 1892, and the French Championship on October 6, 1892, at the Vélodrome Buffalo in Paris.

Henri also traveled by bicycle from Paris to Madrid with a journalist named Edouard de Perrodil in June 1893. Together with his brother Maurice Farman, Henri formed a successful tandem cycling team. On January 31, 1895, at the Vélodrome d'Hiver, they broke the tandem bicycle record by traveling 44.906 kilometres in one hour. The Farman brothers retired from cycling in November 1896.

Motor racing

Henri Farman loved racing cars, just like his brother Maurice. In 1901, he won a race for lighter cars and came seventh in a big race from Paris to Bordeaux. He also placed fifth in another race from Paris to Berlin and later won a part of the 1902 Paris to Vienna race.

Once, during a race preparation in 1905, Henri’s car lost control on a turn and flipped over, landing on top of a tree. Everyone thought he might have been hurt, but surprisingly, Henri was fine. He climbed down and even smoked a cigarette afterward!

Aviation

Henri Farman began his aviation journey in 1907 by experimenting with model airplanes and later built a homemade glider. He then acquired a powered plane and started setting records. One of his notable achievements was flying 771 metres in just 52 seconds, which was the longest flight in the world at that time. He also completed the first full circular flight in Europe, covering 1,030 metres.

Farman continued to break records and even carried passengers in his aircraft. He made the first cross-country flight in Europe, traveling 27 kilometres from Bouy to Reims. Later, he began manufacturing his own aircraft designs and opened a flying school. His company's innovations contributed significantly to early aviation and air travel, including the first long-distance passenger flights between Paris and London.