Its design was widely imitated, so much so that aircraft of similar layout were generally referred to as being of the "Farman" type.

[3] Following the Wilbur Wright-piloted flying demonstrations at Le Mans in August 1908, Farman fitted ailerons to the aircraft.

This episode angered Farman, and caused him to sever his association with Voisin in early 1909 and start aircraft construction for himself.

As first flown in April 1909 the aircraft had vertical fixed surfaces carrying twin rudders on their trailing edges and very broad-chord ailerons.

The fixed vertical surfaces had been removed and the ailerons replaced with smaller ones by the time the aircraft appeared at Reims in August.

Drawings and details of the aircraft were published in England by Flight,[7] and it was so widely imitated that its layout became referred to as the "Farman Type".

[5] Produced to make an attempt to win the 1910 Michelin Cup long-distance competition, this aircraft had the same basic configuration but differed in having 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) extensions on the upper wing, giving a total wing area of 70 m2 (750 sq ft) and a long nacelle to protect the pilot from the cold.

[9] One of the first examples built was bought by Roger Sommer, who only two months after learning to fly set a new French endurance record with a flight of 1 hour 50 minutes on 1 August 1909,[10] bettering this with a flight of 2hr 27min 15sec made a week later: this would have qualified as a new world record had it been officially observed.

[11] Two examples took part in the aviation meeting held in Blackpool in September 1909, one flown by Farman and the second by Louis Paulhan, winning first and third prizes for distance flown and first and second prizes in the speed contest,[12] and at the end of October 1909 Paulhan made the first exhibition flight at Brooklands in his Farman, watched by a crowd of 20,000 people.

[13] Farman flew the type to win the International Michelin Cup with a flight of 232 km (144 mi) in 4 hours 17 minutes and 53 seconds at Mourmelon on November 3, .

[15] In Belgium on July 15, 1910, the Farman III carried the first head of state in aviation history, Ferdinand I of Bulgaria.

Henry's aircraft differed from Maurice's in lacking the pilot's nacelle and not using a Renault inline engine.