Voisin III

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Voisin III
Type Biplane
Manufacturer Aeroplanes Voisin (Gabriel Voisin)
Designed by Aeroplanes Voisin (Gabriel Voisin)
Maiden flight 1914
Introduced 1914
Retired before 1918
Status Decommissioned
Primary user Aéronautique Militaire
Number built over 800
Developed from Voisin I

The Voisin III (or Voisin 3) was one of the first two-seat bomber and ground attack aircraft of World War I. It was a pusher biplane, developed by Aeroplanes Voisin of Gabriel Voisin in 1914 as a more powerful version of the 1912 Voisin I (Voisin 1) design. It also incorporated a light steel frame which made it survivable in the temporary airfields of wartime military aviation.

The Voisin III became the standard Allied bomber in the early years of the war. The main users were the French Air Force and the Imperial Russian Air Force. Russia ordered over 800 in France and built a further 400 under license. Around 100 were built in Italy, and 50 in the United Kingdom, while smaller numbers were purchased by Belgium and Romania.

The first Voisin III was powered by a single 120-horsepower Salmson M9 engine, later the 150hp P9 and R9. It had a range of 200 km, top speed of 105–113km/h and ceiling of 3350m–6000m (sources vary).

First armaments often included a machine gun (Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun) on the fuselage operated by a standing observer, later models had 37mm or 47mm guns for ground attack. It could carry up to 55kg, 60kg or 150kg of bombs (sources vary).

Escadrille of Voisin's III, First World War.
Escadrille of Voisin's III, First World War.

The Voisin pusher series performed a variety of missions, including reconnaissance, artillery spotting, training, day and night bombing, and ground attack.

Contents

[edit] Fighter role

On October 5, 1914 Sgt Joseph Frantz and Cpl Louis Quenault of Escadrille VB24 scored the first air-to-air kill of the war, shooting down a German Aviatik B.II with machine gun fire from their Voisin III over Jonchery, Reims. This is believed to be the first air-to-air kill in any war.[1]

[edit] Bomber role

The Voisin III is also notable in being one of the first dedicated bombers. The steel frame construction of the aircraft enabled a bomb load of approx. 150 kg (330 lb) to be carried. With development, the final variants of the type were able to carry twice this load.

France was the first country to organize dedicated bomber units on the Western Front, using the Voisin. Three Escadrilles (squadrons) of the aircraft comprised the first bomber group, GB1, formed in September 1914 under the leadership of Commandant de Goÿs. de Goys’ contribution both as a tactical leader and theoretician, in developing the theory and practice of long range bombing sorties, is significant. 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 May 26, 1915, shortly after the German Army introduced poison gas in battle. Of the 18 aircraft which took part, only Goÿs himself failed to return, his Voisin being forced down by mechanical failure.

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 with as many as 62 aircraft involved. But by 1916 advances in design meant that Voisin III became increasingly vulnerable to new, better performing, German fighter aircraft; it was soon withdrawn from day operations, and successfully replaced by newer models. In the Voisin series it was succeeded by Voisin V (Voisin 5).

[edit] Varriants

  • Voisin III : Two-seat bomber, ground-attack biplane. Also known as the Voisin LA.
  • Voisin LAS : Improved version.

[edit] Operators

Flag of Belgium Belgium
Flag of France France
Flag of Italy Italy
Flag of Romania Romania
Flag of Russia Russia
Flag of Ukraine Ukraine
Two aircraft only.
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom

[edit] Specifications

[edit] Dimensions

  • Wingspan: 14.75 m
  • Length: 9.6 m
  • Height: 3.8 m
  • Weight: 1,370 kg[2]

[edit] Performance

  • Maximum speed: 105-120 km/h at sea level
  • Ceiling: 3,350-6,000 m
  • Range: approx. 200-500 km

[edit] References

  1. ^ Francisco Javier Guisández Gómez (1998-06-30). "The Law of Air Warfare". International Review of the Red Cross (323).  Cited to the Enciclopedia de aviación y astronáutica, Ediciones Garriga, 1972, Vol. I, p. 1079.
  2. ^ Angelucci, Enzo (1983). The Rand McNally encyclopedia of military aircraft, 1914-1980. The Military Press, p. 21. ISBN 0-517-41021 4. 


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