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Japanese mail floatplane From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kawanishi K-8 Transport Seaplane was a Japanese single-engined floatplane of the 1920s. Seven were built in 1926 and 1927, and were used to operate airmail services.
| K-8 Transport Seaplane | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A K-8A floatplane (ignore the image title, caption and info) | |
| Role | Mailplane |
| National origin | Japan |
| Manufacturer | Kawanishi Aircraft Company |
| Designer | Eiji Sekiguchi |
| First flight | 1926 |
| Primary user | Nippon Koku KK |
| Number built | 7 |
In early 1925, Eiji Sekiguchi, chief designer of the aircraft department of Kawanishi Kikai Setsakuho (Kawanishi Machinery Manufacturing Works), started work on a long-range floatplane for use by Nippon Koku K.K. the airline subsidiary of Kawanishi on airmail services. The resulting design, the Kawanishi K-8A, was a single-engined monoplane with a fabric covered wooden structure. It was powered by a 305 hp (227 kW) Maybach Mb.IVa water-cooled inline-engine, as used in Kawanishi's successful K-7 biplane, but was larger and heavier than the K-7. The aircraft was fitted with a twin-float undercarriage, while the crew of two sat in open cockpits. The first prototype was completed in January 1926 with a shoulder-wing layout, but following aircraft had the wing raised to a parasol wing arrangement. The aircraft demonstrated relatively poor performance, but showed good stability, making it popular for long-distance flights. A total of 5 K-8As were completed in 1926, all going to Nippon Koku K.K..[1]
The design attracted the attention of the Teiko Kaibo Gitai, (the Imperial Maritime Defence Volunteer Association), a patriotic organization, who placed an order for two modified aircraft, the Kawanishi K-8B, with reduced span wings, a slimmer fuselage and the crew cockpits moved rearwards. These two aircraft were completed in 1927, demonstrating improved performance.[2]
The five K-8As were all used by Nippon Koku for its airmail service between Osaka and Fukuoka.[1] The two K-8Bs were used to carry out two formation tours around Japan in April and May 1927 in an effort to promote aviation. They were then leased free-of-charge to Nippon Koku on the condition that they would be transferred to the Imperial Japanese Navy on request. They joined the K-8As on the Osaka–Fukuoa airmail route, and were heavily used before they were retired in April 1929.[3]
JapanData from Japanese Aircraft 1910–1940[1]
General characteristics
Performance
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