Single-engine two-seat observation & trainer aircraft

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   Only a few days into World War I, on August 9th, 1914, the Belgian Compagnie des Aviateurs saw its number of operational aircraft limited to only ten JERO-Farman Type Militaire 1912 and 1913. The French Government reverted this situation by the urgent delivery of 7 new Maurice Farman MF.7 as of August 11th, 1914. Three aircraft immediately were transferred to Wilrijk airfield near Antwerp, while the other Farmans were delivered to the conversion-school based at Berchem St.Agathe (Brussels) commanded by Comte Adjudant Joseph d’Hespel. The MF.7 only saw limited front-line service with the Belgian Army and already as of May 1915 the survivors of the initial French delivery and the subsequently added 15 MF.7bis aircraft (delivered between Feb and Jun 1915) were affected to the newly created Belgian Pilot School at Etampes (F.). Because of its pusher configuration providing excellent forward, side and downward view, stable flight characteristics, ease of landing and structural strength, the MF.7bis was an ideal ab initio trainer. An estimated 22 Farman MF.7 and MF.7bis aircraft have served with the Belgian Air Service almost exclusively at the Pilots Schools at Etampes, Juvisy-sur-Orge and immediately post war at Asch. In Belgian service the MF.7bis was known as the MF.13 (year designed) while registrations were the Roman characters I to XV at Etampes and numbers 1 to 15 at Juvisy–sur-Orge and Asch. With the arrival of the first Avro 504K basic trainers at Asch airfield as of April 1921, the Farman MF.7/MF.7bis was withdrawn from Belgian service. Belgian Air Service Farman MF.7bis n° 15 has been preserved for posterity in its original color scheme as used at the pilot school of Asch at the Musée de l’Air at Le Bourget, France. (D. Brackx)