Sikorsky S-20

RBVZ S-XX
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	RBVZ (Russo-Baltic Wagon Works)
Designer	Igor Sikorsky
First flight	1916
Introduction	1916
Retired	1920
Primary user	Imperial Russian Air Service
Number built	5

The Sikorsky S-20 (named after its designer) or RBVZ S-XX (named after its manufacturer) was a Russian single-bay unequal span two-seat biplane designed by Igor Sikorsky in 1916. Displaying some Nieuport influence, it saw very little service during World War I.

Five S-XX aircraft were built in September 1916, with the first two powered by the 100 hp Gnome rotary engine which had powered its predecessor, the RBVZ S-XVI. However, the other three were powered with the 120 hp Le Rhone engine, with which they were allegedly faster than the French Nieuport 17.

Operational history

The S-XX saw little service because it was viewed as inferior^{[citation needed]} to newer enemy aircraft, and no series production was undertaken. As such, only five aircraft were ever produced.

List of operators

Russian Empire

Imperial Russian Air Service

Specifications

General characteristics

Length: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 17 m² (180 sq ft)
Empty weight: 395 kg (871 lb)
Gross weight: 570 kg (1,257 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône Type 9Jb 9-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine, 89 kW (120 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 180 km/h (110 mph, 97 kn)
Range: 390 km (240 mi, 210 nmi)
Service ceiling: 5,600 m (18,400 ft)
Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 6 minutes 20 seconds
Wing loading: 33.0 kg/m² (6.8 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.21 hp/kg

Armament

Guns: 1 x 7.7 mm Lavrov machine gun

References

Bibliography

William Green and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. Colour Library Direct, Godalming, UK: 1994. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.