Nikitin NV-2

The Nikitin NV‑2 was a Soviet‑designed two‑seat training and liaison aircraft created in the early 1930s by the independent constructor Vasily Nikitin. After completing his apprenticeship at the Polikarpov design bureau, Nikitin established a small workshop in Moscow and, in 1932, began development of the NV‑2 as a low‑cost platform to replace ageing biplane trainers in the Red Army Air Force. The prototype, powered by a 150 hp Shvetsov M‑11 radial engine, first flew on 14 July 1933 and demonstrated reliable handling, a modest stall speed of 55 km/h and a maximum speed of 210 km/h. Its mixed construction – a wooden fuselage with fabric‑covered wings – made it easy to repair in remote field conditions, while a simple twin‑control cockpit allowed instructor and student simultaneous operation. Only fifteen units were built before the program was terminated in 1935 in favor of newer monoplane trainers, but the NV‑2’s emphasis on simplicity and low operating cost influenced later Soviet designs such as the Yak‑12. Today the aircraft is remembered as an early example of private innovation in Soviet aviation and a stepping stone toward modern light utility planes.

Vasily Nikitin

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Design & Classification