Voisin 1907 Biplane

Voisin 50 Antoinette

Gabriel and Charles Voisin were among Europe's leading pioneer aviators. Their classic 1907 pusher biplane was one of the most significant aircraft of the pre-World War I era. In 1912, they developed a military version. Thereafter they built aircraft almost exclusively for military contracts.

Henry Farman made the first circular flight of one kilometer, and attained a speed of about a mile a minute, in 1908. In 1909 he accomplished a trip of nearly 150 miles, remaining four hours in the air. Farman was probably the first man to ascend with two passengers.

Voisin-50 Antoinette of Henri Farman
September 30, 1907- Starting with a Voisin-50 Antoinette similar to that built for Delagrange, Farman was successful in flying 30-80m. at Issy, his first flight.
October 15, 1907 - 285m., unofficially beating the Santos Dumont record of 220m. Subsequent principal pioneer flights were made as follows;
October 19, 1907 - 100m.
October 23, 1907 - 185m. in 15.4 secs., winning the first of the 150m. prizes of the A.C.F. Five others, longest 150m.
October 24, 1907 - Three flights 100m. or more.
October 25, 1907 - Six flights up to 190m.
October 26, 1907 - 770m. in 52.6 secs., a new OFFICIAL WORLD RECORD FOR DURATION AND DISTANCE, winning the Archdeacon Cup held by Santos Dumont and money prize of the A.C.F. for the first official flights of 300 and 500m. Seven other flights up to 400m. Other flights up to 400m. made following days. He also established speed record of 52.7 k.p.h.
November 9, 1907 - Twice beat previous record by flying 800 and 400m. and beginning to circle.
November 10, 1907 - 1,036m. in 1:14, complete circle and some short flights, continuing on eleventh. THIRD MAN TO FLY A KILOMETER, and first in Europe.
November 11, 1907-January 11, 1908 - Flights with circles continued almost daily, up to 700m. On January 11, 1908, he covered 1,800m. in 1:45. In January 1908 Henry Farman made the first circular flight of 1 km in Europe, to win a prize of 50,000 francs. On 30 October 1908 he made the first cross-country flight, from Chalons to Rheims, a distance of 16½ miles.