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The Kokusai Ku-8-II (国際 ク8 四式特殊輸送機, Kokusai ku 8 yonshiki tokushū yusōki) (Kokusai Army Type 4 Special Transport Glider[1]) was a Japanese military glider used during the Second World War.

Ku-8
Ku-8-II
Role	Transport glider Type of aircraft
National origin	Japan
Manufacturer	Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo K.K
First flight	May 22, 1943
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Number built	~700
Developed from	Kokusai Ki-59

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. The prototype was completed on May 20, 1943, and took to the air two days later, on May 22, 1943.[2]

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.[3] In total, approximately 700 were built. They were used operationally in the Philippines, primarily to carry supplies.

Variants

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

Operators

 Japan

• Imperial Japanese Army

Specifications

Data from topsid.com:Kokusai Ku-8-II,[4] Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War,[5] Fighting gliders of World War II[6]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 20 troops, equipped; mountain howitzer with crew / 1,790 kg (3,950 lb) payload
• Length: 13.31 m (43 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 23.2 m (76 ft 1 in)
• Height: 2.96 m (9 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 50.5 m² (544 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,630 kg (3,594 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,500 kg (7,716 lb)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 240 km/h (150 mph, 130 kn)
• Maximum glide ratio: 15.9:1
  
• Maximum towing speed: 224 km/h (139 mph; 121 kn)

See also

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II

References

External links

• Budge, Kent G. "The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: Ku-8 "Gander", Japanese Glider". pwencycl.kgbudge.com. Retrieved 18 March 2018.

На других языках

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[de] Kokusai Ku-8

Der Kokusai Ku-8 (jap. 国際 ク8 四式特殊輸送機, Kokusai Ku-8 Yonshiki Tokushū Yusōki, dt. „Typ 4-Spezialtransporter“, Alliierter Codename: Gander bzw. Goose)[1] war ein japanischer Lastensegler der Heeres-Luftstreitkräfte aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Der Erstflug als Lastensegler fand im Juni 1942 statt. Er ist der einzige Lastensegler, der vom Japanischen Kaiserreich im Zweiten Weltkrieg eingesetzt wurde.

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- [en] Kokusai Ku-8

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[fr] Kokusai Ku-8

Le Kokusai Ku-8-II (国際 ク8 四式特殊輸送機, Kokusai ku 8 yonshiki tokushū yusōki?), pour « Planeur de transport spécial Kokusai de l'armée type 4 »[1], était un planeur militaire de transport japonais, utilisé pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

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[it] Kokusai Ku-8

Il Kokusai Ku-8, indicato anche aliante da trasporto speciale Tipo 4 (四式特別輸送グライダー?) in base alle convenzioni allora vigenti e al quale venne assegnato dagli alleati il nome in codice Goose, poi Gander[4], fu un aliante da trasporto militare monoplano ad ala alta sviluppato dall'azienda aeronautica giapponese Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo KK nei primi anni quaranta.

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[ru] Kokusai Ku-8

Kokusai Ku-8 (яп. 四式特別輸送グライダ; тяжёлый армейский транспортный планёр Тип 4) — серийный планёр Императорской армии Японии периода Второй мировой войны. Кодовое имя союзников — «Гусь» (англ. Goose), позже «Гендер» (англ. Gander).

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