Yokosuka MXY8 Akigusa

Role: Training Glider
National origin: Japan
Manufacturer: Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal
Variants: Yokosuka MXY9

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

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. 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. The Army designation for the type was Ku-13.

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.

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

Specifications

Airplane Picture - Yokosuka MXY8 "Akigusa" unmotorized training glider version of the Mitsubishi J8M1 "Shusui"

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War

General characteristics

Crew: One, pilot
Length: 6.05 m (19 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
Height: 2.70 m (8 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 17.73 m (190.843 ft)

Related development

Mitsubishi J8M
Yokosuka MXY9

Bibliography

Francillon, Ph.D., Ren� J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 (2nd edition 1979). ISBN 0-370-30251-6.

Yokosuka MXY8 Pictures

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Source: WikiPedia