Piel CP-20 Pinocchio

The Piel CP-20 Pinocchio is a single engine French sport monoplane first flown in 1951. Only two were built but one was still flying over sixty years later.

CP-20 Pinocchio
Role	Single seat sports aircraft
National origin	France
Designer	Claude Piel
First flight	1 July 1951
Status	active
Number built	2

Design and development

Despite sharing the name Pinocchio, the CP-20 was a completely different design from Claude Piel's first aircraft, the CP-10 Pinocchio. The CP-20 is a conventional low wing cantilever monoplane whereas the CP-10 was a Pou-du-Ciel style tandem wing design;^[1] it did inherit the CP-10's rudder, wheels and firewall. The centre section of the Pinocchio's wing is rectangular in plan and the outer panels are semi-elliptical. It has broad-chord ailerons but no flaps.^[2]

The fuselage is almost flat sided and bottomed but with raised, rounded decking behind the single seat cockpit and canopy.^[3] The empennage is conventional, with tapered horizontal surfaces mounted near the top of the fuselage and a curved fin carrying a broad, balanced rudder. The rudder extends down to the keel, so the elevators are cut away to allow its movement. The Pinocchio has a wide track tail wheel/skid undercarriage with main wheels on vertical, cantilever legs from the wings.^[2]

Only two Pinocchios were built. The first had a 34 kW (45 hp) converted Volkswagen 1.1 litres (67 cu in) litre engine. The second, built by Pierre Bordini, was originally designated the CP-210 and was powered by a 34 kW (45 hp) Salmson 9 AD engine. In July 1961 it became the CP-211, with the same Salmson engine but with a one-piece sliding canopy and more raked screen, faired landing legs and a tailwheel rather than a skid, greater fuel capacity, and a cropped vertical tail. Its time as the CP-211 was brief, for at the end of 1961 it became the CP-212, fitted with a 48 kW (65 hp) Continental A-65 air-cooled flat-four engine.^[1][2][4]

Operational history

In 1951 the CP-20 won the 4th RSA Cup, flown at Montargis.^[2] During the 1960s the CP-212 had several owners but its certificate expired in 1970.^[4] In the 1990s it was restored and eventually re-registered in October 2001 as the CP-215.^[4] It remained on the French civil register in 2014.^[5]

Variants

Data from Massé (2004)^[2]

CP-20

First airframe, as below.

CP-210

Second airframe with 34 kW (45 hp) Salmson 9 ADb radial engine^[6]

CP-211

Second airframe, as CP-210 but with one piece, sliding canopy and cropped vertical tail.

CP-212

Second airframe, as CP-211 but with 48 kW (65 hp) Continental A65 engine.

CP-215

Second airframe restored.^[2]

Specifications (CP-20)

Data from Massé (2004) pp. 21-28^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 5.60 m (18 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
• Height: 1.35 m (4 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 9.5 m² (102 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 5.9
• Empty weight: 177 kg (390 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 270 kg (595 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 35 L (7.7 imp gal; 9.2 US gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen 1.1 L air-cooled flat-four, 19 kW (25 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed, 1.35 m (4 ft 5 in) diameter wooden, fixed pitch

Performance

• Maximum speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn)
• Cruise speed: 120 km/h (75 mph, 65 kn) ^[1]
• Stall speed: 55 km/h (34 mph, 30 kn)
• Never exceed speed: 160 km/h (99 mph, 86 kn)
• Range: 480 km (300 mi, 260 nmi)
• Endurance: 4 hr
• Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,800 ft)