Westland CL.20
Westland Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1935 · light aircraft
The Westland CL.20, also known as the Cierva-Lepère C.31, was a two-seat cabin autogyro designed and built by Westland Aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.68 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Three-bladed folding rotor
- Three fins, two as end plates on the tailplane
- Cabin with large doors and windows down to the bottom longeron
Look for a two-seat cabin autogyro with a folding three-bladed rotor, a tractor propeller and a tail with three fins.
Specifications
- The Westland CL.20 has a length of 9.68 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.75 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 171 km/h (106 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Construction was completed in December 1934, and Juan de la Cierva flew the prototype on its first flight on 5 February 1935. It was based on the Cierva-Lepère CL.10B.
Variants
It was initially powered by a 70 hp Pobjoy radial engine driving a two-bladed tractor propeller. A more powerful Pobjoy Niagara III was later fitted but made little difference.
Where you'll see it
The prototype exhibited over-sensitive lateral control and could not exceed 300 ft. Six more airframes were started, but development was abandoned and the prototype was scrapped in 1938.
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