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.

v t e Sikorsky aircraft
Fixed-wing aircraft (company designations)	S-1 S-2 S-3 S-4 S-5 S-6 S-7 S-8 S-9 S-10 S-11 S-12 S-13 S-14 S-15 S-16 S-17 S-18 S-19 S-20 S-21 S-22/23/24/25/26/27 S-28 S-29-A S-30 S-31 S-32 S-33 S-34 S-35 S-36 S-37 S-38 S-39 S-40 S-41 S-42 S-43 VS-44 S-45
Fixed-wing aircraft (military designations)	C-6 C-28 JRS JR2S PS P2S RS XBLR-3 XPBS XSS XV-2
Helicopters (company designations)	VS-300 (S-46) S-47 S-48 S-49 S-50 S-51 S-52 S-53 S-54 S-55 S-56 S-57 S-58 S-59 S-60 S-61 S-61L/N S-61R S-62 S-63 S-64 S-65 S-66 S-67 S-68 S-69 S-70 S-71 S-72 S-73 S-74 S-75 S-76 S-80 S-92 S-95 S-97 S-100 S-102 S-103 S-300 S-333 S-434
Helicopters (military designations)	SH-3 Sea King HH-3E/F R-4 H-5 H-6 H-18 H-19 Chickasaw H-34 Choctaw CH-37 Mojave XH-39 HH-52A Seaguard CH-53 Sea Stallion CH-53E Super Stallion CH-53K King Stallion MH-53 CH-54 Tarhe UH-60 Black Hawk HH-60G Pave Hawk HH-60J/MH-60T MH-60R/S Seahawk SH-60B/F Seahawk H-60J/K VH-60 RAH-66 Comanche VH-92 Patriot CH-124 Sea King CH-148 Cyclone HLH
Experimental aircraft	Cypher/Cypher II Firefly Raider Raider X SB-1 X2 XBLR-3 XV-2