Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cy-27" data-source="post: 180356" data-attributes="member: 1135">The Akademiya Vozdushnogo Flota – Air Fleet Academy ( AVF / АВФ ) was an body set up for budding glider (planer) designers during the period 1923-26. Most of the designs appeared at the annual All-Union Gliding Competition (VPI) held at Koktebel (Feodossia) in the Crimea. The majority of the designs remained one-off but a number of well-known Soviet aircraft designers cut their teeth with the AVF.Sources at completion of list. AVF-1 (ARAP) - Single seat glider [ 1923 ] Designed by M K Tikhonravov as a single seat glider for the 1st VPI in 1923. The skin was made at the Aviarobotnik works. It was the first product of the AVF organisation. The Arap was a cantilever high wing monoplane of triangular planform. It first flew on 12th November 1923 by D F Denisov. Wing span: 10.1 m / Length: 6.2 m / Height: 1.9 m / Wing Area: 16 sq m / Wing Aspect Ratio: 6.8 / Empty Weight: 70 kg. AVF-2 (Strizh) - Biplane Glider [1923] {To be confirmed - speculative designation?}Appeared at the first All Union Glider Evaluations in 1923 as an uncompleted biplane glider, designed by AVF student V S Pyshnov. It had a high aspect ratio wing mounted above the fuselage. The fuselage was internally braced wooden construction of rectangular cross section.Wing span: 10.2 m / Length : 8.3 m / Height: 1.8 m / Wing Area: 12.5 sq m / Empty Weight: 60 kg. AVF-3 (Mastyzart) - Single Seat Primary Glider [1923] {To be confirmed - speculative designation?}High wing design from S.V. Ilyushin.Wing span: 9.1 m / Length : 5.0 m / Height: 2.45 m / Wing Area: 16.6 sq m / Empty Weight: 32 kg.AVF-4 (Rabfakovets) - Training Glider [ 1924 ] A single seater featured at Koktobel 1924, similar to BRO-11 primary trainer. Noted for its slow speed and good handling. Designed by S V Ilyushin as a single seat glider for the 2nd VPI in 1924. It was a derivitive of the Maztyazhart-1 glider with simpler build methods and a more rigid construction. Wing span: 12.3 m / Length : 6.0 m / Wing Area - 21.5 m / Wing Aspect Ratio: 7.0 / Empty weight - 48 kg. AVF-5 (Mastysart 2, Maztyazhart-2) - Single seat performance glider [ 1924 ]Designed by S V Ilyushin and V N Alexeyev it was built at the Heavy Artillery Workshops and differed radically from the earlier Maztyazhart based glider. It was a strutted parasol monoplane with a high aspect ratio wing. The wing was attached to the fuselage by a four strut cabane. This was braced by cables anchored at a small four strut pyramid below the fuselage. It had a pointed nose and a long fuselage which tapered at the tail.Wing span: 16.0 m / Length : 7.65 m / Height: 2.3 m / Wing Area - 20.5 m / Wing Aspect Ratio: 12.5 / Empty weight - 90 kg. AVF-6 (Fabzayts, Fabzayat) - Single seat Training Glider [ 1924 ] Designed by AVF student V F Bolkhovitinov and built at the Dux Aeroplane Works. It was a sesquiplane with negative stagger and a flat fuselage tail section framework. The pilot was located in a small nacelle attached to the lower wing with skids beneath. It had a conventional tail with ailerons fitted to the upper wing.Wing span: 11.5 Upper 6.2 m Lower / Length : 6.6 m / Height: 2.22 m / Wing Area: 25.0 sq m / Empty Weight: 68 kg. AVF-7 (Strekoza, Strekoza-Pechatnitsa) - Single seat Training Glider [ 1924 ] Designed by N D Vostrov in 1924 and appeared at the 2nd VPI. The glider was a braced high wing monoplane made of pine wood with a short tail. The open cockpit was below the wing on struts and between the wide track undercarriage.Wing span: 14.5 m / Length : 8.3 m / Height: 1.85 m / Wing Area: 30.0 sq m / Wing Aspect Ratio: 8.4 / Empty Weight: 84 kg. AVF-8 (Kondor) - Single seat Training Glider [ 1924 ] Designed by V S Vakhmistrov in 1924 and was a braced monoplane with a triangular tailplane with a large rectangular rudder. First flew on 22nd September 1924.Wing span: 13.8 m / Length : 4.6 m / Height: 1.3 m / Wing Area: 22.6 sq m / Wing Aspect Ratio: 7 / Empty Weight: 70 kg.</blockquote>

Verification