It was a pusher configuration biplane resembling the successful Farman III, and was built in large numbers for the time.

Roger Sommer had previously built an aircraft of his own design in 1908, achieving a few short straight-line flights in early 1909.

In May 1909 Sommer bought a Farman III aircraft, and on 7 August 1909 he gained fame in this by breaking the endurance record held by Wilbur Wright, making a flight lasting 2 hr 27 min 15 sec.

Meanwhile, he had started building an aircraft of his own design at Mouzon in the Ardennes, where his family had a felt-making business.

These were of mixed steel and wood construction,[5] and one was used to carry out the world's first official mail-carrying flight, when 6,500 letters were flown by Henri Pequet from the United Provinces Exhibition at Allahabad to Naini.