SAB AB-20
Société Aérienne Bordelaise · France · first flew 1932 · bomber
The SAB AB-20 was a large four-engined French night bomber of the early 1930s, developed from the Dyle et Bacalan DB-70 airliner.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Twin fuselages carrying a long horizontal stabiliser |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four engines mounted on a thick, wide-chord centre section
- Twin fuselages carrying a long horizontal stabiliser
- Twin fins and rudders
A thick, wide-chord airfoil centre section carries the engines and the crew pod, with high-mounted outer wings. Twin fuselages carry a long tailplane and twin fins and rudders.
Specifications
- The SAB AB-20 has a length of 21.9 m (72 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 36.7 m (120 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
It was a four-engined development of the three-engined DB-70. The military asked for a bombardier position and a gunner in the nose, which removed the centre engine in favour of two extra wing-mounted engines. The AB-20 first flew on 15 January 1932.
Variants
A second aircraft, the AB-21, had different engines and cleaner aerodynamics. The AB-20 was later modified for the attack role.
Where you'll see it
One AB-20 and one AB-21 were built, and no more followed.
Related aircraft
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