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Kokusai Ku 8

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Top speed
  
224 km/h

Length
  
13 m

Wingspan
  
23 m

Kokusai Ku-8 httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsbb

The Kokusai Ku-8-II (国際 ク8 四式特殊輸送機, Kokusai ku 8 yonshiki tokushū yusōki) (Kokusai Type 4 Special Transport Glider) was a Japanese military glider used during the Second World War.

Contents

Design and development

Design of the Ku-8-II began in December 1941, the glider was essentially a Kokusai Ki-59, with the engines and fuel tanks removed and a modified undercarriage. It was given the Allied code name Goose and later Gander. It could carry eighteen troops, or 1500 kg of cargo and two crew.

A Ku-8-II version that was produced in 1944 used a tubular steel frame structure, and had a hinged nose that could be opened to the side to allow loading. Also, its capacity was increased slightly to carry twenty troops. In total, approximately 700 were built. They were used operationally in the Philippines, primarily to carry supplies.

Variants

  • Ku-8I:Prototypes.
  • Ku-8II:Military transport glider. Production version.

    • Operators

  • Japan

    • Specifications

    General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Capacity: 20 troops
  • Length: 13.31 m (43 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 23.20 m (76 ft 1 in)
  • Width: 23.20 m (76 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 3.50 m ( ft in)
  • Wing area: 50.7 m2 ( ft2)
  • Empty weight: 1,630 kg ( lb)
  • Gross weight: 3,500 kg (7,720 lb)

    • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 224 km/h (140 mph)
  • Range: 300 km (190 miles)
  • Maximum glide ratio: 15.9

    • References

    Kokusai Ku-8 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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