[WWI] Maurice Farman Aileron Control Question

[Aidrian Bridgeman-Sutton]

I cannot be sure about the Farman machines but the Short 184 seaplane was
originally fitted with single acting ailerons which drooped on both
sides when on the water or ground and was later fitted with bungee
cords which acted as return springs and which eliminated  the droop but the
ailerons were still single acting. Later 184s had double acting ailerons to
the best of my knowledge

I cannot find any photos in my stash of an RNAS Farman showing the droop on
the ground - this would suggest that either the manufacturer or the Navy had
either fitted return springs or that they had started to use double acting
ailerons; this observation may not apply to other services and other
countries of course.

My gut feeling is that the answer probably depends on the particular machine
- older ones probably had single acting ailerons and later ones double
acting or at least return springs on the single acting ailerons. If return
springs were fitted then machines on the ground would not tend to show any
aileron deflection as the springs would tend to centralise the controls in
the absence of any input

If single acting ailerons were fitted with return springs then only the side
on the outside of the turn would be deflected by intent; the inner aileron
would remain in neutral position (The changed airflow on the inside wing
*could* result in a small change in the deflection of the inner aileron, but
in likelihood this would not be noticeable at normal viewing distances)

Aidrian
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