VEF I-12
| Industry | Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Riga , Latvia |
The VEF I-12 was a tandem-seat, two-person trainer aircraft from Latvia, designed by Kārlis Irbītis and manufactured by VEF in Riga.
Design and development
Derived from the I-11 model, the single-engine I-12 featured tandem seating and was structurally enhanced to withstand aerobatic maneuvers. This low-wing monoplane was constructed entirely of wood, with plywood covering all surfaces except the tail control elements. It employed a fixed conventional landing gear arrangement. The cantilever wing incorporated main and auxiliary box spars crafted from spruce and plywood. Its short center section was integrated into the fuselage, providing support for the primary undercarriage legs and streamlined wheels equipped with brakes. The outer wing panels tapered smoothly to rounded tips and included balanced, slotted differential ailerons along with manually operated split flaps capable of altering camber.
The fuselage had a rectangular cross-section, built using spruce longerons and finished with a plywood roof aft of the cockpit area. A long, multi-part canopy covered the tandem pilot and passenger seats, with the pilot seated in the rear position; both occupants accessed their seats through removable canopy sections. Power was supplied by a 90 hp Blackburn Cirrus four-cylinder inverted inline engine mounted on steel supports, turning a wooden propeller. The conventional tail assembly featured a tailplane positioned atop the fuselage on the vertical fin, supported by steel bracing struts. Elevators were attached ahead of the rudder, which included a trim tab and extended down to the aircraft’s keel.
Operational history
The I-12 took to the skies for its first flight on 26 June 1937, with a total production run of twelve aircraft. Beginning in July 1937, the prototype embarked on a European tour, showcasing its capabilities in Paris and competing in races across the United Kingdom—achieving fifth place in the Thanet Air Race at Ramsgate and earning recognition as best turned-out aircraft. It also secured second place in the Cinque Ports Wakefield Cup at Lympne. The tour concluded in July 1938 when pilot P. Avery completed a nonstop record flight lasting nine hours from London to Riga. Avery piloted another I-12 in 1939, finishing fifth in the London to Isle of Man race and participating in additional Isle of Man competitions.
Positive evaluations from British aviation media led to Rollasons being appointed as UK distributors following certification modifications. The I-12 was marketed in Britain by D.R.P. Engines at a price of £750; however, it never appeared on the UK civil aircraft register.
Early in 1938, at least four units were acquired by the Aizsargi militia for use as training aircraft, with most remaining operational until the Soviet occupation in 1940.
Replicas
In 2009, retired sports instructor Juris Grīnbergs completed a seven-year effort to construct an airworthy replica of the I-12. Its inaugural flight took place near Iecava in 2010. This reproduction was exhibited at Riga International Airport in August 2023.