avia.wikisort.org - Glider

The Yokosuka MXY8 Akigusa (秋草, "Autumn grass") was a training glider built in parallel with the Mitsubishi J8M rocket-powered interceptor aircraft.

MXY8 Akigusa
Role	Training Glider Type of aircraft
National origin	Japan
Manufacturer	Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal
Variants	Yokosuka MXY9

Design and development

The J8M was to have simply been a licence-built Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, but due to difficulties in obtaining technical materials from Germany, it eventually had to be designed almost from scratch.[1] The MXY8 was designed in parallel with the J8M to validate the design, and then to provide pilot training during the development of the actual interceptor.[2] The Army designation for the type was Ku-13.[3]

The MXY8 was built entirely of wood, and fitted with ballast tanks that would be filled with water to simulate the weight and therefore flight characteristics of a fully equipped J8M. Some 50-60 of these gliders were eventually built.

A more advanced trainer, the MXY9, equipped with a primitive jet engine was planned, but was never produced.[4]

Many sources apply the designation MXY8 to the Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka kamikaze weapon.

Specifications

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
• Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 17.73 m² (190.8 sq ft)

Performance

See also

Related development

• Mitsubishi J8M
• Yokosuka MXY9

References

Notes

Bibliography

На других языках

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[de] Yokosuka MXY-8

Die Yokosuka MXY-8 Akigusa (秋草 – japanisch für Herbstgras) war ein japanisches Schulflugzeug aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, das speziell für die Schulung von Piloten der Mitsubishi J8M Shusui bzw. Ki-200 (in Lizenz gebaute Kopie des deutschen raketengetriebenen Abfangjägers Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet) gebaut wurde, im Gegensatz zu dieser jedoch nicht motorisiert war, sondern als Segelflugzeug eingesetzt wurde. Die Bezeichnung „MXY-8“ wurde von der kaiserlich-japanischen Marine für dieses Flugzeug vergeben, während die Luftstreitkräfte der kaiserlich-japanischen Armee die Bezeichnung „Ku-13“ verwendeten.

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- [en] Yokosuka MXY8

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[it] Yokosuka MXY8

Lo Yokosuka MXY8 Akigusa (in giapponese 秋草, Erba d'autunno o erba autunnale) era un aliante da addestramento avanzato sviluppato dall'ufficio di progettazione giapponese Kūgishō, il Primo arsenale tecnico aeronavale di Yokosuka,[3] negli anni quaranta.

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