VEF I-17
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 1, 1919 |
| Headquarters | Riga , Latvia |
| Products | Aircraft manufacturing (including VEF I-17) |
VEF I-17 was a Latvian training aircraft, also designed to serve as a fighter, created in 1939 by the Latvian aeronautical engineer Kārlis Irbītis. The initial test flights took place in early 1940, and the aircraft was swiftly adopted by the Latvian Air Force. Its production was carried out at the VEF manufacturing facility located in Riga.
Design and development
In 1939, Latvia placed an order for 39 Hawker Hurricane fighters from the United Kingdom, which generated a demand for pilots trained on monoplanes within the country. To meet this requirement, Irbītis developed the VEF I-17 alongside other trainer models. However, with the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the British Hawker Hurricanes never reached Latvia. This situation prompted the Latvian Air Force to promote domestic aircraft development. Given the wartime urgency, the I-17 prototype was approved with minimal testing, leading to immediate commencement of serial production.
A total of six I-17 aircraft were manufactured, and plans existed for an additional six units. These plans were interrupted by the Soviet annexation of Latvia in June 1940.
Following Soviet control, the Red Army conducted evaluations of the I-17, with some examples fitted with Soviet M-11 engines. After Latvia came under Nazi Germany occupation in July 1941, the Luftwaffe also tested and assessed the aircraft. Similar to the VEF I-16, the I-17 was utilized by a flight training school based in Toruń.
The subsequent history and disposition of the produced VEF I-17 units remain unclear.
In approximately 2009, it was announced that Māris Gorodcovs, Director of the Civil Aviation Agency of Latvia, had initiated a project to construct a replica of the I-17.