The VEF I-14 was a

Latvian Air Force Latvian Air Force ( lv, Latvijas Gaisa spēki) is the aviation branch of the National Armed Forces. The first air force (AF) units were established 1992. It has no air combat capability, thus the defense of Latvian air space is maintained by NATO ...

trainer aircraft A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristi ...

prototype, built by VEF.

Design and development

Kārlis Irbītis began work on the I-14 in 1936 in response to an order placed by the

for a new trainer aircraft. Taking inspiration from Miles aircraft, the I-14 was a low-wing

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

with fixed, conventional

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...

. The single pilot sat in an enclosed cockpit. It was powered by a 200 hp Menasco B6S Buccaneer.

Operational history

The I-14 made its maiden flight on 19 November 1937. On 23 April 1938, the aircraft was destroyed in a crash, its pilot, Bandenieks, was unhurt. Development of the I-14 was abandoned in favor of the more advanced VEF I-15.

Specifications (I-14)

References

{{VEF aircraft 1930s Latvian military trainer aircraft Low-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft VEF aircraft