Lioré et Olivier LeO 21

The Lioré et Olivier LéO 21 was a 1920s French biplane airliner and later military transport based on the earlier LéO 20 night bomber.

Development
First flown in August 1929 the LéO 21 was a twin-engined biplane airliner with a fixed tailskid landing gear. It retained the basic structure of the LéO 20 night bomber but with a new wider fuselage. It had room for six passengers in a nose cabin and a further 12 passengers in the main cabin with an open cockpit for the pilot.

The second LéO 21 was fitted with two 450 hp (336 kW) Renault 12Ja engines and re-designated as a LéO 212. It was converted by the Wagons-Lits company as a dining aircraft. The first LéO 21 became an avion-bar in 1929 and was re-designated LéO 211; it was later modified in 1931 with Renault engines as the LéO 213. One aircraft was produced as the LéO 21S fitted as a 10-stretcher ambulance. The first production LéO 213 was built in 1928 and a total of eleven were built and operated by Air Union on routes from Paris to London, Lyons, Marseilles and Geneva. The LéO 213 had an increased wingspan, improved sound proofing and three baggage holds. When modified for night services they were re-designated as LéO 213N. In 1934 all the surviving LéO 213s were bought by the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) and were converted to transports for 14-troops on bench seats and re-designated LéO 214.

Variants

 * LeO 21
 * Prototype powered by 2x 420 hp Gnome & Rhône 9Ab Jupiter engines


 * LeO 211
 * First prototype modified


 * LeO 212
 * Second prototype fitted with 2x 450 hp Renault 12Ja engines.


 * LeO 213
 * Production version with Renault 12Ja engines, some redesignated LéO 213N for night use.


 * LeO 214
 * Military conversions from LéO 213 for the Armée de l'Air.


 * LeO 21S
 * Air ambulance, one built.

Accidents and incidents

 * On 25 July 1930, LeO 21 F-AIZO Golden Ray/Rayon d'Or of Air Union made a forced landing at Snave, Kent following an engine failure. The aircraft was subsequently dismantled and removed to Hythe, Kent.

Operators



 * Air Union
 * French Air Force
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * Spanish Republican Air Force - Lioré et Olivier 213
 * Spanish Republican Air Force - Lioré et Olivier 213