| Š-20 and Š-21 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter |
| National origin | Czechoslovakia |
| Manufacturer | Letov |
| First flight | 1925 |
| Number built | ca 118 |
The Letov Š-20 was a fighter aircraft produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1920s. It was a conventional, single-bay biplane with unstaggered wings braced by N-struts. In overall appearance, it greatly resembled contemporary SPAD fighters. The fuselage and empennage were of welded steel tube construction and covered in fabric. The wings had a tubular metal spar but were otherwise wooden, and also fabric-skinned.
The Czechoslovakian Air Force bought 105 machines, and 10 examples were produced for Lithuania under the designation Š-20L. These remained in service until 1936 and 1935 respectively.
An Š-20 placed second in the single-engine category of the national President of the Republic air race in 1925, but fared better the following year. In the 1926 race, an Š-20 not only won this category but also set a new national airspeed record of 234 km/h (146 mph). This record was short-lived, however, since the prize for the fastest circuit was also won in an Š-20, and this raised the record to 245 km/h (153 mph).
A single prototype of an unarmed advanced trainer version was built as the Š-21, but this did not sell.
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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