Lioré et Olivier LeO 20
Lioré et Olivier · France · first flew 1926 · bomber
The Lioré et Olivier LeO 20 was the principal French heavy night bomber of the late 1920s, a large twin-engine biplane that equipped the bulk of the Armée de l'Air's bombardment units through the early 1930s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 14 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane night bomber with two engines in tandem push-pull nacelles between the wings
- Twin tail booms supporting twin vertical fins and a common horizontal stabiliser
- Fabric-covered unequal-span biplane with open gunner positions fore and aft
Large biplane with unequal-span fabric wings and push-pull tandem engine nacelles riding between the wing bays on struts. Twin tail booms carrying twin fins are the clearest recognition feature. Open bow and dorsal gunner positions are visible at the nose and behind the wing.
Specifications
- The Lioré et Olivier LeO 20 has a length of 14 m (46 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22.8 m (75 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 198 km/h (123 mph).
- Typical crew: 5.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from the earlier LeO 12 and 15, the LeO 20 first flew in 1926 and entered Armée de l'Air service in 1928. It was the standard French strategic bomber for almost a decade, with 320 examples produced. The type's push-pull tandem engine arrangement between the wings was a Lioré et Olivier trademark, giving good pilot visibility but complex maintenance. By the late 1930s it was thoroughly obsolete but remained in use for training and colonial duties.
Variants
LeO 20 Bn.5 standard production; LeO 20 BN3 trial; LeO 203 proposed civil mailplane conversion.
Where you'll see it
Armée de l'Air bombardment groupes 1928–1939; used in France and overseas territories. A handful served in the Spanish Civil War with Nationalist forces supplied by France.
Related aircraft
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