Kokusai Ku-8

what is it?

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) was a Japanese military glider used during the Second World War. They were usually towed by Mitsubishi G3M or Mitsubishi Ki-21 aircraft.

🔎How to recognise it: shoulder wing · 23.2 m wingspan

base stats

• seats 20passengers
• size 3,500 kgmax take-off weight
• built 700made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 85 years ago, in 1941.
• 🚗Wingspan of 23.2 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.

spec sheet

first flight

1941-12

number built

700

role

transport glider

origin

Empire of Japan

makers

Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo

engines

—

crew

2

passengers

20

length

13.3 m

wingspan

23.2 m

height

3 m

max take-off weight

3,500 kg

top speed

—

range

—

wings

shoulder wing

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.