VEF I-14
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1919 |
| Headquarters | Riga , Latvia |
The VEF I-14 was a prototype trainer aircraft developed for the Latvian Air Force by the manufacturer VEF.
Design and development
In 1936, Kārlis Irbītis initiated the design of the I-14 following a request from the Latvian Air Force for a new training aircraft. Drawing design cues from British Miles models, the I-14 featured a low-wing monoplane configuration equipped with fixed, conventional undercarriage. The pilot operated the aircraft from an enclosed cockpit designed for a single occupant. Propulsion was provided by a 200 hp Menasco B6S Buccaneer engine.
Operational history
The aircraft's first flight occurred on 19 November 1937. Unfortunately, on 23 April 1938, the prototype was lost in an accident; however, its pilot, Bandenieks, escaped without injury. Following this incident, development of the I-14 was discontinued in favour of advancing the design of the VEF I-15.