Engineering:Bernard 20

Bernard 20
Role	Single-seat monoplane fighter aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Bernard
First flight	1929
Number built	1

The Bernard 20 was a 1920s France single-seat monoplane fighter aircraft designed and built by the Société des Avions Bernard. Originally displayed as a mock-up at the 1928 Paris Air Show it was a low-wing monoplane based on the Bernard V2 racer. The prototype powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Jb inline piston engine first flew in July 1929 from Orly. With its racing inheritance, in 1930 the aircraft flew at a speed of 280 km/h (174 mph). With the lack of interest by the French authorities for monoplanes the project was abandoned after 18 months of test flying.

Specifications

Bernard 20 3-view drawing from NACA Aircraft Circular No.98

Data from

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 7.45 m (24 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
• Height: 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 16.70 m² (179.8 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,023 kg (2,255 lb) equipped
• Max takeoff weight: 1,370 kg (3,020 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Jb V-12 water-cooled piston engine, 300 kW (400 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 280 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn)

Armament

• Guns: Two fixed 7.7 mm (0.303 in) synchronised machine-guns

References

Bibliography

• Bruner, Georges (1977). "Fighters a la Francaise, Part One". Air Enthusiast (3): 85–95. ISSN 0143-5450. 
• Liron, Jean (1990). Les avions Bernard. Collection Docavia. 31. Paris: Éditions Larivière. ISBN 2-84890-065-2. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.