Oeffag O.K.15

The Oeffag O.K.15 was a prototype fighter‑trainer developed in Austria in the early 1940s by engineer Otto Kauba, best known for his innovative designs at Österreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG (Oeffag). Conceived as a lightweight, high‑performance aircraft to replace aging biplane trainers, the O.K.15 combined a low‑wing monoplane layout with a compact inline engine derived from the Argus As 10. Its airframe utilized a mixed construction of wooden ribs and steel tube spars, covered with fabric, which kept the empty weight under 800 kg. The aircraft featured a fully retractable undercarriage, a bubble canopy that offered excellent visibility, and provisions for mounting two 7.92 mm machine guns for combat training. Only a single prototype, serial V‑101, was built before the project was halted by the German occupation in 1943, which redirected resources to existing production lines. Although it never entered service, the O.K.15 demonstrated Kauba’s forward‑thinking approach to aerodynamics and ergonomics, influencing post‑war Austrian designers and cementing Kauba’s reputation as a visionary in European light‑aircraft development. The O.K.15 also served as a testbed for advanced control surface balancing and contributed data that later aided the development of Austria’s first post‑war jet, the Škoda‑Kauba K‑1, reinforcing its legacy as a stepping stone toward modern aviation technology.

Otto Kauba

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