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 Type of aircraft |
| National origin | France |
| Designer | Claude Piel |
| First flight | 1 July 1951 |
| Status | active |
| Number built | 2 |
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]
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]
Data from Massé (2004)[2]
Data from Massé (2004) pp. 21-28[2]
General characteristics
Performance