RWD-8
The Germans inspected the contents of the Provodnik warehouse and, while they were interested in the VEF/Irbitis aircraft at VEF, they took no interest in the aircraft stored in the warehouse. It has been reported that they did, however, take about 10 of the RWD-8s (probably survivors from the 20 that the Latvians had used), applied Luftwaffe markings and put them to use in Estonia. Until the Liepaja-Grobini training facility was established in late 1943 some pilot training was being done in Estonia - perhaps the RWD-8s were being used there.
Miles Magister
VEF requested their British contact, Phillip d.W. Avery to purchase a Miles Magister on their behalf. Surprisingly, he was successful and the aircraft was shipped to Latvia in the summer of 1939. VEF quickly assembled it, flight tested it (Rudzitis & Mikelsons, pilots) and passed it on to the Aviation Regiment where it received the serial number 181.
The Magister was acquired only as a temporary measure - the intent was that the new aircraft being designed and built by VEF would fulfill the monoplane trainer function.
Nov.11, 1942 - the Magister, captured by the Germans and being used in Estonia, is crashed and destroyed in a forced landing by an Estonian pilot (Aleksander Lepa), who survived.
Stampe & Vertongen SV 5
VEF is awarded a contract to construct six SV5s. The decision to turn to VEF for these and future aircraft led to the shutdown of the LKOD aviation division. [SF]
The ten SV5s purchased from Belgium had Armstrong-Siddeley Serval engines, but the six to be built by VEF would utilize the 355-hp Cheetah IX. One Cheetah-powered SV5 had already been flown to Latvia.