In 1938, the Latvian aircraft designer Kārlis Irbītis, working at the Valsts Elektrotehniskā Fabrika (VEF) at Riga commenced design of a single-seat advanced trainer as a follow on to his earlier, similar VEF I-14 aircraft. The I-15 was a low-winged monoplane of all-wooden construction, powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy Six air-cooled engine, and fitted with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage.[1]
In April 1939,[2] the first prototype, the I-15a, powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) Gypsy Six I driving a two-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propeller, made its maiden flight, while a second prototype, the I-15b, was powered by a 220 hp (167 kW) Gypsy Six II engine driving a variable-pitch propeller, and armed with a single synchronised machine gun followed, this demonstrating improved performance.[1]
The two I-15 prototypes were transferred to the Latvian Air Force for use as advanced trainers,[1] while a further two aircraft, to be designated I-15bis and powered by Hispano-Suiza 6 Mb engines were ordered by the Air Force, but on 17 June 1940, the Soviet Union occupied Latvia, ordering all aviation related work to be stopped.[3]
^VEF I-15. SAMOLOTY WOJSKOWE ŚWIATA 1935-1945. (In Polish). Retrieved 13 December 2009.
References
Davis, Chuck. "Latvia's Little Hawk". Air Enthusiast, Forty-eight, December 1992 to February 1993. ISSN 0143-5450. pp. 58–64.
"Plane Facts:Latvian lightweight". Air International, January 1979, Vol. 16 No. 1. pp. 45–46.
External links
VEF I–15 Latvian aircraft (In Latvian)
January 03, 2023
this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, july, 2022, learn, when, re. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources VEF I 15 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The VEF I 15 was a Latvian advanced trainer aircraft of the 1930s Two examples of the I 15 a small single engined monoplane were built by the VEF to the designs of Karlis Irbitis and were used by the Latvian Air ForceVEF I 15Role Advanced trainerNational origin LatviaManufacturer VEFDesigner Karlis IrbitisFirst flight 1939Primary user Latvian Air ForceNumber built 2 Contents 1 Development and design 2 Specifications I 15b 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksDevelopment and design EditIn 1938 the Latvian aircraft designer Karlis Irbitis working at the Valsts Elektrotehniska Fabrika VEF at Riga commenced design of a single seat advanced trainer as a follow on to his earlier similar VEF I 14 aircraft The I 15 was a low winged monoplane of all wooden construction powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy Six air cooled engine and fitted with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage 1 In April 1939 2 the first prototype the I 15a powered by a 200 hp 149 kW Gypsy Six I driving a two bladed fixed pitch wooden propeller made its maiden flight while a second prototype the I 15b was powered by a 220 hp 167 kW Gypsy Six II engine driving a variable pitch propeller and armed with a single synchronised machine gun followed this demonstrating improved performance 1 The two I 15 prototypes were transferred to the Latvian Air Force for use as advanced trainers 1 while a further two aircraft to be designated I 15bis and powered by Hispano Suiza 6 Mb engines were ordered by the Air Force but on 17 June 1940 the Soviet Union occupied Latvia ordering all aviation related work to be stopped 3 Specifications I 15b EditData from Air International January 1979 1 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 7 10 m 23 ft 4 in Wingspan 8 00 m 26 ft 3 in Height 2 10 m 6 ft 11 in 4 Wing area 10 77 m2 115 9 sq ft Empty weight 750 kg 1 653 lb Gross weight 960 kg 2 116 lb Powerplant 1 de Havilland Gipsy Six Series II six cylinder inverted air cooled inline engine 160 kW 220 hp Performance Maximum speed 331 km h 206 mph 179 kn Cruise speed 300 km h 190 mph 160 kn max continuous cruise Range 610 km 380 mi 330 nmi Service ceiling 7 000 m 23 000 ft Armament Guns 1 machine gunNotes Edit a b c d Air International January 1979 pp 45 46 Vercamer Arvo VEF IRBITIS I 15 I 15a and I 15b Archived 2005 12 17 at the Wayback Machine latvianaviation com Retrieved 13 December 2009 Davis 1992 p 62 VEF I 15 SAMOLOTY WOJSKOWE SWIATA 1935 1945 In Polish Retrieved 13 December 2009 References EditDavis Chuck Latvia s Little Hawk Air Enthusiast Forty eight December 1992 to February 1993 ISSN 0143 5450 pp 58 64 Plane Facts Latvian lightweight Air International January 1979 Vol 16 No 1 pp 45 46 External links EditVEF I 15 Latvian aircraft In Latvian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title VEF I 15 amp oldid 1125122699, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
